New Speed Controller Announced

[ajlapp]

Once they implement CAN, I hope that they also consider some other control friendly strategies:
using current messurements to allow for velocity (and even position) control without the use of encoders or other sensors. I discuss this here: What Dr Joe Wants for Christmas... (Man, I love referencing myself ;-).
implementing PID control onboard the speed controller (send it your gains and from then on just give it a desired position -- let IT figure out what the PWM outputs should be)

From the tech at the Luminary booth here at NI Week.....

-full current sensing and feedback for position control, when they unlock the feature in '010
-onboard PID, you tell it the constants and it goes to work

The unit has a cool limit switch feature also built in. you can wire a limit switch directly to the esc for both directions of operation as a built-in software stop.

The standard pwm connection still applies for now. the CAN interface is either disabled or now allowed for our use, though the demo unit they were running was linked up via ethernet cable. looked pretty slick.

Woody said we'd be able to use victors this season to carry us through the transition. The most exciting news, is that both the FIRST rep and the NI rep said the price point for the Jaguar was going to be significantly less than the victor....."we'll be happy" were his exact words!