pic: PS2 Driven Robot

[Joe J.]

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[phrontist]

So I take it you got the thumb-joysticks to work? Do you have a pinout?

It's quite a neat hack, though I've never been fond of those controllers...

[Rohan_DHS]

Thats too cool! Any diagrams (aka pinouts, like phrontist said)?

Also, did you get the vibration thing working too lol?

[Ian Curtis]

How do you get good control with the analog sticks? I believe the resistors in the sticks themselves are 10k Ohm and joysticks have 100k ohm resistors.

[Bcahn836]

Where you able to add any function to the buttons, for example using R1 R2 L1 L2 for say arm controls?

[Joe J.]

I don't know all the details they just let me drive it. I've passed along your questions to the guys who built it.

Also, did you get the vibration thing working too lol?

We're working on it.

Yes they put the arm controls on the front trigger link buttons
arm up is on the top right
arm down is on bottom right
arm extend is on the top left
arm retract is on the bottom left
Tetra wacker is the circle button
Dumptruck is the triangle button
Tank drive on the joysticks

[Bcahn836]

How difficult is it to drive with the ps2 controller, and i have to ask the obvious question is it like playing a video game? What are the characteristics of the controller?

[Joe J.]

For one person to drive its alot easier to drive with the PS2 controller, The robots alot more responsive as well. The only problem is after you go backwards and release the joysticks it tends to keep rolling backwards but they working on it.

[Tazlikesrobots]

Very cool!

[GhostInTheShell]

ok, i'm one of team 862 electronics monkeys who worked on this, i'm working out some more bugs and will have plans and/or schematics soon

but it works like this
a PIC16f688 reads the ps2 controller data (yes, no controller mods, that controller is an unmodified commercial controller i bought used like 2 weeks ago)
it decodes the signal and sends the info to some Digipots (maxim-dallas copyrighted term) that have 100k impeadence (theyre 100kpots like in joysticks) they contol everything

you have to change youyr software though if u wanna use ours, it uses 1 joy stick port

[GhostInTheShell]

also rohan_dhs, we are working on the rumble feature currently, it needs pwm1 to be clear though, it uses the feedback lights for pwm1 to tell the pic that "holy crap we did sompthing wrong" like if we hit sompthing or we have a malfunction

[mechanicalbrain]

I doubt you will get the rumble feature working. I don't know all the mechanics but the chances are they use a buzzer. And since a buzzer is a motor the RC should not output enough power for it to run. Nice work though. I'm looking at making custom controls this year and i like to see success.

[JoeXIII'007]

Pretty darn cool. I saw you guys work on it but never knew you got it to work. Fantastic.

-Joe

[Sparks333]

I'm guessing that typical button-mashing is a definite no-no?
Way cool, man. Keep it up.

Sparks

[Rohan_DHS]

Originally Posted by GhostInTheShell

also rohan_dhs, we are working on the rumble feature currently, it needs pwm1 to be clear though, it uses the feedback lights for pwm1 to tell the pic that "holy crap we did sompthing wrong" like if we hit sompthing or we have a malfunction

wow thats trés cool let us know if/when you guys get that working