hainebd
New here and am asking some questions. My project is an independent drive via 24 volt Jazzy motors controlled with a Sabertooth 2x32. My wish is to have autonomous operation and have RC over ride. I have an operational RC and operational Arduino autonomous but have not been able to assemble both. Dimension Engineering (Sabertooth) have guided me some. Apparently the Sabertooth default mode 1 will do what I want by S1 to TX on Arduino. S2 to channel 5 of RC. A1&2 to RC channels 1&2. Then I found this Software and am trying to decide which is best. See my coding is mainly industrial. Learning for me is slow. So I ask for your opinions and ideas.
Finished project will be a lawn mower. Remote start and stop for gas engine. Distance for front/rear and left right when turning. Additionally, height sensors in front. Electric RC and Mechanical EStop.
Thank you for your input on this and your project postings. Brian
That's pretty easy - but i'd like to know more about your robot. What do you mean by "autonomous"? What kind of sensor and what is the robot doing? Is it a lawn mower robot or snow blower (we could use one up here in Canada right now) :D
Autonomous movement with little input from person. Sensor decision is up in air. Lidar for surroundings. Proximity for height. Once the electronics and coding are proven then the system could be adapted to many platforms. My need is due to physical disability. I am now seeing how bad my mind is. I thought that this would be a good test and I could cut the grass. Thanks
Okay - sounds like a fun project! Seems like you've broken the project into a few steps, which is smart. Many people attempt to attack the death star before mastering the force :)
The RC mode of a controller will also work with either an Arduino or EZ-B v4. I would recommend either, depending on how much code you want to write. Arduino may require more code, and the EZ-B v4 requires less (or none).
I think the easiest way to have both RC from a remote and RC from a microcontroller at the same time would be to simply connect the RC input values to a solid state relay that could be controlled by the microcontroller. For example, if you set a pin on the microcontroller to be HIGH, the solid state relay will connect the RC lines to the microcontroller. If the pin is LOW then the solid state relay will connect the RC lines to the remote control receiver.
If you use an EZ-B v4, there is a status pin that can be configured based on the wifi connection. That can also be used as an emergency shutdown in case connectivity is lost and the robot stops.... rather than running away and cutting another lawn for free :D
Thanks for the info. That was one of my concerns was loss of signal from RC. Since an sw on transmitter (Chanel 5) to S2 on Sabertooth determines if the Sabertooth responds to serial comms on S1 or RC on A1&2 on Sabertooth. If loss of RC, how to stop. Your relay could be just a safety off another channel on RC (6) which is another switch. That tied to pier relay that when loss of signal from RC will disconnect all 24 volts and lower. With electric power gone the engine stop relay will open NO contacts. Thoughts?
Think id have two relays
overall power that shuts down everything (in the case of lost connection)
switches between remote control and microcontroller mode