Despite thinking we'd solved the problem with the drive system, the robot was still doing different things on the table yesterday. We only have access to the practice table until 4.30 on a thursday, and went home at this time to carry out some tests.
We ran the sertexd command again to read the encoder values, and there are NO fluctuations in the readings what so ever now! However, we examined the last readings taken when the robot has finished each routine, and they vary considerably from the trigger values that we use to leave the subroutines. The largest deviation is 23 encoder counts, which is 1/3 of a wheel rotation! It's becoming a little clearer now what's causeing the variations in performance. The program is running too slowly to keep up with the readings from the encoders.
The options now are:
Try and speed up the program;
Use a larger, faster microcontroller for the main board;
Or, use slower reading, but less accurate encoders.
Today we need to make a decision on which route to take, and stick to it, as we don't have much time until the UK finals on May 1.
The Mighty Morphin Tower Arrangers are:
Chris Barlow
Darren Lewis
& Ted the Robot
Darren Lewis
& Ted the Robot
About Us
The Mighty Morphin Tower Arrangers are a team entering into the competition, Eurobot 2009: Temples of Atlantis (see www.eurobot.org for details).
Darren Lewis and Chris Barlow are both BSc Engineering Product Design students from Middlesex University in North London, UK.
Although the task for this year's competition is a complex one, the Tower Arrangers' philosophy is to use as few moving parts as possible, and to use natural forces wherever they are available. This should result in an economical, reliable system designed to score a realistic number of points match after match.
This site will follow the team's progress from initial design to final build and our progress through the competition itself.
Darren Lewis and Chris Barlow are both BSc Engineering Product Design students from Middlesex University in North London, UK.
Although the task for this year's competition is a complex one, the Tower Arrangers' philosophy is to use as few moving parts as possible, and to use natural forces wherever they are available. This should result in an economical, reliable system designed to score a realistic number of points match after match.
This site will follow the team's progress from initial design to final build and our progress through the competition itself.
The Contest
"Eurobot is an amateur robotics contest open to groups of young people from around the world, organised in teams."
"The aims of the contest are to favour the public interest in robotics and encourage hands-on practice of science by young people. Eurobot is intended to take place in a friendly and sporting spirit."
"More than a simple championship for young people or a competition, Eurobot is a friendly opportunity to unleash technical imagination and exchange ideas, know-how, hints and
engineering knowledge around a common challenge. Creativity and interdisciplinary is necessary. Eurobot values fair play, solidarity, creativity and sharing of technical knowledge,
whether it is across technical realisations or project management."
"Eurobot takes place in Europe, but is open to teams from other continents. Countries with more than three teams interested in participating must organise a national qualification in order to select the three teams which will participate to Eurobot finals."
"The aims of the contest are to favour the public interest in robotics and encourage hands-on practice of science by young people. Eurobot is intended to take place in a friendly and sporting spirit."
"More than a simple championship for young people or a competition, Eurobot is a friendly opportunity to unleash technical imagination and exchange ideas, know-how, hints and
engineering knowledge around a common challenge. Creativity and interdisciplinary is necessary. Eurobot values fair play, solidarity, creativity and sharing of technical knowledge,
whether it is across technical realisations or project management."
"Eurobot takes place in Europe, but is open to teams from other continents. Countries with more than three teams interested in participating must organise a national qualification in order to select the three teams which will participate to Eurobot finals."
[www.eurobot.org, 2008-2009]
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