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Subject: 
Re: Sonar x Batteries
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.robotics
Date: 
Tue, 6 Jun 2000 19:15:10 GMT
Reply-To: 
nospam-dcchen@#spamless#pacbell.net-nospam
Viewed: 
2186 times
  
I too noticed that the battery usage went way up.  I got around this by
using trains of IR Pulses (like 10 Pulse IR/Check IR level pairs in a
row)
followed by a rest period for let's say 100msec then checking IR again.
This creates a lower (approx 20%) "Duty Cycle" that conserves battery
power.
Doesn't seem to effect range much either.  You can play with the
settings to
optimize to your environment.

Dave

Code as follows (in NQC):

DEFINE ONCYCLES 10   <--How many times in a row to Ping for an obstacle
with IR
DEFINE OFFTIME 100   <--How many msec to give it a rest
IR_THRESHOLD    70   <--In Percent mode, your mileage may vary.  Adjust
as needed.

task Ping
{
  while(true)
  {
    repeat(ONCYCLES)
    {
      maxlight = IN_2;
      if(maxlight > IR_THRESHOLD)
      {
        *** DO YOUR COLLISION AVOIDANCE STUFF HERE ***
        break;
      }
      SendMessage(maxlight);
    }
    Sleep(OFFTIME);
  }
}

Mauro Vianna wrote:
> 
> Hi, people!
> I built a sonar-like feature as other people here had done already. The
> robot is using the RCX to send IR messages and a light sensor to detect the
> IR reflections. It sends messages continually while moving and detection
> works fine. It works better with red obstacles.
> But it seens that this feature consumes the batteries fast. Can somebody
> confirm that?
> If true, did somebody already use any workaround as an external IR emitter
> connected to external batteries?
> 
> Best regards,
> 
> Mauro Vianna



Message is in Reply To:
  Sonar x Batteries
 
Hi, people! I built a sonar-like feature as other people here had done already. The robot is using the RCX to send IR messages and a light sensor to detect the IR reflections. It sends messages continually while moving and detection works fine. It (...) (26 years ago, 4-Jun-00, to lugnet.robotics)

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