steering wheel ???????

[leobot_792]

Is a steeringwheel possible to use with a robot? If so what kind or brand will work and how can we do it????

[slickwill1675]

leobot_792,

I think this is what your looking for...

http://www.ifirobotics.com/usb-chicklet.shtml

If you already have a USB Chicklet then you need to buy a Logitech NASCAR Racing Wheel for the PC. IFI robotics has a list of all the supported hardware on that page.

Good Luck,
Will
#247

[MrForbes]

There are lots of ways to get a steering wheel to control your robot....we got an older version of this

http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...I=LXASX2**&P=0

and took out the transmitter board, wired the steering/throttle pots to the OI, and now have an easy way to drive last year's 6WD robot. It did take some work to get the shaft encoders programmed, and some soldering to connect the wires. So you'll learn a lot if you try to do it this way.

but it sure is easy to drive..and you can hold the whole thing in your hand, and easily pull the throttle (it has reverse too, just push the trigger away from you)

[Mr.Rush]

you could make your own, i did over the summer. I gutted a joystick and set about attaching a wheel to the Y axis pot and a lever to the X axis pot for throttle. It was quite fun to drive my edgie bot around with it.

[mp.nighthawk]

and also onto thouse ideas if you serch ebay for a serial stearing whell im shure you could find something
have fun building!

[MrForbes]

If you do find a serial steering wheel (or any used item from ebay or elsewhere), make sure it is still available new, so it is a legal COTS item.

[Greg Needel]

Originally Posted by squirrel

If you do find a serial steering wheel (or any used item from ebay or elsewhere), make sure it is still available new, so it is a legal COTS item.

My interpretation is that COTS are only relevant for parts on the robot. Otherwise nobody could use the old flight sticks anymore....

[Jeff Pahl]

Originally Posted by Greg Needel

My interpretation is that COTS are only relevant for parts on the robot. Otherwise nobody could use the old flight sticks anymore....

My interpretation is the same as Greg's. The controls are not included in the Bill of Materials requirements or the cost accounting.

However, the only intrepretation that matters belongs to the GDC. Someone with a Q&A login should ask the question there. I'm suprised no one has yet, as there seems to be quite a bit of confusion regarding the COTS requirement and if it does or does not apply to the operator controls, based on several comments I have seen in different threads.

I'd post the question to Q&A myself, but I don't have a login.

[MrForbes]

The joysticks are KOP items so they need not be COTS.

[MrForbes]

You might want to consider this

"<R13> For the purposes of determining compliance with the weight and volume limitations specified in Rule <R11>, these items are NOT considered part of the ROBOT and are NOT included in the weight and volume assessment of the ROBOT: ...... The OPERATOR CONSOLE.

However, for all other purposes the items listed above are considered part of the ROBOT and must comply with all other applicable rules and requirements. "

Sounds to me like that means that all of the parts used on the robot and the Operator Console must meet the requirements for being COTS or from the KOP.

Q&A should be able to set us straight one way or the other, though.

[lukevanoort]

<R36> specifically allows unmodified COTS parts from previous robots; if you consider the controls part of the robot, that allows the old, out-of-production CH Flightsticks. Unmodified COTS parts from ebay... I don't know. Definitely a Q&A worthy question. Wheels aren't really that complex anyway; we will probably be building one for testing purposes, if not for the final implementation. I suggest telling a couple of newbies to build one; even if you don't use it, it'll be a great learning experience.