AREXX ARDUINO ROBOT
AAR
MANUAL: AAR-04
© AREXX - The Netherlands V062012
- 1 -
Contents
1. PRODUCT DESCRIPTION AAR
1.1 The ARDUINO Robotics Family 3
1.2 Specifications 3
2. ARDUINO General Description 5
3. AREXX ARDUINO ROBOT 10
3.1. Blockdiagram 10
3.2. AAR hardware 11
3.2. ARDUINO Software 12
4. The AREXX ARDUINO ROBOT (AAR) 13
4.1. Download and installation of the software 13
4.2. The Arduino language 13
4.3. Installation of a USB-driver 13
4.4. AAR Hardware 14
4.4.1. Installing the battery-compartment 14
4.5. ARDUINO Software 15
4.5.1. Programming with Arduino Programs. 15
4.5.2. Selecting an Arduino Program 15
4.5.3. Selecting the correct COM-port 16
4.5.4. Program transfers to the Arduino Robot 17
6. Background-information to the H-Bridge circuits 18
7. Odometry 21
8. Programming a Boot-loader 24
9. APPENDIX 25
9.1 Parts List 26
9.2 Main Board - Top View 28
9.3 Main Board - Bottom View 29
9.4 Schematics AAR 30
NOTICE!
AAR is a trademarks of AREXX, The Netherlands and JAMA, Taiwan.
AREXX and JAMA are registered trademarks
All rights reserved.
Reprinting any of this instruction manual without our permission is prohibited.
The specifications, form, and contents of this product are subject to change without prior
Technical help:
WWW.AREXX.COM
Manufacturer:
AREXX Engineering
JAMA Oriental
European Importer:
AREXX Engineering
ZWOLLE Holland
© AREXX Holland and JAMA Taiwan
© English translation: AREXX - The Netherlands
WWW.ROBOTERNETZ.DE
- 2 -
1. PRODUCT DESCRIPTION AAR
1.1. The ARDUINO Robotics Family
Arduino is an open source-Platform for developing of electronic
prototypes, which provides us with a microcontroller including all
peripheral interfaces and the required software.
The Arduino-concept has been designed to learn modern electronics
for robotics, software control and sensors in the simplest possible
way.
As a successor for the ASURO-robot, which has been programmed
in C-language we now designed the AREXX Arduino robot. The new
robot resembles its predecessor ASURO, but in combination with an
„open source“- programming language Arduino programming the
system will be much easier.
1.2. Specications:
Motors 2 DC-motors (3 Volt)
Processor-type ATmega328P
Programming language ARDUINO
Supply voltage 4 x AAA-type batteries
4,8 - 6 Volts
Supply current Min. 10 mA
Max. 600 mA
Communication USB-plug
Extensions ASURO-extensions are compatible
Height 40 mm
Width 120 mm
Depth 180 mm
- 3 -
1.3. Precautions
1. Attention! You must read this manual before supplying power to
any of the terminals! Incorrect connections may damage the
hardware.
2. Attention! Please check the pin function diagram
carefullyBe careful in wiring the circuitry. Incorrect
connections may damage the modules. Respect the correct
power supply’s polarity. A reversed power supply may damage
the hardware.
3. Attention! Don’t use power supply with voltages beyond the
rated voltages! Use stabilized and ltered power supplies to avoid
voltage and spikes.
4. Attention! The board does not provide any waterproof or
wet proof protection. Please use and save the system in
dry environment.
5. Attention! Avoid short circuits at any metallic surface and
do not stress the printed circuit board or the plugs by
excessive forces or weights.
6. Attention! Be careful to avoid ESD (see prevention
measures, precautions and descriptions at
Wikipedia’s Electro-Statical Discharges).
1.4. General Precautions
* When you open the parts the return right will be disposed
* Read before you start assembly the instruction manual
* Be careful with tools
* Keep this product out of reach of children and do not build this kit
when children are in the neighbourhood, the tools and parts are
dangerous for children
* Check the polarity of the batteries
* Keep the batteries dry, when the ASURO gets wet remove the
batteries and let the AAR dry for some time
* Remove the batteries when you are not using the robot for a
longer period
- 4 -
2. ARDUINO General Description
2.1. Who or what is ARDUINO?
Arduino is an open source- single board microcontroller, which provides an easy access to programming, microcontrollers and projectplatforms for interactive objects for artists, designer, hobbyists and
others.
The Arduino-platform has been based on an Atmel’s ATmega168 or
ATmega328 microcontroller. The system provides users with digital
I/O-ports and analog input channels, which allow the Arduino-system to receive and respond to signals from the environment.
The market supplies us with several Arduino-boards such as Arduino
Uno, Arduino LilyPad and Arduino Mega 2560. Each Arduino-board
has been designed for specied purposes and users obviously may
choose an ideal Arduino-assembly for almost any project.
For example input signals may be delivered by switches, light sensors, speed and acceleration sensors, proximity sensors and temperature sensors. Additionally commands will be allowed from any
web-sources. Output-signals will be used to control motors, pumps
and screen displays.
The system has been equipped with a compiler for a standardized
programming language and a boot-loader. The programming language has been based on Wiring- language, which corresponds to
C++.
Originally the Arduino project started 2005 in Ivrea, Italy. The concept aimed to support students in projects, in which the prototyping
should be cheaper and more efcient as in most standard methods.
The developer group under Massimo Banzi and David Cuartielles
decided to name the project after a historical character named
‘Arduin of Ivrea’. “Arduino” is the Italian version of the name,
meaning “strong friend”.
The English version of the name is “Hardwin”.
- 5 -
2.2 Microcontrollers!
2.2.1. Applications
A microcontroller (sometimes abbreviated µC, uC or MCU) is a small
computer on a single integrated circuit containing a processor core,
memory, and programmable input/output peripherals. Program
memory and a small amount of data memory (RAM) is also often
included on chip.
Microcontrollers are used in automatically controlled products and
devices, such as automobile engine control systems, implanta-
ble medical devices, remote controls, ofce machines, appliances,
power tools, and toys. By reducing the size and cost compared to a
design that uses a separate microprocessor, memory, and input/output devices, microcontrollers make it economical to digitally control
even more devices and processes.
A typical home in a developed country is likely to have four generalpurpose microprocessors and three dozen microcontrollers. A typical
mid-range automobile has as many as 30 or more microcontrollers.
They can also be found in many electrical device such as washing
machines, microwave ovens, and telephones.
- 6 -
2.3. Power Consumption and Speed
Some microcontrollers may operate at clock rate frequencies as
low as 4 kHz, for low power consumption (milliwatts or microwatts). They will generally have the ability to retain functionality
while waiting for an event such as a button press or other interrupt;
power consumption while sleeping (CPU clock and most peripherals
off) may be just nanowatts, making many of them well suited for
long lasting battery applications. Other microcontrollers may serve
performance-critical roles, where they may need to act more like a
digital signal processor (DSP), with higher clock speeds and power
consumption.
The Arduino system applies a powerful Atmel ATmega328P singlechip, providing an 8-bit microcontroller at 16 MHz with 32K bytes
In-system programmable ash. The power supply voltage has been
designed quite versatile in the range DC7-12V, providing stabilized
and protected operating conditions for the chip and isolated power
lines up to 2A for motor circuitry.
2.4 Microcontroller Programs
Microcontroller programs must t in the available on-chip program
memory, since it would be costly to provide a system with external, expandable, memory. Compilers and assemblers are used to
convert high-level language and assembler language codes into a
compact machine code for storage in the microcontroller’s memory.
Depending on the device, the program memory may be permanent,
read-only memory that can only be programmed at the factory, or
program memory may be eld-alterable ash or erasable read-only
memory.
- 7 -
Microcontrollers were originally programmed only in assembly
language, but various high-level programming languages are now
also in common use to target microcontrollers. These languages
are either designed specially for the purpose, or versions of general
purpose languages such as the C programming language. Microcontroller vendors often make tools freely available to make it easier to
adopt their hardware.
The Arduino system provides us with approximately 32K bytes of
ash-memory for sketches programs, which may be programmed in
C programming language.
2.5. Interface Architecture
Microcontrollers usually contain from several to dozens of general
purpose input/output pins (GPIO). GPIO pins are software congurable to either an input or an output state. When GPIO pins are
congured to an input state, they are often used to read sensors or
external signals. Congured to the output state, GPIO pins can drive
external devices such as LEDs or motors.
Many embedded systems need to read sensors that produce analog
signals. This is the purpose of the analog-to-digital converter (ADC).
Since processors are built to interpret and process digital data, i.e.
1s and 0s, they are not able to do anything with the analog signals
that may be sent to it by a device. So the analog to digital converter
is used to convert the incoming data into a form that the processor can recognize. A less common feature on some microcontrollers
is a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) that allows the processor to
output analog signals or voltage levels.
- 8 -
In addition to the converters, many embedded microprocessors include a variety of timers as well. One of the most common types of
timers is the Programmable Interval Timer (PIT). A PIT just counts
down from some value to zero. Once it reaches zero, it sends an in-
terrupt to the processor indicating that it has nished counting. This
is useful for devices such as thermostats, which periodically test the
temperature around them to see if they need to turn the air conditioner on, the heater on, etc.
Universal Asynchronous Receiver/Transmitter (UART) block makes
it possible to receive and transmit data over a serial line with very
little load on the CPU. Dedicated on-chip hardware also often includes capabilities to communicate with other devices (chips) in digital
formats such as I2C and Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI).
The Arduino system provides us with 14 digital I/O-lines, 7 analog
I/O-lines.
- 9 -
Loading...