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Issue #224 March 2009 — Robotics
Task Manager
Design Evolution, by C. J. Abate
Priority Interrupt
Cloud Computing, by Steve Ciarcia
New Product News, edited by John Gorsky
FEATURE ARTICLES
Robot Navigation and Control (Part 1)
Construct a Navigation Control Subsystem
by Guido Ottaviani
Guido built a navigation control subsystem for an autonomous differential steering explorer robot. In the first part of this article series, he describes a robotic platform that drives motors and controls an H-bridge. Guido also presents a communication system that remotely manages the robot. p. 14
Keywords: Robot, navigation, communications, H-bridge, motor, drive, dsPIC30F4012, dsPIC30F3013, odometry, dead reckoning, encoder, ZigBee, telemetry
(A link to the article will be emailed to you.)
Vision-Guided Robotics — Read
it now!
A Next-Generation Balancing Robot
by Hanno Sander
Are you interested in building a sophisticated, vision-guided, balancing robot that can interact with its environment? Hanno shows you how to tackle this project with a Parallax Propeller, a handy design kit, and an inexpensive camera. p. 22
Keywords: Robot, vision, balancing, Propeller, dance, ViewPort, camera, fuzzy logic, PID, frame grabber, tracking, C-Cam-2A
Networked Timing
Build a Timer With Advanced Planning Tools
by Thomas Bereiter
Precision irrigation control is now a reality. Thomas’s irrigation timer with advanced planning (ITAP) is a truly novel irrigation control system. The easy-to-use system, which directs user interaction into a standard web browser, provides useful information such as watering schedules and zone activity. p. 31
Keywords: Irrigation, timer, network, scheduling, WIZ810MJ, solenoid, ATmega168, ULN2803, web, HTML, JavaScript, JSON
(A link to the article will be emailed to you.)
Wireless Mobile Robotics
A Wi-Fi-Enabled System With a Mounted Webcam
by Scott Coppersmith
Scott used a microcontroller, an embedded Ethernet board, and a wireless router in an innovative control system for a compact mobile robot. The robot features a mounted webcam that transmits real-time pictures to a remote laptop. Scott explains how he planned the project, assembled the pieces, and created the control software. p. 41
Keywords: Robot, camer, wireless, webcam, RC car, Wi-Fi, DM300027, WIZ810MJ, PIC24FJ64, WVC54GC, WGR614 router, motor control, Delphi Pascal, JavaScript, HTML
(A link to the article will be emailed to you.)
COLUMNS
LESSONS FROM THE TRENCHES
FAT File System Review (Part 1)
Open Files and Perform Operations
by George Martin
If you are designing a system with a removable memory device, try using a file storage system such as the FAT file system. George describes how to open files with the system, use a CompactFlash card, and perform other basic operations. p. 51
Keywords: FAT, file system, CompactFlash, operations, C
(A link to the article will be emailed to you.)
FROM THE BENCH
Programmable Robotics (Part 1)
Build on an Existing Robot Platform
by Jeff Bachiochi
If you want to work on a robot but don’t have to time build one from scratch, check out iRobot’s Create. The robot incorporates several customizable features, including a command module for on-board programming, a serial cable to send individual commands, 10 built-in demos, over 30 built-in sensors, and a 25-pin expansion port. p. 56
Keywords: Robot, iRobot Create, platform, Roomba, command module, USB, GCC, AVRDude, AVR Studio, I/O, ATmega168
(A link to the article will be emailed to you.)
SILICON UPDATE
A Really Simple Plan
The “8-Bits” Saga Continues
by Tom Cantrell
Thirty-two-bit microcontrollers are becoming more popular, but 8-bit chips still have their place in the market. Tom says major companies will be finding uses for the simple and inexpensive chips for years to come. p. 64
Keywords: 8-Bit, microcontroller, RS08, registers, memory, MC9RS08KA1, interrupt, packaging, shadow PC, CodeWarrior, DEMO9RS08LA8, demo board
(A link to the article will be emailed to you.)
PREVIEW
Issue #225 April 2009 — Embedded Programming
◊ Construct a USB GPIO Pod (Part 1): No Parallel Port, No Problem
◊ Robot Navigation and Control (Part 2): Software Development
◊ Digital Decoding: A Design for Decoding Periodic Signal Transmissions
◊ THE DARKER SIDE Time Domain Reflectometry: Detect, Measure, and Locate Impedance
◊ ABOVE THE GROUND PLANE — Solar Data Capture: PCB Layout Woes, Inductor Design, and More
◊ FROM THE BENCH Programmable Robotics (Part 2): Application Development
◊ SILICON UPDATE ZStar Trek: A Healthy Mix of MCUs, Sensors, and Wireless Technology
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