Work in progress; just arrived from Shanghai, China is a set of automotive ultrasonic parking sensor system to be soon hacked and placed on the robot for obstacle avoidance.
See the build here : http://musingsandhobbies.blogspot.com/
Hi Nikita, welcome to LMR!I
Hi Nikita, welcome to LMR!
I had a look through the attached blog, this looks like a really interesting build.
Although you’ve already been accumulating info in your blog over the last few years, it’d be great to see some of the summary details turn up here as well - actuators used, programming languages, controllers hacked, etc.
Thanks for sharing, I look forward to following your progress =)
** Big bots = big cool factor**
From your blog it looks like anything in a car isn’t safe from your hacking!
Keep up the work, I can’t wait to see it progress, Captain Sisko, err… Captain Nikita 
Thanks!..can’t remember
Thanks!..can’t remember seeing any robots on Deep Space 9 
Yes and thanks, it is in
Yes and thanks, it is in the interest of this group that details of the build is shared here with my new community.
Thanks amd Yes; the build
Thanks amd Yes; the build details will be shared here with my new community!
Very nice. Good choice of
Very nice. Good choice of music to for the video 
I’m wanting to build a robotic lawn mower and am thinking about using a scraped wheel chair. Does it have any trouble in the yard?
Thanks. Actually, being a
Thanks. Actually, being a wheelchair, the chasis is extremely well built to carry over 300lbs. It runs beatifully in the grass as well as concrete and asphalt. Of course any wheeled vehicle will bog down in mud and soft ground. However, because I was not carry any heavy weight I was able to dash around the back yard on a rainy day here in Florida.
I also run the original 24 vols to the motors which provide plenty of power for lawn mowing. Hmmm… maybe I should try pulling one of those old style machinical push mowers!
Where?
Where are you in Florida? I’ve been trying to find robot builders locally but haven’t found any other than maybe some UCF Robotics students. Even the local hackerspace had zero robot builders. If you’re anywhere near central FL I’d like to meet up. I also have 2 power chair robot projects that I haven’t been able to get back to for various reasons.
Great! seems like we are
Great! seems like we are both working on similar projects. Yes, I am in south Orlando… lets meet up ASAP! contact me via email ( see my blog for email account )
Question
Does yours monitor whether the wheels are locked? Mine does and I’m unable to supply what it’s looking for so it just keeps flashing error. I tried supplying +v, gnd and vref to pin 8 (on mine that’s a switch output) so it must be looking for some other signal. I was wondering if you ran into this problem and have a solution because I’m at a standstill AGAIN.
Sorry I wasn’t able to drop by for a visit but things went bad around here, my nephew is in the hospital dying of cancer and now has pneumonia. I still want to get an informal monthly meet-up going and invite other interested robot builders in the central Florida area.
I think the original VSI
I think the original VSI controler does not check that the brakes are released, however it will continue to supply power to the motors until it detect high current load then it goes into error.
What is the number of flashes? this is a clue to where the problem is…
When first turned on the controller is expecting the follow voltage:
Pin 1 = 2.5v
Pin 3 = 2.5v
Pin 6 = 2.5v
Pin 8 = 2.5v
Pin 7 = 5v
Any deviation will cause the controller to error out.
Send me more details of your setup .
Hmm…
Looks a little different than what I have but your joystick 8-pin connecter looks the same, different housing. I think you have the newer VR2. Mines older but I’ll drop you an email in a bit. I’m in my office and don’t have email set up on this computer, it’s only on my netbook at the moment.
I have:
Pin 1 = 2.3v (+v)
Pin 3 = 0v (gnd)
Pin 6 = 1.15v (center tap 1/2 Vin)
Pin 8 = NC (switch output)
Pin 7 = 1.15v (L/R output 2)
I know yours works but your list looks backwards, pin 7 is really pin 1? Yep, I think you’re oriented wrong. I need to take a ride down your way as you seem to have the answers I need.
Also, not talking about the brakes but the wheel/motor disengage. They all have this feature, some kind of mechanical switch so the chair can be pushed by hand. If mine is disengaged the power lights flash and that’s what’s happening. Can’t figure out how it determines if the motors are engaged or not. But then the flashing could mean something else.
