How do you calibrate the ultrasonic range finding sensors?. By this I mean, how does one determine when the range finder is pointing straight ahead. Perhaps this doesn’t make sense, but my intuition tells me this is important.
Thank you, Jonathan and Richard. I wasn’t quite sure how the software would know when the sensor was pointing straight ahead. I have mostly been thinking about the parts I need. I am just now beggining to think about the programming. I plan to add a pan and tilt once I get the thing moving at least. I have the RobotShop Robot Rover Tank Kit.
I do have Robot Builder’s Bonanza and will probably be spending lots of time with it. I had been spending most of my time learning what the Arduino Duemilanove can do .
Richard is correct, using a servomotor is probably the easiest method for panning a sensor over ~180 degrees. You could however use alternate methods such as stepper motors, linear actuators with a mechanical system or even DC motors with an appropriate encoder. These solutions have their benefits but may be more complex to implement.
We suggest a good book: Robot Builder’s Bonanza (RB-Mcg-15). Highly suggested to give you a good base of information on how to do things.
If you want to know where the sensor is pointing, using a servomotor is easy. Since you tell the servomotor what position to go to, you already know where it is pointing.