Minibot start and stop conditions

Technical C/C++
#1

Should we assume the FCS software only controls the main robot and not the NXT minibot? If so, it means we need a mechanism to detect the start and the stop conditions. Our first thought is:

  1. Configure three touch sensors.
  2. One for detecting the engagement of the pole so we can start the climbing motor.
  3. One for detecting reaching the top so we can stop the climb.
  4. Wait a certain amount of time and start descending.
  5. Another touch sensor to detect when we reached the bottom and stop the whole thing.
#2

It would be correct to assume that there is no software in the C++ libraries that explicitly controls the minibot. Just the usual sensor and motor software to run the robot.

Brad

#3

The FMS has no control over the minibot, per section 1.6.

As for the minibot scoring “after teleop” (due to the fact that it won’t “shut down” like the robots,) that is up for debate here:

#4

I think you can preform these tasks with only 2 sensors:

  1. Detect contact with the pole
  2. detect the top pf the pole

you can just use a timing command you preset in the lab on the return down, thats my oppinion because you save the (however miniscule) weight of the 3rd sensor

#5

The weight of the touch sensor is hardly anything. But you are right, it is optional (nice to have). Even if you don’t climb all the way down, as long as it is low enough that you can reach it, that should be good enough. But I think we will do the 3rd sensor anyway.

#6

If you use a touch sensor to halt the robot, remember to make sure that it doesn’t get triggered before the sensor on the pole!

#7

That would be pretty bad if the code would look at the stopping touch sensor before the starting touch sensor. If the state machine is properly coded, the stop sensor should not be looked at until it is in descending state. I will make sure my students don’t do that :slight_smile:

#8

Help me out here, section 1.6 is kind of long and I can’t find this reference. I did look.

#9