Tonight's Work

Worked a bit more on Leo's body. All that is left after the glue dries is to do some trimming and the MCU shelf part is done. I've been trying to figure out what kind of hinges to use on the bumpers that won't stick. I had an epiphany while drinking a soda, reuse a soda can to make the hinges for the bumpers. It's quite fitting since Leo's body started off as a RC toy and has been upcycled to a bot body. I will be working on the front bumpers tomorrow afternoon.

My current dilemma is that I'm out of pins before I've begun really. I may put a pot or a resistor on the back IR distance sensor and make it digital, so I can have 2 analogs for the compass. Then I need to make the passive battery sensor only go low when it gets down to the point it needs to head 'home' to recharge. That would leave one digital pin unused, besides pins 0 and 1, which I already have plans for.


Progress Report:

Completed
Bot Body : Dozer Model(Modifications at 50%, Battery compartment and MCU shelf done)
MCU : AtMega328 Arduino

Incomplete
Sensors : 3 Bumper Sensors(3 Digital Pins)
5 IR Distance Sensors(5 Analog Pins)
Passive Battery Monitor(3 Digital Pins(75%,50%,Time to head home)
2 Encoders(2 Digital Pins)
Dual H : Still haven't ordered it(4 Digital Pins)
Compass: Still haven't decided which one (2 analog pins)

Got the arduino board in today

Well UPS came by at 4pm finally, waitied around all day for the delivery. Got the board out, installed the drivers, and did my first 'sketch'. Tinkered with it quite a bit. It did provoke a few thoughts, such as how to save data? Only a computer that is easy, you just make a file, but the AVR doesn't seem to have a system for that. I'm going to frys tomorrow to get parts for the L293, the 38mhz oscillator circuit and some pull down resisters for the bumpers. May get a few sharp sensors if they have them and some IR LEDs too, I need to start working on the body now that a few parts are available for size purposes.

In possession:

Tracked Bulldozer Body
AtMega328 (yay!)

End of August goal:

Get the AtMega328 mounted into the modified tracked drive

End of September goal:

Get both motors and all sensors operational

I will post a full progress report once a week

Rummaging today

Tomorrow is the big day, I got out my multimeter, got together a few other tools as well. Will need to purchase a better soldering iron though. I've made a few drafts on the changes in the body, but will wait to do most of the changes till I have the sensors and such. I've not been able to find sharp modules, but I've been able to find IR Detector modules that detect IR at 38mhz. Not sure if I want to use a PWM pin to drive the modules or just make a circuit to do it. Either one presents challenges. One hand, don't have to worry about if the MCU is working and there one more pin to play with and on the other hand, a few lines of code handle and it can be changed much eaiser. One way it can be tinkered with, the other way, when you are done, you are done and time to go on to other things.

Not doing the list today, but tomorrow is a big day. I will have the brain for the body, just have to integrate the two. Btw, 9volt batteries are expensive, almost $20 apiece.

Definitely committed now, wish me luck!!