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Programs We Write

1. Arduino/C++ code for the microcontroller​

  • Possible Responsibilities:
    • Setting drivetrain DC motor voltages, and reading their encoders.
      • Probably also their PID controls.
    • Setting stepper motor positions/speeds (for perhaps lift/spinnywheel)
    • Setting voltage for the charge pads
    • Reading any other encoder data
  • Programming Language:
    • Written in C/C++ using the Arduino framework - but pretty easy C++ 😄 Programming 1 students can pick it up.

2. "Server" code on the Raspberry Pi on the bot​

  • Possible Responsibilities:
    • Autonomous planning: following a path, selecting red/blue team, selecting the pad_voltage and wheel_RPM for the match
    • Telling the Arduino what to do (ex.: Pi tells it to move backwards, so the Arduino sets the 4 motors to be at -10V)
    • Streaming all the cameras back to the driver station
    • Receiving controller input and other commands from the Client (see #3 below)
  • Programming Language:
    • Can be written in any language. Python is fair! Last sem we used Kotlin and Python.
    • Example Python framework to help: RTCBot

3. "Client" code on the Laptop - this is where the driver is. Tis a GUI!​

  • Here's my UI Mockup.
  • Possible Responsibilities:
    • This is also the "Driver station".
    • Driver would plug in their controller into this laptop, and view the camera streams and other sensor info via the GUI.
    • The Driver Station app would then take the controller inputs, and send those to the Pi's Server (from #2 above).
  • Programming Language:
    • Can also be written in any language.
    • Last sem we used Kotlin and Python on the client as well, with a GUI in Kotlin (the Python one didn't have a GUI, just commandline).