Comms test working, now transmits the tilt sensors data, however i need to sleep the xbee as it is draining power from batteries so rest of circuit is not working as well, also this is due to the fact i am running it through a 5v reg with 4.5v batteries, not the 9v i was in the previous design.

I have also recieved a fone call from technobots reguarding the motors, they are now instock and are sending them today to arrive tomorrow, so now i have some motors – G8 Solarrobotics motors and associated 2.5cm diameter wheels.

http://www.technobots.co.uk/acatalog/Online_Catalogue_Solarbotics_Geared_Motors_81.html

meeting today, and still looking for dan 😀

PCB have arrived fromt he states. They have allready got the usb – serial chip added, therefore all i need to do is purchase the rest of the cmponents, wjhich i have just done, i require:
2.7k resistor, low current T-1 led, 10uF and 0.1uF caps
to make up 2 boards, i got…
2.7k resistors x 2
2x ceramic capacitors
2x electrorolytic radial caps
2x yellow low current led
2x panel clips for leds
the usb socket i got was from farnell, and cost over a pound but comes with a molex style connector on it, therefore i have bought some molex 90 degree angled connector blocks to attach them to it.

i will be heading to maplins to get a box to fit these into it, so shall require a few pcb spacers to attach it to the box. im thinkin gof using plastic ones as i can cut these down easily.

the pcb header strip 2mm are still not arriving yet due to uni postage issues with payment, therefore i will try them tomorrow, i shall therefore make the rest of the board up tonight, and try to see if the drivers work.

that and my other coursework lol.

With this pcb working, we can test the board with a mac and the rest of the pcb can be nmade for the outer ball, then can be placed inside a ball, for testing.

The motor drive circuit i shall get a final copy of tomorrow from the robot football club, so shall have that ready to be made next week.

Meeting Thursday 15TH November 2007. 3.15pm dans office.

PCB amendments.

The connections to the power inputs are done so that they are soldered under the plastic, This is the same for the through hole connections to the doughterboard s, which will contain the hbridge motor controllers – from robot football.

The board size includes a 5mm border, this needs to be rounded so that it can fit inside the small ball originaly used.

The through hole connectors need to be mounted so that they are a pin extending both sides of the pcb, this is to allow connection of the light board ontop of the ball – 10×10 dot matrix display.

A NEW US BOARD NEEDS TO BE MADE as pin connections have been knocked off.

USB XBEE BOARD NOT ARRIVED. components not purchased yet as order size too small.

Shiela is not making PCB ‘s today due to Amanda being ill, therefore cannot leave the office.
Next PCB manufacturing time – Tuesday.

I have the pcb details, maybe the accelerometer can be added to the main pcb design?

PCB redesigned, to fit inside an 8cm cube, the idea being that it fill be the size of a miabot inside a hamster ball size ball, driving about.

The PCB now use an xbee module to communicate with the ouside world, with the old reciever transmitter pair connecting the outer ball, containing the hr, gsr temp and US sensors, with the inner ball, for information transmission to the drive board then to themac

the mac has a usb xbee resiever, being sent today hope=fully, to be recieved today or tomorrow, a board of 10 were bought as it was more cost effective to buy 10 half made, then source components, than it was to get 4 boards which are fully built.

Well it has been a while, and im still waiting for the details of the GSRs that dan is wishing to use, but i found a guy on the picaxe forum who has info about them, so i may just leave some adc pins free to some holes to connect them up to at a later date, means i can go on and make the prototype board now.
all the rest of the stuff is completed, i have the pcb test design sorted, and handed in, so tomorrow it should be made, i have the picaxe chips on order, and have just handed in an order list for some transmitters and recievers to hopefully get it working!

Also i recieved the marks back from my critique today!

well they have been online for a while, i just havnt had a look!

but i got…
75% thats the 3rd highest in the class of… 26

i also noticed that some people have used blogspot to place their critique online, i cannot however as it includes a large ammount of pictures, tables and items such as that.

anyways, i also just been looking into a rf800t chip, which allows 16 channels, pluss encoded serial data to be transmitted, good for futur projects, and also for this, and it has a sample circuit which allows data to be connected and displayed onto a pc!!!

SO I MAY GET SOME, CPC SELL RF800 16 CHANNEL ENCODER/DECODER ICs and RF solutions sell an RF800T which i assume is the same, i have emailed them to ask.

I had a meeting with Dan today – our regular thing, tuesdays at 11. and now i have a definative list of what i need to do for his project. Its all gravy and i can now start to press on with this, he wants a prototype by Christmas, which is going to be hard but if i can get it done and dusted, order the parts and picaxe then i can easliy solve software problems 🙂
so yay!

since working on the robot dog critique, i realised the intorduction to the critique about why a dog, and the different types, and the lifeline of the robotic pet was becomeing a bit to long winded, and also without having my i-cybie with me, it would have been difficult to do a critique on him without actually using him now to do the stdy.
therefore i have stopped that for the time being, and now going to work on a critique about a robot light/music playing ball robot, which is sorta along the lines for my project that i am doing for dan.

its from www.iwantoneofthose.com
called the laser ball, and is in the toys and games section, 2nd page i think.

“Imagine R2D2 spinning out on an illuminated rave trip inside a hamster ball and you’re halfway there. The Laser Ball is a mesmerising and ingenious gizmo that serves no useful purpose whatsoever, so of course we think it’s great. Comprising a hamster ball and a mini robot with little spinning arms covered in LEDs, the Laser Ball is sound activated and trundles about on the floor flashing through random patterns that change in reaction to loud beats. There are two modes, one with its own sound and one without – but don’t use the mode with the sound: a) the sound’s horrid and b) it’s much better to have it spinning away with your own music playing. Great for parties or just when zoning out listening to music, the Laser Ball trundles around the floor looking dead whizzy and is as cool as a poi spinning hamster.”

so yes here goes…