autonomous IR Navigation

Technical Programming
1

I was wondering if someone who understands C could explain in a couple of paragraphs what Kevin’s Navigation program does with regards to the robots behavior.

  1. How does the robot initally move forward by dead reckoning?
  2. When does the robot begin to turn and how far does it go.
    2 and 1/2 what ports and pins are being employed.
  3. When does the robot stop.
  4. Where does the program assume the sensors are located
  5. Does the program end at some point and where could one put
    further instructions. l
  Another words can someone give me a detailed description of what Kevin's autonomous program does and how it works.

Thanks in advance

2

Charlie,

Most of these questions are answered in the FAQ.

-Kevin

3

I have read the FAQs and i have learned a lot of troubleshooting techniques. I have read the annotations on main.c but then realized I have no idea how all the other sub programs fit in. I do understand what height to put the sensors and how to block out reflections but I don’t know whether to put the sensors on the front middle or back. I cant find anything on what makes the robot move forward turn or stop in the FAQs

  How about this question:

What makes the robot move forward, turn and stop.

 Our team doesn't know c language and would like to have a synchronous explanation of what the program does so we can try and make it work.

Thanks again

4

The default navigate code:

  • Waits for joystick button to be pushed
  • Drives straight away from the back wall
  • Locks the IR sensors centered facing forwards
  • Turns the robot until the IR sensor locks onto the beacon
  • Starts tracking with the IR sensor servos
  • Drives the robot towards the beacon
  • Stops robot when the IR sensors servos are at a particular angle.

These directives all occur in the navigate.c file. You can add your own code at the end where it says:


case AT_TARGET:

To run properly under autonomous you will have to at least modify the software in user_routines_fast.c (move the call to navigate(); up to User_Autonomous_Mode). The angle the sensor servos are at will depend on your robot and IR sensor mounting. Look in navigate.h at


#define LEFT_GOAL 135
#define RIGHT_GOAL 120

127 should be straight ahead, 120 is off to the side a little bit, 135 is of to the same side somewhat more. A reflection of how far apart the IR sensor servos are.
There are other parameters in navigate.h that you’ll need to tweak to match your robot.

5

Thanks so much … This is exactly what we needed. We have a student who can take this information and move forwared. 1000 thanks for your gracious help!!!