IAP 97 Introduction to Robotics Homepage
This is the homepage for a course taught by the MIT Robotics and
Electronics Cooperative during 1997 IAP. This 16 hour workshop was
designed to teach participants how to program and interface a small
microcontroller to perform robotic functions. The course used iRX boards
fitted with PIC16C84 chips, graciously provided by Rob Poor at the MIT
Media Lab. H-bridge drivers using MOSFETs were introduced, and
students were shown how to use these circuits to control a small DC
motor and a stepper motor. Servos of the kind used in model airplanes
were also given out, and IR communication was touched upon. The
workshop aimed to show students how to use the PIC both as an
autonomous controller and in collusion with a computer. The goal of
this page is twofold; to provide a resource for graduates of the
workshop and others interested in pursuing projects with the PIC to
exchange useful code and tips, and to serve as a sele paced guide for
those who did not have the opportunity to take the workshop, yet wish
to learn the course material.
Documentation
Participants were given hardcopy of the following:
1) iRX
2.0 This page includes documentation for the boards, gerber files
for their production, sample code, parts lists, and useful links.
2)
Datasheet for the PIC16C84
3) Maxim's page. The company
that makes the serial interface chip (MAX233) used on the iRX boards.
4) Manual for the CCS PIC C compiler. This
compiler is commercial, so if you want it you will have to buy
it. There are some free C compilers out there on the web, but I have
not personally tried them out. I am sure they work fine. More on this
at a later date.
5) Manual for the ITU
Technologies programmer. This programmer
stinks. It takes forever and sometimes needs three tries to
successfully program a device. But it is cheap.
6) Data
Sheets for the Sharp IS1 U60 infrared demodulator used on the iRX
boards.
7) Data sheets for the L298N
2A dual H-bridge driver used for motor control.
8)
Notes on stepper motor driving, by SGS-Thomson.
9) Notes on H-bridges.
Workshop Log
Software
Projects
Pictures
Send mail to Robotics and Electronics
Cooperative.
This page is under construction