A model radio-control (R/C) tank was the base for a mobile robot project begun in 1979. The basic functions for this long-term project prototype have been completed; it will sense its on-board variables, such as power supplies and ambient temperature, and communicate through a serial port. It's basic motion command takes speed and radius of curvature of the path to be traversed, and it keeps track of distance traveled. Front and rear micro-switches invoke an avoidance reaction. The tilt switch, mounted on the main circuit board, drives the safety status, of which there are three (LED-displayed): red, yellow, and green. The gear teeth of the independent right and left track drives are sensed and this speed information is input to the on-board 6502-based microcomputer. The on-board charger receives low-voltage ac or dc through the front electrodes, which can contact a charger base.
The prototype is ready for a second layer of perceptual and reasoning functions. Interested participants in this project should contact dennis@innovatia.com for further discussion. Complete data is available, including Forth-83 source-code software.
