My team has bought a Pigeon IMU recently and when we get it, we find it only looks like this.
l didn’t find any ports to plug this gyro in. (We use navX before and it can be plugged into the roborio and fixed on it by two screws) However, how to fix a Pigeon IMU like this on our robot? Is there any existed ports supported?
What’s more, should the Pigeon be powered by PDP or VRM?
Besides, is a temperature calibration really necessary for a Pigeon IMU?
Either VRM or PDP power is acceptable.
For a CAN connection wiring instructions can be found on section 4.1 page 11 of the manual . You will need to solder the CAN and power connections.
Alternatively you can connect to a talon SRX with a Gadgeteer data cable and instructions can be found on section 4.2 pg 14 of the manual.
Thanks for replying! But how to fix Pigeon IMU on the robot?
We 3d print this case
Without a case you can attach it through those 4 holes on the corners, I would use a non conductive spacer under it if you don’t use the case.
Thanks! It seems useful!
yes and no. CTRE looks to have built a pretty good sensor fusion algorithm in my experience with Pigeon, but even then not having run the thermal calibration means that it’s going to have to do a little bit more work when your sensor readings are movin’ and groovin’ with changes in temperature, causing you to see more noise in your measurements than you might expect. If this becomes a problem in your application, do the calibration.
Thanks! If l do the temperature calibration in my lab, l don’t need to do it anymore?
If with a case, then you just stick the case on the robot? Or methods else?
The case has through holes that go through the holes in the pigeon, I think they use m3 screws but I am not certain on that. But if you for some reason can’t screw/bolt to the bot 2 sided tape could be a solution for you. The case just gives you protection and insulation.
Thanks, l will let our mechanism team deal with that.
Besides, is it necessary to do the shock absorption on Pigeon IMU?
You do want it mounted as central as possible and not near a lot of ferrous materials or electrical current. Shock absorption isn’t as important but never hurts on an electronic item. Also if you don’t mount it flat your pitch, roll, and yaw may not be interchanged depending on how you mount it.
Thanks for your advice!
That should be the case. The temperature comp is mostly about tweaking to the specific IMU chip, as each one that comes off the line has a slightly different temperature coefficient.
Generally you want to affix a gyro as rigidly as possible to a rigid part of the robot chassis - nothing between the gyro and the stiff part of the robot frame. You want the gyro to accurately track the robot and not miss important movements damped by other material or following movements that are artifacts of other material.
The center of the robot is great as long as it isn’t floppy and vibrating like a drum head.
These comments apply more for the accelerometers that are often part of a gyro package but they are a good practice. And yes, other electronics can benefit from padding.
Hi, if l want to wire pigeon on the vrm, which port should l plug the power wire into? The 12 2A port or others?
It is in the manual section I pointed you to earlier 4.1 but it should be the 12 volt
Oh, l see it, thanks. So l just need to make sure that the volt is 12? But l am curious about is there any difference between the 12V 2A port and the 12V 0.5A port on the VRM if l want to wire Pigeon on it? Which one is more stable for the Pigeon IMU?
I see the 0.5A is fine as the draw on the pigeon is 50mA 0.05A per documentation section 3, pg 8
My team didn’t even think about a case so we just mounted it vertically, but with the Pigeon V1 it must be mounted horizontally in order to enter the calibration upon bootup. Basically the robot would power on but the Pigeon would be indiscoverable via Phoenix Tuner or other CAN means.