Church couch program NXT.....

[CPUGenuis]

kay, at my church we are about to hold the couch potato wars, where we go and decorate and just pimp out (did i just say pimp out ) couches and then ram them, joust, race, and so on... last year it was couch potato olympics....

well, anyways, i am getting creative this year and integrating a self-propelled couch from simple parts, but i am having minor difficulties with my programming.... T_T

well, bascially i have some motors hooked up through a board (electrical), with on/off controlled by a mindstorms NXT motors that connect and disconnect(the followed by the battery)

my issues is with the scanF type funcution in it known as NXT buttons, i am having issues resolving how to make it run through and make motors turn slightly to disconnect power, and stuff like that to control the wheels. can somebody show me a simple picture of how to connect the "wires" in the programming compiler to make this work?

the thing is not build yet and also i am trying to make it foolproof considering that there is a chance that some "less technologically inclined" people in my youth group may drive it later...

thanks!

[tseres]

NXT? scanf with NXT? man, i'm still playin with my RIS 2.0. to answer your questions: i don't have an answer. could you use a VEX kit? or an old IFI RC and OI from school? thats all i can think of...

couch potato olympics? i should get my church interested....

[SamC]

Why not use a VEX controller and use EasyC to program it (Or MPLab if you have experience)? You can use just about any motor or sensor with the VEX system.

[CPUGenuis]

Originally Posted by tseres

NXT? scanf with NXT? man, i'm still playin with my RIS 2.0. to answer your questions: i don't have an answer. could you use a VEX kit? or an old IFI RC and OI from school? thats all i can think of...

couch potato olympics? i should get my church interested....

well you were no help >.<

well, i can't really use IFI because we don't have cash to spend (much) on stuff for it, i would be suprised if we got any..... our school does not do VEX (wish it did) and RIS, yeah that is old....

the NXT is the newest thing, like, the new RIS. it is like a scanf because you can optiomally push buttons to manually controll it, but it won't seem to work right like that.... which is why i am here. i can't really get the whole grasp of what to do.....

[cooker52]

So what you want to do is have variable power control?

[CPUGenuis]

Originally Posted by cooker52

So what you want to do is have variable power control?

well, that would be sweet, but that is not what i am trying to do. on appendages on the motors, i am gonna have foil or metal or some conducting substance that is used to connect and dissconnect by moving the motors, and i am having issues with programming the NXT, anybody that uses it (and nows how to well) i am asking to show me a simple or complex program screenshot so i can understand what i am doing wrong.

i don't wanna use an IFI board or something becasue there is basically NO budget and i also don't want to use that because people that use couch potato wars after me won't really want to learn C and do it all over again....

[cooker52]

I haven't used it yet, disappointingly, so I may not be much help. But, I am trying to clarify what's going on. You want the robot to move a motor when you touch a button on the robot? And you are having trouble with programming that? Right, or not?

(BTW, I am not trying to make this more frustrating)

[tseres]

if you just want the motors to run, simply wire a basic push button or switch to it. i'm assuming the motors are 12v, so just throw a car battery on the couch. that would be simpler then NXT if that's what you want...

[EHaskins]

I just coached two FLL teams using NXTs.

Are you tring to use the NXT buttons to control the couch?

Are the NXT motors just pushing switches to control the motors?
If yes, would the switches push the motors to neutral if you put the NXT motors in neutral, or will you need to drive them to neutral?

If you have MSN/Live Messenger, or Skype, my handle is in my profile, feel free to contact me.

[CPUGenuis]

great, and now i solve it >.<

yeah, basically in a nutshell i am trying to control the couch by the buttons on my NXT. i got that to work by programming it so that for when you press the buttons, it moves the motors in a way that connects and disconnects the power supply to the motor, causing, example, if i hit left, the left motor would die and the right would continue, rotating me left. i then would press right and it would move me right.

no, they are not pushing switches, they are holding a connector that brushes up against two "panels" and connects the power to it

since i figured that out (just a overlooked careless error earlier in the codes), i am tyring to control it remotely through a phone or computer. whadda know about doing that EHaskins?

[EHaskins]

Originally Posted by CPUGenuis

since i figured that out (just a overlooked careless error earlier in the codes), i am tyring to control it remotely through a phone or computer. whadda know about doing that EHaskins?

You should be able to control it using a computer by writing software on the PC and NXT to interface via Bluetooth. I researched doing that, but never tried. If you Google "NXT AND Bluetooth" you should find someone who has done that.

[CPUGenuis]

Originally Posted by EHaskins

You should be able to control it using a computer by writing software on the PC and NXT to interface via Bluetooth. I researched doing that, but never tried. If you Google "NXT AND Bluetooth" you should find someone who has done that.

k, thanks much!!!

now after that i have the oh-so fun task of finding parts, motors, wheels, metal beams, and batteries (+cables). anybody got any suggestions (even though this has nothing to deal with programming, this should finish the whole thing up)