OpenSource Remote for VESC ArduBoardControl

[RollingGecko]

Hey s28400: Do you have also a name to bring a bit more personalty in.

Anyway: Ever thought to use instead a spring magnets? I have an idea coming up after a discussion with a friend who designed his own radios for aeromodels and uses such a solution. It is to difficult to write it here down. But just think about it. Magnets push each other off. So they are like a spring. You can bring one on each site in a tangential force orientation. So you have a force in both directions. To get a defined center you can use a 3rd magnet in a pull configuration with a radial force component.

Ups. that was easier to write than expected. So there is already the solution sketched.

Andy

 

[s28400]

Do you have also a name to bring a bit more personalty in.

Lol, yeah I'll come up with something soon, I was just basing titles off of the forum for now.

In regards to the spring magnet idea, I have used that in a few of my projects and I was thinking of using it here but I am not sure how having more magnets would effect the hall effect sensor. Also it is not really necessary as it is a tension spring. These typically hold up much longer than the compression springs that are commonly replaced with magnet springs. The nice thing about this spring based mechanism is that there is an almost constant resistance the whole way, and there is no oscillation if released from full tension. I could look into replacing it later with magnets but then we might have to offset the Hall effect neutral position in software which would result in a loss of range and therefor accuracy. Shielding options may end up being needed which would further complicate things. Idk, I think the spring is the best bet.

Also any ideas on getting the vescs to play nice with the Arduino over Bluetooth like how you have over rf?

Cheers!
Josh

 

[RollingGecko]

Also any ideas on getting the vescs to play nice with the Arduino over Bluetooth like how you have over rf?

See my post before. Why do you think I'm doing all that stuff?

 

[Nordle]

Sry^^ ..but I think this is the last one for a while:
The Joy_X and Joy_Y pins, I connect them to the middle of the potentiometers, the outer pins of the pots are gnd and 3,3V or 5V?

 

[s28400]

See my post before. Why do you think I'm doing all that stuff?

Yeah I saw them. I guess what I meant to ask was how long do you think it will take before you have it up and running?

 

[RollingGecko]

I have it already a UART Version on a feature branch that I tested with a wired connection successfully. You can check it out here: https://github.com/RollingGecko/ArduBoardControler/tree/featureBranchNewInterface

It needs this library version of VescUartControl, that is also on a feature branch: https://github.com/RollingGecko/VescUartControl/tree/DEV

Would be nice if you could test it and give me maybe a feedback. I will start the nrf implementation these days.

 

[s28400]

Ok cool. I am getting the last of my parts in the mail and I should start 3d printing tomorrow. Unfortunately I don't have my VESCs yet so I can only do remote side testing. I was going to play around with the hall effect sensor so we can easily implement that into the full build later. I will test out what I can and get back to you!

 

[Nordle]

Please I'm building one right at the moment

The Joy_X and Joy_Y pins, I connect them to the middle of the potentiometers, the outer pins of the pots are gnd and 3,3V or 5V?

 

[RollingGecko]

5V

 

[s28400]

Ok, I got some more parts in today and decided to start playing around with them. The first thing I did was test the hall effect sensor in a similar configuration to what I have designed in the remote. It works perfectly! I grabbed some code to visualize the signal and tested out my magnets. Check it out!
[youtube]hwvrnLCFMQc[/youtube]

I also hooked up the display and tested it out. Works just fine as well!

I have downloaded and begun reading through your code (Gecko) from github. I will take some time tomorrow to sit down with it and try to get it working as well as try to understand as much of it as possible. After that, I will look at ways to implement the hall effect sensor control. I have also done some work with the housing models and they should be printed and ready for testing by Wednesday. Updates to come!

 

[RollingGecko]

Hi,

To implement the hall sensor you should write a class or library that alows to read it and gives back a vlue between 0 and 1023 or even better in a definable range.

The approach with the sensor look interesting.!

 

[s28400]

Ok, that's what I thought it would be. I think I'll start with 0 to 1023 but I'll see how high I can get the sensitivity. I first have to tweak the design so that the magnets are spaced apart correctly and distanced from the sensor to allow for control throughout the full range of the thumb lever. Also on a side note regarding motor controller firmware. Would it be possible to have different presents/saved power modes that you could toggle via remote (current and rpm limits)? Also having a custom motor current curve based on RPM would be great too so you could tweak the controllers depending on your motor to have a very linear and predictable acceleration at all speeds. I'm not sure if it is possible but it would be something extremely beneficial.

 

[RollingGecko]

Hi,

That was one of the reasons I made all the protocol changes. I want to be able to change the configuration of the controller. I special the rpm limit of the pid controller. Nver the less the PID controlled mode (that what is called nunchuk app) is my favorit. There you do not control the throttle but you set the acceleration and the PID cares about the rest.

 

[s28400]

ok awesome! Is that programming all done on the controller and adjusted by the remote or is it all remote side?

 

[Nordle]

Hey, which u8glib.h library do you use. I tried the one from the Arduino IDE and some frome github, but I always get compiling error (says something about u8glib). I don't even have in mind to use an oled, but I'm also to stupid to ''//comment'' all the oled code from your sketch.

 

[RollingGecko]

I idef it and check it in....

 

[s28400]

So it begins!

 

[Nordle]

Is this new case for your remote with the hall throttle?

 

[RollingGecko]

Hi,

Please checkout Version 0.6.2 from Github. I added

#define OLED_USED
#define STATUS_LED_USED

By commenting them out you disable the functions. I only checked the compiling. Not the functionality!

 

[Nordle]

Thank you! Now I'll start to solder everything together
But tell me which u8glib library are you using? Maybe I'll try to add the oled next time^^

 

[Nordle]

On the second picture (first post) I see some resistors, what are they for?

 

[RollingGecko]

To measure the voltage of the Tx battery you need a voltage devisor. That's what they are for. For example 2x 10 kOhm.

 

[s28400]

An update with the housing! Check it out!
[youtube]QyOyW1gBfec[/youtube]

Let me know what you guys think. I am going out of town this weekend so I'll continue work next week.

 

[Nordle]

To measure the voltage of the Tx battery you need a voltage devisor. That's what they are for. For example 2x 10 kOhm.

Ty, I'll use 2x 22k cause I have many of them laying around

Let me know what you guys think.

 

[s28400]

lmao, glad you like it. I still have some work to do with it before it is perfect. I'm letting a bunch of people hold it and use it to see what they think as far as ergonomics are concerned. So far so good. You know I might sell the housings as a kit for those who don't have access to a good 3d printer. I have access to a commercial stratasys printer that does excellent prints and I might be able to get a carbon M1 soon as well!