• Control & Sensors

    jlbrian7 • 03/28/2019 at 01:47 • 0 comments

    Originally I was just going to create a simple python program to take joystick input and pass it to a lora radio, essentially this would be nothing more than a long range rc car.  Then the idea grew.  I should definately be using ROS if for no other reason than for the kids to know what it looks like and what it can do.

    Once that is set up it should make adding features to the tank a little easier.  Additionally, since my phone has a large number of sensors built in, it would be great to make an app that can be used as a "joystick", or be switched so that the phone can be mounted to the tank and provide video and other sensor data, while the tank is being controlled from a pc with a joystick.

    This is going to be a long weekend, but bringing android into it should make this project a little more interesting.

  • Worked perfectly right out of the box.

    jlbrian7 • 03/26/2019 at 23:43 • 0 comments

    its not very often i get something right on the first try!

    I will see if i can have it accepting remote joystick commands by the end of the evening.

  • Components

    jlbrian7 • 03/21/2019 at 21:09 • 0 comments

    Most of the components have arrived, and at least the surface mount stuff is done. 

    Time to print some parts.

  • Progress

    jlbrian7 • 03/15/2019 at 00:21 • 0 comments

    Progress is slow, but it is coming together.  

    The PCB's have arrived, and I will have all of the components to build one up this week, I should have the drawing finished this weekend, including the components that need to be 3D printed, and the files are accessible here: https://sethlans.io/code/jlbrian/tank

    The parts that do not have the academic version watermark were downloaded from https://www.3dcontentcentral.com/

    and the files that have funny names are from converting the .igs for rplidar into a solidworks part.  I wanted to see if it would fit on the frame.  https://www.slamtec.com/en/Lidar/A1

  • Power and Test

    jlbrian7 • 03/08/2019 at 01:01 • 0 comments

    To power the tank I took apart a DeWalt LiIon adapter https://www.ebay.com/p/Dewalt-Dca1820-20volt-Max-Battery-Adapter-for-18volt-Tools/6030009643?iid=273258375426&chn=ps and used the tool foot for the battery, only bringing out the B+ and B- wires, so there is no battery management here.  I took it outside the first time I tested it fully prepared to run away, but every thing went fine mostly.

    I had built the H-Bridges with tip 102's and tip 107's and used two ti DC-DC converters.  Apparently I made an unwanted solder bridge somewhere because one of the motors would only run in one direction, but it was enough for me keep going with it.

    Boards have been made and shipped, so I'll test out the L298P and see what kind of results I get with that.

    I also saw this as a good opportunity to begin to learn solidworks, so if everything goes well I will post all of the drawings, assuming that solidworks licensing agreement is not as restrictive as NI Labview.  

    Best i can tell there is no restriction on the files so long as i dont remove the water mark.