Start
• Mavric-II
Board
• Sensor
Board
• LCD
Panel Board •
Sensor & Thermocouples •
Two-Axis
Accelerometer
• Radio
•
Radio
Packet Stategy •
Data
Logging
• Adaptable
System •
Sources and PDF
LCD
PANEL BOARD
One
feature that the MoTec system doesn’t offer the
driver is an in-car display. The driver wanted access
to more information than the dashboard could provide,
so we decided to share data with him. We also figured
that because we had a radio link and an LCD panel,
we would let the pit crew send messages to the driver!
The
Crystal Fonts LCD panel has eight lines of text
and multiple display modes. It also offers two ways
to backlight the panel. We attached a dedicated
ATmega8 to the panel (see Figure 3). The ATmega8
is connected via TWI to the ATmega128 through a
bundle of three wires. It is connected to a software-debounced
switch to control its mode.
|
(Click
here to enlarge)
|
Figure
3—The LCD board contains the ATmega8 and a graphical
LCD. The MCU’s only function is to control the
LCD with data from the Mode push button and
TWI link to the MAVRIC-II. The display is mounted
inside the steering wheel. All power and communication
is handled via a multi-wire cable. |
The
LCD can show the last eight lap times, engine revolutions
per minute (RPM), and messages from the pit crew
(see Photo 1 on page 42). The switch tells the ATmega8
which information to display.
|
(Click
here to enlarge)
|
Photo
1—The LCD can display lap times. The times are
entered at the pit crew end so the official
ones can be reported to the driver in real time.
The driver’s mode switch keeps him in control
of the information displayed. |
