Diff for "LURC" - UCC Wiki

Differences between revisions 1 and 32 (spanning 31 versions)

Description

The LURC (the Long-Range UCC Reconnaissance Car) is planned to be a remote control car with all the bells and whistles. Picture a standard remote control car. Now, throw out the radionics and replace it with a decent computer, controlled over the internet. Then add a webcam with pan and tilt, so the remote driver can see where he/she is going. Then add GPS. Then add solar power boosting. Then add battery level feedback to the remote driver. Top all this off with a whiz-bang steering wheel and driving pedals on a desktop, and you have yourself UWA's coolest car.

Creation date: November 2009

Location of source: http://svn.ucc.asn.au:8080/oxinabox/LURC/

Project leader

Bob Adamson is the leader and finance for this project.

List of people involved

Lyndon 'Frames' White is doing the AVR code and serial interface.
John Hodge has volunteered to write some fancy code for the web interface, and has threatened to put his acess kernel on the router :S.
Other people such as Rufus Garton-Smith and Adrian Chadd have been conscripted into helping with the webcam and the 3g dongle respectively (thanks guys!).
Did I mention that OTHER PEOPLE ARE WELCOME TO GET INVOLVED?
Also, thanks to Mitch Kelly for his advice, even though we don't always agree on things

Project plan

What is done

Assemble cells into a 7.2V battery pack
A significant amount of waiting for parts to arrive :S
Set up bifferboard with debian (openWRT isn't great for our needs)
Get serial commands sent from a computer to control the servos
Chassis - we have wheels, suspension, motor (the car can drive in a straight line now)

What is being done

Serial interface on the AVR (over-all 95%)
- set up framework/datastucture for storing and retrieving received commands
- framework for execution of commands,
- implement vast array of all required commands (90% done)
  - SETPWM (SETPOS) - testing ongoing
  - MODIFY PWM (MOD) (not done)
  - WRITEPORT
  - READPORT (not done)
  - LCD (not done)
  - ADC (not done)
- Implement serial communication
- extended testing
Setting up the bifferboard for webcam, serial control, etc.

What needs doing next

Order USB dongle (crazy johns claims to have cheap ones at the moment)
Test AVR serial code for robustness and completeness
Re set-up the bifferboard with a decent OS, eg debain.

Parts we have got

Brushless motor, 3800 Kv
Servos x 3. These are smaller than what was expected at about 1x2x3cm, but should be strong enough
- The servos have a full 180 degree range, using PWM values from 0.4ms to 2.4ms with a 20ms period. Using values outside these ranges kills kittens. For the hex values that define these values, see /Trimming.
C size rechargeable cells, 6x3300mah NiMH
AVR atmega169 butterfly board
Solar panel
A Bifferboard. This will be used to connect to the outside world, the webcam, and the AVR Butterfly.
Wheels and tyres, 2.2" hubs to suit a 3/16" axle - f*** these were expensive -- BobAdamson
USB power adapter for the bifferboard (for testing)
Webcam, which should be sufficient to display a 640x480 image
BEC and ESC, this one is on order
FT232 converter (MAX232 works, but need a usb adapter for the bifferboard-gps connection anyway) - on order from sparkfun
4 port usb hub for the bifferboard - this will allow us to have a usb stick, a webcam, and gps connected all at the same time.
A buggy kit, with wheels. chassis, motor, steering assembly. (We now have extra parts!)
Ni-MH battery charger
USB to serial adapter (sparkfun, 3v version)
Webcam Mount.

Parts still to get or make

Motor pod/mount (if we choose to put existing motor into the buggy kits)
USB broadband dongle (borrow off of Adrian for the moment!)
serial GPS module

Other info

Control trimming
The Oxinabox Lightweight Serial Protocol for AVR mega169 explained
The Desktop FrontEnd, gen1 "Frames",

Some programs we are probably going to need

openWRT (is evil) Debian
wvdial (a command line dial-in PPP utility)
MJPG-streamer (stream webcam using various output plugins)
AVRstudio 4
WinAVR (wich has the AVR-GCC C compiler)
br@y's Terminal, one of the best GUI COM terminal programs.
pyserial

-  ⇤ ← Revision 1 as of 2010-01-12 14:54:25 → 
  Size: 4642
  Editor: BobAdamson
  Comment:
+   ← Revision 32 as of 2010-02-20 16:12:50 → ⇥
  Size: 6121
  Editor: BobAdamson
  Comment:
-Deletions are marked like this.
+Additions are marked like this.
 Line 8:
-The LURC is planned to be a remote control car with all the bells and whistles. Picture a standard remote control car.
+The LURC (the Long-Range UCC Reconnaissance Car) is planned to be a remote control car with all the bells and whistles. Picture a standard remote control car.
 Line 16:
-http://svn.ucc.asn.au:8080/oxinabox/LURC/ (soon to be moved to a public repo)
+http://svn.ucc.asn.au:8080/oxinabox/LURC/
 Line 24:
-[[mailto:oxinabox@ucc|Lyndon 'Frames' White]] is helping with the AVR code and serial interface. <<BR>>
+[[mailto:oxinabox@ucc|Lyndon 'Frames' White]] is doing the AVR code and serial interface. <<BR>>
 Line 32:
-What is done
+~+What is done +~
---- 
 * [[http://redneckrobots.com/BatteryTips/BatteryTips.htm|Assemble cells]] into a 7.2V battery pack
 * A significant amount of waiting for parts to arrive :S
 * Set up bifferboard with debian (openWRT isn't great for our needs)
 * Get serial commands sent from a computer to control the servos
 * Chassis - we have wheels, suspension, motor (the car can drive in a straight line now)

~+What is being done +~
-Line 34:
+Line 42:
- * Serial interface on the AVR end is done(ish)
 * <a href="http://redneckrobots.com/BatteryTips/BatteryTips.htm">Assemble cells</a> into a 7.2V battery pack
 * A significant amount of waiting for parts to arrive :S
+ * Serial interface on the AVR (over-all 95%)
  * set up framework/datastucture for storing and retrieving received commands (./) 
  * framework for execution of commands, (./)
  * implement vast array of all required commands (90% done)
   *SETPWM (SETPOS) (./) - testing ongoing
   *MODIFY PWM (MOD) (not done)
   *WRITEPORT (./)
   *READPORT (not done)
   *LCD (not done)
   *ADC (not done)
  * Implement serial communication (./)
  * extended testing
 * Setting up the bifferboard for webcam, serial control, etc.
-Line 38:
+Line 56:
-What needs doing next
+~+What needs doing next +~
-Line 41:
+Line 60:
- * Set up SVN for the project code
 * Set up router/bifferboard with a basic operating system such as openWRT
-Line 44:
+Line 61:
- * Get serial commands sent from a computer to control the servos
+ * Re set-up the bifferboard with a decent OS, eg debain.
-Line 46:
+Line 63:
-Parts we have got
+~+Parts we have got +~
-Line 48:
+Line 65:
- * Brushless motor, 3800 Kv <a href="http://www.himodel.com/electric/3800KV_Outrunner_Brushless_Motor_for_450_Class_Helicopter_Type_H2835-H.html"> </a>
+ * [[http://www.himodel.com/electric/3800KV_Outrunner_Brushless_Motor_for_450_Class_Helicopter_Type_H2835-H.html|Brushless motor]], 3800 Kv
-Line 50:
+Line 67:
+  * The servos have a full 180 degree range, using PWM values from 0.4ms to 2.4ms with a 20ms period.  Using values outside these ranges kills kittens. For the hex values that define these values, see [[/Trimming]].
-Line 53:
+Line 71:
- * Router board with usb and serial for central control (<a href="http://wiki.openwrt.org/oldwiki/openwrtdocs/hardware/asus/wl500gpv2">this one</a> is on order)
 * Alternatively, a <a href="http://bifferos.bizhat.com/">Bifferboard</a>, which has already arrived, could be used. This has the advantage of onboard IO.
 * Wheels, gears, axles, and other RC car parts - I just dug out the old Meccano set

Parts still to get or make
+ * A [[http://bifferos.bizhat.com/|Bifferboard]]. This will be used to connect to the outside world, the webcam, and the AVR Butterfly.
 * Wheels and tyres, 2.2" hubs to suit a 3/16" axle - ''f*** these were expensive'' -- BobAdamson
 * USB power adapter for the bifferboard (for testing)
 * [[http://jaycar.com.au/productView.asp?ID=QC3231&amp;CATID=20&amp;form=CAT&amp;SUBCATID=688| Webcam]], which should be sufficient to display a 640x480 image
 * [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battery_eliminator_circuit| BEC]] and [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_speed_control|ESC]], [[http://www.hobbycity.com/hobbycity/store/uh_viewItem.asp?idProduct=7186| this one]] is on order
 * FT232 converter (MAX232 works, but need a usb adapter for the bifferboard-gps connection anyway) - on order from sparkfun
 * 4 port usb hub for the bifferboard - this will allow us to have a usb stick, a webcam, and gps connected all at the same time.
 * A buggy kit, with wheels. chassis, motor, steering assembly. (We now have extra parts!)
 * Ni-MH battery charger
 * USB to serial adapter (sparkfun, 3v version)
 * Webcam Mount.
~+Parts still to get or make +~
-Line 59:
+Line 84:
- * MAX232 converter
 * Testing power supply for the bifferboard
 * <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battery_eliminator_circuit"> BEC</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_speed_control">ESC</a>
+ * Motor pod/mount (if we choose to put existing motor into the buggy kits)
-Line 63:
+Line 86:
- * <a href="http://jaycar.com.au/productView.asp?ID=QC3231&amp;CATID=20&amp;form=CAT&amp;SUBCATID=688"> Webcam</a>, which should be sufficient to display a 640x480 image
 * <a href="http://www.angelfire.com/electronic/hayles/charge1.html"> Battery charger</a>
 * USB to serial adapter and serial GPS module
+ * serial GPS module
-Line 68:
+Line 89:
+ * [[/Trimming|Control trimming]]
 * [[/SerialProtocol|The Oxinabox Lightweight Serial Protocol]] for AVR mega169 explained
 * [[/FrontEnd|The Desktop FrontEnd]], gen1 "Frames",
-Line 70:
+Line 95:
- * openWRT
+ * --(openWRT (is evil))-- Debian
-Line 73:
+Line 98:
+ * AVRstudio 4
 * WinAVR (wich has the AVR-GCC C compiler)
 * br@y's Terminal, one of the best GUI COM terminal programs.
 * pyserial
-Line 81:
+Line 111:

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