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Forum Member
 
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: Saturday, August 14, 2010 12:06 PM
Posts: 44,
Visits: 70
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Greetings,
Received my serializer board tonight and quickly got it connected to the motors of the Traxster robot platform. When reviewing our university's schematic for our 8051 controller board, it looks like my available TTL serial port it tied up (hardwired to the USB-serial converter chip), but I'm verifying this.
I've always wanted to use my HP50G graphing calculator, with its TTL serial port, to have its display and keyboard available for quick prototyping (this was before the possibility of me using my Windows Mobile 6 PDA via bluetooth--later).
I patched together a quick serial cable based and connected it to the Serializer. I ran my dumb terminal program and powered-up the Serializer and was greeted with the standard opening and firmware version. So tonight I've been playing with various commands and getting my VPID parameters setup. It's all working great and is so much fun.
--Well, it's too much fun, 'cause I'm not finished with homework due tomorrow AM--
My only issue came when trying the mogo/digo commands--I had swapped the encoder inputs and got unexpected behaviour, but it was an easy fix.
I have one question regarding a watchdog or other "emergency stop" type of parameters. Take the following scenario as an example, if you will.
1. My main MCU ('brain') gets locked up or otherwise has a communication issue with the Serializer and is unable to send a "stop" command.
2. The Serializer (for some reason) gets stuck and loses communication and doesn't recognize a "stop" command.
Is there currently, or will there possibly be in future FW releases, a watchdog feature that monitors, say, one of the GPIO lines for a periodic refresh (or some such implementation) and/or a hardware interrupt/reset pin that will stop the motors immediately and restart the Serializer?
This question comes from my attempt to implement a failsafe, as the line following area in my university's lab is on a pedestal/stage area and in the event my Traxster roams towards the edges of the stage, I'd like to be able to quickly kill the motors (maybe using a tall flag that I could touch that would send the emergency stop signal, or a switch connected to a long wire that I can use as a leash for the 'bot and push if something goes wrong.
Thanks again for the great development platform (I keep starting to type "play"-form  ). My experience with Summerour Robotics has been quite positive and I am greatly enjoying your very well designed products.
Best,
--Scott
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Supreme Being
Group: Administrators
Last Login: Monday, October 31, 2011 9:18 PM
Posts: 640,
Visits: 819
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| Hi Scott, Thank you for the kind words, and we're very glad you've been able to get things up and running quickly. To answer your question about a fail-safe...Yes, we are adding that to the firmware right now. Expect it to be released within 3 weeks.  Best Regards!
Jason Summerour
President,
Summerour Robotics Corporation
www.roboticsconnection.com
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Junior Member
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: Thursday, June 25, 2009 7:25 PM
Posts: 11,
Visits: 35
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| Has the firmware with failsafe features been released yet? If so, what version?
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