Programmable Logic Circuit

This was our first (and probably last) attempt at implementing our programmable logic circuit memory storage.  I think our fingers aren't small enough, steady enough, or nerdy enough to solder all those wee bits!

A Programmable Circuit

The above schematic is one for a POV Display system that works on the same principle as a Dot-Matrix printer.  You can program in graphic columns (or rows) of 8 bits each and then scroll through all of the memory.  If you move the device fast enough, you should be able to see the programmed image.  If the output LEDs were inkjets, the device would "print" the image.

KTechLab - Building a Working Memory Circuit

Today, the goal was to test out a new (to us) circuit board design app for Linux called ktechlab.  We came up with a preliminary memory circuit (just to see if we could) so in the future, we could implement it into our bot.  KTechLab was a good tool, but the Documentation is slim, and the website is down, so it was a bit of trial-and-error until we got our simulation working.  But it does indeed work.  We can store 2 bits in any of the 16 locations... that's a whopping 32 bits of memory!

Arduino UNO

Here are the Designs for an LCD Shield for an Arduino UNO.
Ingredients: 

• 10k Potentiometer
• Radio Shack Perf-Board
• An RT-204-1 (ver 2.0) 20x4 LCD
• Some salvaged Ribbon Cable from an old DVD player
• Some single strand wire & rosin core solder

We breadboarded it last week, and now it's time to solder it all together!

 The "}" is the ribbon cable which breaks out into 6 wires to connect to the Arduino UNO Board.

Uno Uno Uno Uno

The UNO came in this week, and we were tinkering around with it, making sure the darned thing actually works!  and... indeed it does.  Now, we need to figure out how to implement it into our Robot!

Programmable Logic Circuits

Today we researched Programmable Logic Circuits, and specifically how to store data using an 8 bit bus.  (We also ordered our Arduino Uno!)

Well, they were wrong then... weren't they?!

So-- we finally have created the monster.  The 1st Aggie-bot was born today, October 19th, 2010 at 4:06pm.  Since it's still young, we haven't yet given it a name (or even a gender), and it is completely immobile.

The original design was modified slightly during construction to rectify a minor glitch in the purchased parts... the push-button switches we got default to "open", so the whole remote controller was reversed... up was on... and down was off.

We spent the better half of the meeting trying to manufacture wheels that were light enough for the Hi-speed servos to spin and propel the Aggie-bot... all to no avail.  So we came up with a new design that involves a rubber band drive chain for each servo, and we'll most likely use much larger wheels in the back (making the Aggie-bot Rear-wheel drive).

That's all for now!