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Manan & Mark's Egg Hunt Planning Page

Strategy: To have the create find balls of a certain color and to return them to a goal. The plan is to do this using two distance sensors to find a ball, light sensors to detect certain colors, and then light sensors again to find the goal.

Planning & Ideas (Read More | Edit/Add Comment)

• Manan: Your plan sounds good. :-) Thanks for getting rid of the tape. But how stable is that lego contraption now? Also, I agree that we should either collect all the balls at once, or kick the balls towards the goal to save time. Collecting seems to be better, as it is more precise. (the only problem is, with collection, its all or nothing in getting the balls to the goal).
• Mark: About the ball collection I have two lego contraptions that might work (still testing and theorizing). The distance sensor from the front isn't getting power anymore because the red wire isn't connected anymore (It looks like it was a case of that wire being taped down and the servo moved too far one time). I'll try and solder it tonight but the really strange thing is that when I run your code it is still displaying a reading on the display that is changing, even though the sensor doesn't have power. Also, how should we split up the tasks for the practical exam tomorrow? We've kind of been coding together on this but I'm thinking that you'll just show the ball find/capture and I'll show the return to goal.
• Manan: I think you're right, regarding the picking up all the balls at once. With the time we have left over after the biotech exam, we should get two things done tomorrow. First, plan out how we are going to collect/store the eggs, and then make the container/device to do so. Then one of us can program it at home.
• Manan:We should change the servo for our capturing device to one that isn't fully rotational. That way, we'll be able to more precisely control the position of the servo. With a continuous rotation servo, you can't set the actual position, but only the speed, which makes it difficult to know exactly where the servo position is.
• Manan: We should focus next class (Friday) on the actual layout. Right now, we have a bunch of motors/sensors that we're just putting on the top of the robot in a temporary position. However, it is important that we work out exactly where everything is going tape it down (or use velcro/legos). That way, our sensor values and all will be fixed in place, so we won't have to edit code because of sensors moving when they're not supposed to.
• Manan: After placing a ball into the goal, we could somehow search the goal in order to find the opponent's ball and take it out.
• Manan: We are allowed to coordinate with one other team. Not that we need to, considering we're already going to win, but David M. and Lisa said we could work with them.

Tasks

Progress Reports

Manan's Weekly progress report:

• January 11, 2008
  • Created the unrefined code for an advanced search pattern and tested it on the robot. It essentially scans left and right for the closest object every second (using sensor on a servo), and then goes towards it. Still needs to be modified for egg hunt, but currently works as a soccerbot.
  • Attached the claw (capturing device) to the rear end of the robot.
  • Created functions to move the arm up and down (to capture ball).
  • Figured out ideal values for distance and color detection.

Mark's Weekly progress report:

1/10/08:

• Rebuilt the arm for the "eye" sensors and made some changes to the capture device. Removed most of the electrical tape that was all over the robot.
• Set up code for the timer and worked on adding my code with Manan's.
• Helped redefine some things in safe mode that were confusing the robot (like what to do when it's too close to the wall or when the cliff sensors go off at the goal).

1/5/08:

• Set up basic ball detection using three reading of the distance sensor.
• Started writing code that combined both wall following and light sensing.
• Figured out with Manan a more solid plan for capturing the balls.
• Adapted brightenburg light sensing to only use one sensor. Now works.

12/29/07:

• I've created a 3D diagram for how I think the Create should function but haven't had a Create to actual test any code on.

Pseudocode (Edit)

1. Wait for Input:
   • If Play is Pressed:
     • Desired Color = Blue
     • Other Color = Yellow
   • Else If Advanced is Pressed:
     • Desired Color = Yellow
     • Other Color = Yellow
2. While Time < 2 Minutes
   1. If FindObject()
      • Go Towards Object
      1. If DetectColor() == Desired Color
         • Go Towards Ball
         • CaptureBall()
         • FindGoal()
         • Go Towards Goal
         • ReleaseBall()
      2. Else If DetectColor() == Other Color
         • Go Towards Ball
         • CaptureBall()
         • FindGoal()
         • Go Away From Goal
         • ReleaseBall()
3. Stop