Proposal to use PAB 10 bit ADC with Sharp IR distance sensor

[thomasco...@gmail.com]

Hi Chris,

I have written a proposal to use the PAB 10 bit ADC with a Sharp IR distance sensor on enhancement issue #198.

Could you please take a look at it.

Regards,

TCIII

[thomasco...@gmail.com]

Hi All,

Originally I was using a docking probe with pogo pin contacts on the front of ArloBot that made contact with a charging plate on the docking station. Due to requiring the docking probe to contact the charging plate I could not use the PING sensors to stop ArloBot and had to rely on a contact switch that required very slow docking velocities so as to prevent damaging the pogo pins during the docking process.

Since switching to a pair of docking probes with brass contacts that mate with their respective pogo pins on the docking station (similar to the Roomba and Shark docking hardware configurations) I have discovered that I can now use the front PING sensor to stop ArloBot virtually instantly when it has contacted the dock.

I built a plate that is 6.5 in wide by 3.5 in high that sits 12cm (the Escape distance for the front PING sensor) from the back end of the docking station pogo pin charging array. When ArloBot approaches the docking station, the front PING sensor beam does not detect the pogo pin charging array, which is below the PING sensor beam, but does detect the oncoming 6.5 in wide by 3.5 in high plate on the docking station. Once the front PING sensor is 12 cm from the plate, ArloBot instantly halts which stops the charging probe plates directly over the docking station pogo pin charging array for perfect horizontal alignment.

ArloBot can now approach the docking station at linear_x speeds of 0.05 m/sec or greater which greatly contributes to getting the two charging plates on ArloBot accurately aligned with the docking station alignment wedge between the two pogo pin charging arrays on the docking station.

I will experiment this weekend with optimizing the acquisition/approach angular_z values and the linear_x docking speed value. I will also experiment with the optimum distance for ArloBot to begin the IR beam acquisition on the docking station.

Regards,

TCIII