Here is a sample of how you could use the kit gyro to drive strait in autonomous at a slow speed. Please note the ADXRS150 or 300 would offer better performance and faster turns then the kit unit.
ADXRS300 : http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/product_info.php?products_id=395
gyro_auto.zip (3.82 KB)
gyro_auto.zip (3.82 KB)
These are really great gyros.
We had a 150 gyro from last year, and actually noticed if you let the gyro turn at 150 DPS without saturation, that the curve around the OverDrive course is a pretty nice and easy turn left. When we got our 300 DPS gyros, now we have to “ease” up on the joystick when we turn left because the robot wants to turn quicker. With the 150 gyros we could lay the joystick all the way over to the left, and let the gyro make the nice and easy turn left.
It was quite an experiment we had set up and actually one of the programming guys was going to “limit” the 300 DPS gyro because he liked the way he could lay the joystick all the way down and make those easy left turns.
I dunno, food for thought I guess…Either way, we are using the 300 DPS gyros to drive straight and they are great. We also noticed the sparkfun gyros don’t get as hot as the KOP 150 gyros. Hot to the touch, because I am trying to convince my programmers that I want to put silly putty in a clear box with a lid and embed the gyro in the silly putty for some damping protection… they think I am wacko…
EDIT: When I say 150 DPS KOP Gyros, I mean the 2007 gyros…the gyro you got in the 2008 KOP are only 80 DPS…ouch…really slow…