IntelliFrank

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Revision as of 22:19, 1 March 2012 by Bjornl (talk | contribs) (updated code)
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NURDspace Project
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Participants Bjornl, User:buzz
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buZz has an autonomous electric toy car, "Frank". Frank should be upgraded with sensors to avoid collisions and software to act more intelligently (and possibly execute small furry animals simple tasks).

This is probably a good way to get acquainted with Arduino programming.

  • create new, more intelligent programs
  • add sensors and programming for those sensors


  • 29/02/2012: Attached a Devantech SRF04 Ultrasonic Range Finder to Franks Arduino and got readings! Now working on more intelligent code.
  • 01/03/2012: Uploaded code (see below), works, but _only_ when USB cable is attached, otherwise Frank _always_ retreats!

<pre>/* Semi-intelligent steering for RC car bjornl 29-02-2012 */ #define NO_MEASUREMENT 0 #define TOO_CLOSE 2000 #define QUITE_CLOSE 5000 #define NOT_SO_CLOSE 15000 #define CAREFUL_FORWARD 200 #define STEP_FORWARD 400 #define RUN_FORWARD 800 // these pins are connected straight to the receiver chip of the RC car const int leftPin = 2; const int rightPin = 3; const int fwdPin = 4; const int bwdPin = 5; // between this pin and ground, there is a roller ball switch const int rollerPin = 13; // little 5mm led, red :) const int ledPin = 8; // rangefinder const int triggerPin = 9; const int echoPin = 10; void setup() { Serial.begin(9600); // set up the outputs pinMode( leftPin, OUTPUT); pinMode(rightPin, OUTPUT); pinMode( fwdPin, OUTPUT); pinMode( bwdPin, OUTPUT); pinMode( ledPin, OUTPUT); // set up the inputs pinMode(triggerPin, OUTPUT); pinMode(echoPin, INPUT); } void loop() { int measurement; // Get a measurement measurement = getMeasurement(); if (measurement == NO_MEASUREMENT) { // No valid signal was given, panic! panic(); } else if (measurement < TOO_CLOSE) { // Too close to wall, retreat! retreat(); } else { // Determine amount of time to run forward int runTime; if (measurement < QUITE_CLOSE) { runTime = CAREFUL_FORWARD; } else if (measurement < NOT_SO_CLOSE) { runTime = STEP_FORWARD; } else { runTime = RUN_FORWARD; } goForward(runTime); } } void panic() { Serial.println("Panic!"); // flash LED for (int i = 0; i < 10; i++) { digitalWrite(ledPin, HIGH); delay(100); digitalWrite(ledPin, LOW); delay(100); } } void retreat() { Serial.println("Retreat!"); // Go backward left for the given amount of time digitalWrite(rightPin, HIGH); digitalWrite(leftPin, LOW); delay(200); digitalWrite(fwdPin, LOW); digitalWrite(bwdPin, HIGH); delay(500); digitalWrite(bwdPin, LOW); delay(200); digitalWrite(rightPin, LOW); } void goForward(int runTime) { Serial.print("Forward: "); Serial.println(runTime); // Go forward for the given amount of time digitalWrite(fwdPin, HIGH); digitalWrite(bwdPin, LOW); digitalWrite(rightPin, LOW); digitalWrite(leftPin, LOW); delay(runTime); digitalWrite(fwdPin, LOW); } int getMeasurement() { Serial.print("Measurement: "); int measurement; // wait for some time, make it look like we are thinking ;) digitalWrite(ledPin,HIGH); delay(1000); // send trigger pulse digitalWrite(triggerPin, HIGH); delayMicroseconds(10); digitalWrite(triggerPin, LOW); measurement = pulseIn(echoPin, HIGH); Serial.println(measurement); digitalWrite(ledPin, LOW); return measurement; } /* end */ </pre>