Questions

Lynxmotion Robot Arms
1

Goodmorrnig

I’ve some questions for ma robot Arm:

  • Can I use the battery pack instead of the wall to make the robot autonomous?
  • Is possible, using a swich, use or BBII or the SSC-32 with the PC?
  • Why RIOS crash during the 3D scan with G2P12? The connection is correct: I saw it on the forum!!! :slight_smile:

Many thanks!!!

2

Hi Jeeg,

I can answer the simple questions.

Yes your arm can run with a battery pack. Something like: lynxmotion.com/Product.aspx? … egoryID=48 would work great.

You can for sure use the BB2 with a processor in it like a Basic Atom Pro or a Basic Stamp without a PC connected (I think that is what you were asking). And you can use a switch with the BB2 with the PC connected as well. As for the SSC-32 you will probably need something controlling it, which can be a PC or can be a BB2. The only exception I can think of is you could use an SSC-32 if you were running some canned sequence that a startup string can fully initiate.

As for rios crashing, that I will leave for the expert(s)… But it might help them to know more information about the crash. Things like what version of RIOS, what OS, what type of crash…

Kurt

3

Thanks Kurt!

In this day I try to wire a swich for use BB2 or SSC-32 (I use a basic atom pro 28!)
About a Crash:
When the 3D scan create the first 3 or 4 line the RIOS freeze… don’t respond and I must kill it with the task manager.
I use Win XP Sp3; Rios 1.06 (ultimate version); Atlon X64 5600 with 4Gb RAM.
I’ve tryed with all configuration of 3D scan but it freeze!!!

4

Hello Jeeg,

i was looking at RIOS code to see what could be the problem
but normally, even if it’s getting slow you should be able to click “Stop” or “Exit” on the 3D scanner window
I can’t find a reason to “completly” freeze the 3D scan window.

This issue means the connexion is lost with the arm, so it’s slow because it’s waiting the Timeouts value for each Analog sensor request before giving hand to main windows.

So i have a few questions :

  • when it freeze, can you click on the “stop” button in the 3D scanner window ?
  • are the robot servos still “on” when it occurs ?
  • could you check and tell me the Timeout value (from RIOS main windows then “Timeouts” window the value in Red “Timeout : xx mS”) please ?
  • is the 3D scan start filling some lines before hanging ?
  • are you using “USB to serial” cable or “serial/serial” cable ?
  • is there issues when playing one of the demo projects ?

Please Check too if you’re using at least 6V 2500ma for VS (on the SSC-32 card) and a 9V batterie for VL (check too if the VS=VL jumper is removed)

You can test this : in the Timeouts WIndows, if the “Read Interval” value is 20, try to set it to 30, 40 or 50 then test again the 3D scanner

5

Hi Laureatus,
thanks for you interest!
Please follow the answers:

  1. No, when it freeze I can’t click stop and exit button!
  2. Yes, all servos still “on”
  3. The default Time value is 20 mS. I try with 30, 40 and 50 but never appens
  4. Yes fill 3 or 4 lines before freeze
  5. I use a serial/serial cable
  6. No
    I confirm that the VS=VL jumper is removed
    I Connect the yellow wire in the “A” pin; the black wire in the “-” and the red wire in the “+”.
    Please see the immage below:
    http://images5.fotoalbum.virgilio.it/v/www1-5/742/74207/120204/foto-vi.jpg
6

Hello Jeeg,

When RIOS freeze, could you confirm that the arm is freezing too ?
Does it freeze always when the arm is on a side (full left or full right) ?
or does it freeze the arm in the midle travel ?
always at the same place ?

Could you try this :

  • When it freeze, try to power off the arm, wait 2 seconds and power on again.
    does RIOS unfreeze ? does the arm move again ?

Laurent

7

Hello Laureatus,

Yes I confirm that the arm is completly freeze but not in the same place e never in the midle.

I tryed to power off for a few seconds. The RIOS unfreeze but it’s very slow. If I open a new window it’s appear without
a button, label etc and the arm dont move.
I tryed also to unplug the Sharp sensor and the result it’s the same to power off action.
This evening (in Italy are the 11:50 am) I try to format my computer…

In your opinion the connection in the previous picture it’s correct? The jumpers of the baud rate are corrects?

8

Hello Jeeg,

Yes it’s correctly connected,
when you have powered the arm off then on it has unfreezing RIOS (even if slow after that)
That means it’s not a software problem, RIOS was hanged asking Analog value with no result, so it was waiting timeout time to elapse each time,
when power cycling the arm/SSC-32 the SSC-32 was restarting and asking (slowly) to analog value request from RIOS.

Try to go to Timeouts Window and click “Default” (just to be sure all values are correct)

Then Check the COM “Setup” Window from RIOS main window :

Data bits : 8
Stop Bits : 1
Parity : None
Flow Control : None

Then tell me the SSC-32 firmware please (in red just below the “Firmware” button)

It could be a serial cable problem too, is it a homemade cable or one from a shop ?

on the PC, the serial db9 plug is “build in” or on a pci card that you have added (pci to serial db9 card) ?
if it’s a pci card check if the driver is installed and if the fifo buffers are activated.

9

The flow control defaul value was Software. I’ve changed it to
none and the RIOS don’t freeze!!! :smiley:
Thank you Laureatus you Are great!!!

10

Where exactly did you change this value?

11

In the COM “Setup” Window from RIOS main window

12

Are you sure this is the default setting for it. I think the default is supposed to be none. Are you sure you didn’t alter this? :wink:

13

Uhm… I’ve found this setting… I don’t think if I’ve altered it… I don’t remember!!! :unamused: