dashboard data stream

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Posted by Thomas Grupp.

Engineer on team #378, Circuit Stompers, from Newfane High School and Delphi Automotive Systems.

Posted on 1/31/2000 10:01 AM MST



Does anybody know how to modify the data stream for the dashboard port. I would like to
monitor the x-axis for ports 1 and 3. Can this even be done?

Thanks!

Tom Grupp
Team #378

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Posted by Nate Smith.

Other on team #66, GM Powertrain/Willow Run HS, from Eastern Michigan University and GM Powertrain.

Posted on 1/31/2000 10:38 AM MST


In Reply to: dashboard data stream posted by Thomas Grupp on 1/31/2000 10:01 AM MST:



As far as I know, it cannot be done...except for the 8 robot feedback lights, the information is fixed. However, if you rewire the connections in your joysticks, you can move the x-axis to one that is monitored(i.e. move the x-axis on port 1 to the wheel pin.)

Nate

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Posted by Joe Ross.   [PICTURE: SAME | NEW | HELP]


Coach on team #330, Beach Bot II, from Hope Chapel Academy and NASA/JPL, NASA ARC.

Posted on 1/31/2000 12:05 PM MST


In Reply to: Re: dashboard data stream posted by Nate Smith on 1/31/2000 10:38 AM MST:



correct me if I'm wrong, but couldn't you, in the control program, set one of the monitored sensors equal to the joystick axis you want to monitor?

I don't have the code in front of me, but I think this would work.

Joe Ross

--Children think creatively. Engineers are big children--

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Posted by Nate Smith.

Other on team #66, GM Powertrain/Willow Run HS, from Eastern Michigan University and GM Powertrain.

Posted on 1/31/2000 3:57 PM MST


In Reply to: Re: dashboard data stream posted by Joe Ross on 1/31/2000 12:05 PM MST:



I don't know for sure, but since the direct sensor outputs are not output by the control program, I'm assuming that the analog inputs on the robot are sent directly to the OI without going through the user program. So, in order to do this, you'd have to figure out a way to wire one of the PWM outputs to one of the analog inputs on the RC. It does not appear to be able to be done through the control program.

Nate

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Posted by Rick Berube.

Engineer on team #121, Rhode Warriors, from Middletown H.S..

Posted on 2/1/2000 11:32 PM MST


In Reply to: Re: dashboard data stream posted by Nate Smith on 1/31/2000 3:57 PM MST:



: I don't know for sure, but since the direct sensor outputs are not output by the control program, I'm assuming that the analog inputs on the robot are sent directly to the OI without going through the user program. So, in order to do this, you'd have to figure out a way to wire one of the PWM outputs to one of the analog inputs on the RC. It does not appear to be able to be done through the control program.

: Nate

While I agree with Nate that it would be difficult to use the digital inputs for this purpose, perhaps there is a better way to control up to 9 bits which get transmitted back to the OI. All of these bits are also available at the Dashboard port.

The Innovation First Dashboard Spec. calls out a BASIC byte (byte 20 in the stream). It appears as though this byte (which controls the feed back LEDs on the OI panel) is completely under the control of your PBasic program. Stamp pins 7-15 I believe are collected by the Master CPU on the RC and forwarded onto the OI. The ninth bit, Bit6 of AUX_byte (Basic Run), is available in byte 26 of the stream. I haven't tried this myself yet, as I am only now realizing this. But if I'm correct, you have 9 bits at you program's disposal to use anyway you like (provided you don't mind the strobe effect of teh LEDs on your OI panel).

Yet another option might be to use the Debug statement and another pair of RF modems (using a different frequency from Innovation FIRST equipment of course). Attaching to the PC/Programming interface of the RC you might be able to do this. Just keep in mind that even if this works, it is an expensive solution (time wise at least), as it defaults to 9600 baud. You'll also want to isolate all the RC's ignals with the exception Tx and Gnd signals to ensure your modem handshake signals don't accidently reset the StampIIsx or possibly echo them back (the StampII uses a parasitic transistor arrangement, and we don't know what's under the RC's hood). Of course you'll need a PC program and RF modem on the other end to read the data from the serial port and display/save it to disk.

Nate, do you know of anyone with such a program available?



Regards,

Rick

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Posted by Nate Smith.

Other on team #66, GM Powertrain/Willow Run HS, from Eastern Michigan University and GM Powertrain.

Posted on 2/2/2000 10:13 AM MST


In Reply to: Re: dashboard data stream..consider this!! posted by Rick Berube on 2/1/2000 11:32 PM MST:



: : I don't know for sure, but since the direct sensor outputs are not output by the control program, I'm assuming that the analog inputs on the robot are sent directly to the OI without going through the user program. So, in order to do this, you'd have to figure out a way to wire one of the PWM outputs to one of the analog inputs on the RC. It does not appear to be able to be done through the control program.

: : Nate

: While I agree with Nate that it would be difficult to use the digital inputs for this purpose, perhaps there is a better way to control up to 9 bits which get transmitted back to the OI. All of these bits are also available at the Dashboard port.

: The Innovation First Dashboard Spec. calls out a BASIC byte (byte 20 in the stream). It appears as though this byte (which controls the feed back LEDs on the OI panel) is completely under the control of your PBasic program. Stamp pins 7-15 I believe are collected by the Master CPU on the RC and forwarded onto the OI. The ninth bit, Bit6 of AUX_byte (Basic Run), is available in byte 26 of the stream. I haven't tried this myself yet, as I am only now realizing this. But if I'm correct, you have 9 bits at you program's disposal to use anyway you like (provided you don't mind the strobe effect of teh LEDs on your OI panel).

: Nate, do you know of anyone with such a program available?

:

: Regards,

: Rick

Rick (and everybody else),
I don't know of anyone who has actually accomplished this, but I do know of someone who was going to attempt it. Based on this, I was thinking of modifying the OCX to make it possible to retrieve these bits as an Integer value...

Is there enough demand for that? If so, I'll code the update and release it...

Nate

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Posted by Rick Berube.

Engineer on team #121, Rhode Warriors, from Middletown H.S..

Posted on 2/2/2000 12:12 PM MST


In Reply to: Re: dashboard data stream..consider this!! posted by Nate Smith on 2/2/2000 10:13 AM MST:




: Rick (and everybody else),
: I don't know of anyone who has actually accomplished this, but I do know of someone who was going to attempt it. Based on this, I was thinking of modifying the OCX to make it possible to retrieve these bits as an Integer value...

: Is there enough demand for that? If so, I'll code the update and release it...

: Nate

YOU BET THERE IS NATE! Count me in on this one.

The reason our team requested robot feedback in the first place was to be able to obtain test data from a moving robot. Not only sensor data but data from our algorithms and the output we command.

If this works, I'm sure your software will be put to good use....'If you you write it, they will come!!'



Regards,

Rick

[archiver]

Posted by Nate Smith.

Other on team #66, GM Powertrain/Willow Run HS, from Eastern Michigan University and GM Powertrain.

Posted on 2/2/2000 3:48 PM MST


In Reply to: Re: dashboard data stream..consider this!! posted by Rick Berube on 2/2/2000 12:12 PM MST:



: YOU BET THERE IS NATE! Count me in on this one.

: The reason our team requested robot feedback in the first place was to be able to obtain test data from a moving robot. Not only sensor data but data from our algorithms and the output we command.

: If this works, I'm sure your software will be put to good use....'If you you write it, they will come!!'

:

: Regards,

: Rick

It will be easy enough to implement, I just have to set up a property of the OCX that allows for accessing the entire BASIC byte, and adding the 9th bit (basic run) on the high end(bit 9 = 256). I just got back from our meeting today, and am about to walk out the door again to go to work, but I will be back after 8pm EST and will put in the change and repost the OCX. Also, look for a new installer with this revision, including a one-file self-extracting EXE download! I'll post to this thread when it is finished.

Nate

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Posted by Rick Berube.

Engineer on team #121, Rhode Warriors, from Middletown H.S..

Posted on 2/2/2000 6:41 PM MST


In Reply to: It's on its way... posted by Nate Smith on 2/2/2000 3:48 PM MST:



Sounds great Nate. I'l look for it, and hope to try it out Friday or Saturday.

Rick

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Posted by Nate Smith.

Other on team #66, GM Powertrain/Willow Run HS, from Eastern Michigan University and GM Powertrain.

Posted on 2/3/2000 11:06 AM MST


In Reply to: Re: It's on its way... posted by Rick Berube on 2/2/2000 6:41 PM MST:



Didn't get a chance to finish it up last night, so version 1.1 of the decoder should be out sometime late tonight. As for that fancy, self-extracting install, I dunno...I downloaded a new installer, and it's a little more involved to set up than I first thought...I'll see what I can do though...

Nate

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Posted by Tony K.

Student on team #292, PantherTech, from Western High School and DaimlerChrysler.

Posted on 2/1/2000 6:03 PM MST


In Reply to: dashboard data stream posted by Thomas Grupp on 1/31/2000 10:01 AM MST:



Yes, like Nate said, rewire your two x-axes on ports 1 and 2 as y-axes on 3 and 4. Just make sure you make the change known to your control program.