2014:Electrical Controls Subteam

Electrical Controls Design

Overview

• use actual items from each of the previous year's controls (see 1/12/14 notes)
• use some aspects of prior year's color schemes (TBD)
• no lights for the broken switches (not many switches will be used and they have an on/off tag built into them)
• 'underglow': will come out the letter cutouts
• speakers (TBD)
• Click here for joystick and SmartDashboard mapping tables

Current Design State

NOTE: click to view larger image

Todo

Status	Item	Details
started 1/9	get updated network tables for SmartDashboard	need to get the info documented on the wiki
not started	how will underglow be controlled
not started	talk about color scheme
not started	paint controls
not started	wire controls
not started	get camera library for SmartDashboard
not started	design SmartDashboard layout
not started	code SmartDashboard
not started	code SmartDashboard hot goal detection
completed 1/14	decide if gear button is a 'normal' one or a push-pot	'normal'
completed 1/14	decide if backpack straps are needed	will not add them
completed 1/18	get paper sketch into inventor
completed 1/18	determine what will be used to map the buttons to a joystick	Tweensy 3.1 (arduino)
completed 1/18	number of broken switches (with hip check can only have 5; but if hip check is handled within controls, we can have a 6th broken switch)	make holes for 6, worry about wiring later
completed 1/18	how to attach hinges (need to stay within 14" depth)	panels will have notches for rounded part of hinge, and then 1/8" rivets
completed 1/19	do we use audio add-on board or PC to generate sound	FRC dashboard can only handle 12 buttons, but it does 6 axis. so we would convert hip check button into an axis. This will get all the info to the robot and then it can send it to the SmartDashboard, then the SmartDashboard can play the sounds.
completed 1/21	send drawings to Harris
completed 1/21	complete the parts list

Teensy Links

Making A Custom Teensy3 HID Joystick
Teensy Joystick examples
Digital IO examples NOTE: Teensy has built-in pull-up resistors

Engineering Notebook

1/9/14

Looked at prior year controls.
Talked in general about what the sub-team will need to do.

1/12/14

Prototype

NOTE: click to view larger image

Design Ideas

To celebrate 10th year, we will use physical parts for each of the prior year robots.

Year	Potential Item	Where It Will Be Used
'05 Rinobot	operator interface
	hinges from controls	hinges for the lids
'06 Roflbot	lexicon from controls	behind cut out letters and shine underglow throw it
	silver knob from controls	knob for extra pot
'07 Aracnaphobia	broken switches
	missile switch
	joystick	aux driver joystick
'08 Mach 1511	missile swtich
	broken switches	broken switches
'09 ThunderPlucker	handle
	Ethernet port
	dull 3-way switch	autonomous selection
	coin button	hip check button
'10 ThunderFoot	handle	handle
'11 ThunderusPrime	hand painted tanks	TBD
	robot USB hub	usb hub
	3 position switch
	keypad
	handles
'12 ThunderStorm	7 seg display
	cube
	turret knob	manual shooter strength knob
	usb hub
	ethernet port
'13 ThunderPrise	latches
	4th joystick circuit board
	driver joysticks	driver joysticks

Mtg Minutes (with Strategy)

• aux joystick:
  • Y axis for intake
  • trigger roller in
  • 'thumb' button roller out
  • 'top' button for fast roller out
• big button for high goal kick (gear)
• button for truss kick (lightning bolt)
• manual shoot power (pick one of the following:
  • launch button [auto vs man kick]
  • slider w/button for manual kick power
  • a pot with gear for the knob
• 3 position switch for autonomous selection (none, 1 ball, 2 ball)
• light on intake side & smartdashboard when intake is fully up
• light on intake side, shooting side & smartdashboard when ball is acquired (not on ground)

1/14/14

Attendace: Gunnar, Chris, Mr. Byers, Eric, Gordan

We worked on CAD and deciding how we wanted to approach making the lightning bolt and gear buttons.

1/15/14

Attendance: Chris, Mr. Byers, Gordan

The CAD model was worked on.

1/16/14

Attendance: Chris, Gunnar, Mr. Byers

Data sheets for some of the switches were found and the CAD model is close to completion.

1/18/14

Attendane: Chris, Gunnar, Mr. Byers, Eric

We finished the CAD work and stared to create the sketches to send to Harris. We also worked on the shopping list and decided that we are going to use Teensy 3.1 board to make it so the computer sees the aux buttons as a joystick.

1/19/14

Attendane: Chris, Mr. Byers (at home)

Finished looking at the audio add-on board for the Teensy 3.1. The FRC dashboard can only handle 12 buttons, but 6 axis. So we will use the Teensy to convert the hip check button into one of the axis. The SmartDashboard will play the sound via the PC (robot will need to send button presses to SmartDashboard). This will also free up the Teensy pins that were needed for the audio add-on, thus making the Tweesy wiring easier to deal with. Plus it separates the 'risk' with the audio from the required button functionality.

1/21/14

Attendance: Chris, Gunnar, Eric

Amy came in and tought us how to do drawings correctly in inventor. We also finised the parts list and took the hinges off of 2005.

1/22/14

Attendance: Chris

Updated the operator control tables.

1/23/14

Attendance: Gunnar, Chris, Eric, Gordan, Jeff B

Collected some parts we needed from past robots.

1/25/14

Attendance: Chris, Gunnar, Mr. Byers, Eric

We finished gathering parts from old controls and marked down what we need to replace. Need to request epoxy to fill knob and make it the proper size. Created and tested the ethernet adapter. Sorted through the RBG strips and claimed the multi-colored strips. The 3d printed buttons were worked on in inventor.

1/26/14

We did not do much for controls. Chris worked in the machine shop for most of the day.

1/28/14

Attendance: Chris, Jeff B., Mr. Byers, Eric.

We eppoxied the hole in the 3D printed dial from 2012 controls so we could drill a smaler hole. The smaler hole is to accomidate for the new push potentiometer (which is very small). After making a mess with the epoxy, we filled and sanded off the excess. 

1/29/14

Attendance: Chris, Gunnar, Mr. Byers

We worked on mapping the buttons to the teensy. We also worked on making 1:1 stencil numbers for the back of the controls. The stencils we printed out the 1:1 image from inventor and cut the numebrs out with exacto knoves. The numbers will either be spray painted, or sponged on to the back face if the base of the controls. There is a number for each year the team has been in first for out 10th year aniversery. We also finished up the cad for the 3D printed buttons (the lightning bolt and gear).