Day Twenty-One

Programming in 2 channels, so that the microcontroller can see forward and backwards. Then with that knowledge we can incorporate Dave/Eric's work with PWM into that. Thus the computer program can control voltages to move the arm servos forwards/backwards.

Day Twenty

Today I got my program to count each pulse, had to use all 16 LEDs on the microcontroller. Now I shall work on making it count forwards and backwards. Taking input from both channel A and B. In this way we can see our exact position regardless of which way we're moving. The circuit is the same for each channel. Programming SHOULD be relatively easy.

Day Nineteen

O_O it blew up... omg.

just kidding.

Today i did get the circuit working, eventually. (took about 1.75 hours to get all the kinks outta the program, wiring and solving my grounding issues.) The LED on the microcontroller now flashes with every pulse. Tomorrow I'll do a test run to see if the 2nd program I wrote correctly counts each pulse. If it does, then I'll have what i set out to do this week done. Yay!!

Day Eighteen

Today I set up the circuit on the microcontroller board to test the encoders. First circuit test was to see if the directed output from the encoder caused the LED light on the microcontroller to turn on. I didn't complete the circuit in time to test this. For creating the circuit, I had no idea what i was doing and got a little help from Dave. On Day Nineteen, I will actually get to see if the circuit works or not.

Note to self: upload pictures.

Day Seventeen

Dave isn't here today, so I cant assist him. So I will work on getting the microcontroller board to light up an LED when it receives a pulse signal. Then, later to be able to count the pulses from each channel (A and B).

http://www.arrickrobotics.com/arobot/edled.html

http://ikalogic.com/tut_closed_loop_spd_ctrl.php

http://www.societyofrobots.com/robotforum/index.php?topic=13192.0

http://www.robotstorehk.com/motordrivers/motordrivers.html

Day Sixteen

I attempted to be useful today, but due to my severe cold, I couldn't concentrate on anything for very long. Low attention span? I will assist Dave and Eric F. on Monday with the program-to-arm-manipulation.

Day Fifteen

I spent the day programming/modifying code. Also, I investigated hardware that could help make the programming simpler.

http://www.parallax.com/tabid/768/ProductID/64/Default.aspx
http://www.electronickits.com/kit/complete/motor/k166.htm