Software Lab 08

The questions below are due on Tuesday April 02, 2019; 08:25:00 PM.

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Files

This lab description is available as a PDF file here. There is no code distribution for this lab.

Theme song for this lab can be found here.

Goals: To combine the light-tracking features of the robot "head" with the angular position controller developed in previous labs to cause the robot head to track a nearby infrared light source.

Do this lab with a partner of your choosing who is at the same point in the lab as you are.

1) Let's Get Physical

Firstly, take a look back at your schematic from last week's lab, and take some time to familiarize yourself with it (as well as your CMax layout) once again. If you are working with a new partner, compare your designs and decide which one you want to build.

Construct your circuit on a physical protoboard. Make your circuit look exactly like your CMax layout (note that CMax also tells you what color wires to use). If you are working with a new partner, discuss your designs from Design Lab 7 and, working together, decide on a single design to construct.

Make sure the LEGO motor is connected to the robot head circuit board via a black cable, and that the circuit board holding the photodetectors is connected to the robot head circuit board via a silver cable. You should then connect your breadboarded circuit to the robot head via a red cable:

Although we will eventually power the light tracker from the robot, you should use the bench power supply to test your circuit for today. Make sure the positive supply terminal is set to 10V relative to ground.

Use an infrared LED light (located in the yellow bin at your table) to test your light tracker.

Check Yourself 1:

Experiment with a few different values of the proportional controller's gain, k_c, to find a value that works well over a range of distances.

Checkoff 1:
Demonstrate your working light tracker to a staff member.

**Save your circuit for design lab by:**

removing all 8-pin connectors (leave these at your table)
labeling your protoboard with your name and your partner's (tape and markers are on the table by the entrance to the lab)
placing your protoboard in a locker labeled with your section number in the hallway