Robodave   Robots   Projects   Controllers   Circuits   Sensors   Motors   Tools   Links

Email me

Controllers

Last Modified: March 6, 2001

Robot Control Click the pictures for a regular size view in a new window.

Robot control can come in many different forms, from simple switchs on up to fully embedded single board computers. Many roboticists use Basic Stamps and their variants, 68HC11 SBCs and other Motorola processors, 8051 SBCs and their variants, and sometimes just small PICs or AVR devices. What you should get to control a robot can depend on many different factors, such as: how much you want to spend, how well do you program, and what you want the robot to do? Now me, I'm cheap, stupid, and want the robot to do as much as possible. I've used some type of Basic Stamp 2 in both my current robots. They are simple to use and there is a large amount of code for ideas in application. It is probably the easiest processor to begin with., though it does have limits. You might not try things such as vision processing or AI on a Stamp.

Basic Stamps range from a slight first version with 8 I/O to several new Stamp 2 versions with 16 or more I/O. I've used a Homebrew Basic Stamp 2 and an OEM Basic Stamp 2. The programs you write for these are interpreted by a chip on the Stamp. It's a very simple setup with lots of working code that others have written, if you don't want to take the time to actually read the manual or simply need more examples. You type in or copy and paste the code in to the Basic Stamp Editor on your computer, connect a serial cable between your computer and the module and usually, hopefully, it works! Similar controllers that might have some improved capabilities include the BasicX and the OOPic.

PICs are made by MicroChip and have a great variety of capabilities and sizes. These devices use actual compiled code, whether it's in the form of assembly instructions or a higher level Basic/C language syntax. They're cheap and have a pretty wide spread use. To use one, a progammer is needed, which can be just a handful of components or an off the shelf programmer combined with an Editor/compiler. The programmed chip is then placed in circuit. My current use of PICs are in subsystems, to do verification of a good infrared detection. Now I didn't program these, but bought them as a kit from someone who knew more about them than I did. There are other such applications, such as motor control, communication, and other sensor interfacing. Similar devices to the PICs are the AVRs from Atmel.

The MiniRoboMind has been devloped from an advanced Motorola 68332 processor. It is a very new system and something that I'm looking at for future robot projects. It is somewhat intimidating, but there are several folks working on code in C and Basic for various robotic functions, including vision. With the support of these people and the manufacturer himself, a robot could be off the ground in no time. To program one, it is connected to your serial port on your computer and compiled code is downloaded into the MiniRoboMinds memory. Other products similar but perhaps simpler include the Handy Board, other Motorola 68HC11 or 12 based processor boards, and even some 8051 based processor boards.

goto Top