Arduino Laser Cannon - Revision history

24.60.75.125: /* Arduino Laser Cannon */

2012-04-27T18:55:32Z

Arduino Laser Cannon

Russ hensel: Reverted edits by Chruse Arroyo (Talk) to last revision by Russ hensel

2011-12-22T23:03:08Z

Reverted edits by Chruse Arroyo (Talk) to last revision by Russ hensel

Chruse Arroyo at 21:24, 22 December 2011

2011-12-22T21:24:02Z

Russ hensel: /* Possibly Useful Links */

2011-04-19T20:02:33Z

Possibly Useful Links

Russ hensel at 20:32, 24 February 2011

2011-02-24T20:32:42Z

Russ hensel: /* Arduino Laser Cannon */ clean up

2011-01-05T16:33:37Z

Arduino Laser Cannon: clean up

Russ hensel: /* Arduino Laser Cannon */

2011-01-02T23:23:50Z

Arduino Laser Cannon

Russ hensel: /* Command Interface */

2011-01-02T21:48:02Z

Command Interface

Russ hensel: /* Command Interface */ remove excess

2011-01-02T21:47:03Z

Command Interface: remove excess

Russ hensel: /* Possibly useful links */ link fix

2011-01-02T21:41:50Z

Possibly useful links: link fix

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 = Arduino Laser Cannon =
-'''early draft, some text is mixed from another project, should be better updated in a few days'''
+This is a somewhat incomplete article, contact me if you need help:  [[russ_hensel]].
 This project was written as part of a course on the Arduino at AS220 in Providence RI.  see: [http://as220.org/labs/pages/Arduino%20and%20Servo%20Motor%20Workshop Arduino and Servo Motor Workshop]
@@ Line 51: / Line 51: @@
 [[Image:ard1.png|alt text]]

← Older revision		Revision as of 23:03, 22 December 2011
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	[[category:Projects]][[category:Serial Communications]][[category:Microcontroller]][[category:Arduino]]		[[category:Projects]][[category:Serial Communications]][[category:Microcontroller]][[category:Arduino]]
−	~~[http://collegeadmissionessays.org/ college admission essays]~~

← Older revision		Revision as of 21:24, 22 December 2011
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	[[category:Projects]][[category:Serial Communications]][[category:Microcontroller]][[category:Arduino]]		[[category:Projects]][[category:Serial Communications]][[category:Microcontroller]][[category:Arduino]]
		+	[http://collegeadmissionessays.org/ college admission essays]

← Older revision		Revision as of 20:02, 19 April 2011
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	*[http://www.popsci.com/node/19965How\|It Works: The Flying Laser Cannon] for a more distructive version.		*[http://www.popsci.com/node/19965How\|It Works: The Flying Laser Cannon] for a more distructive version.
		+
		+	There are many projects that use 2 or more servo motors for aiming stuff. Some of these are:
		+
		+
		+	*[http://www.instructables.com/id/Camera-Panorama-robot-head-panograph/ Camera Panorama robot head (panograph)]
		+
		+	*[http://www.instructables.com/id/Laser-guided-Ghost-Climber/?ALLSTEPS Laser-guided Ghost Climber]
		+
		+	*[http://www.instructables.com/id/Arduino-2-axis-servo-solar-tracker/ Arduino 2-axis servo solar tracker]
		+
		+	http://www.instructables.com/id/Autonomous-Paintball-Sentry-Gun/?ALLSTEPS Autonomous Paintball Sentry Gun]

	== Download ==		== Download ==

← Older revision		Revision as of 20:32, 24 February 2011
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	== Download ==		== Download ==

−	~~email me to see if there have been some unposted revisions – which right now is all there is~~. [[russ_hensel]]	+	[http://home.comcast.net/~russ_hensel/OC/ArduinoAndServoMotorWorkshop.zip Software and web page archive for the workshop]

@@ Line 2: / Line 2: @@
 '''early draft, some text is mixed from another project, should be better updated in a few days'''
 Before you get too excited:  the armament is just a laser pointer, so nothing blows up.  The arduino controls the aim of the laser.  Using a terminal program you can aim the laser in a number of directions.  Once aimed you can commit the position to memory and recall it later.
@@ Line 10: / Line 12: @@
 *Technology: Arduino
 *Author: [[russ_hensel]] ( where you can find an email address to reach me )
-*Summary: An Arduino controls two servo motors to aim a laser pointer. A terminal program is used to control the Arduino. This project was written as part of a course on the Arduino at AS220 in Providence RI.  see: [http://as220.org/labs/pages/Arduino%20and%20Servo%20Motor%20Workshop#preview|Arduino and Servo Motor Workshop]
+*Summary: An Arduino controls two servo motors to aim a laser pointer. A terminal program is used to control the Arduino.
 *Archive for the project will be posted.  See download section below.
 This project can be used as is or may give you ideas for other similar projects:
-*Demonstrating the operation of a stepper motor.
+*Demonstrating the operation of a servo motor.
-Platform: Arduino ( I used the bare bones board, but any should do ).  Added an external 5 v regulator to power the servos and the laser pointer ( which I got from … ).  Software done using arduino.ext.
+Platform: Arduino ( I used the bare bones board, but any should do ).  Added an external 5 v regulator to power the servos and the laser pointer ( which I got from … ).  Software done using arduino.exe.
 A laser pointer is connected to 2 Servos and the servos are connected to each other so one controls the azimuth while the other controls the altitude ( like most standard cannons ).   ( controlled by the RS232 connection ):
 *Set  azimuth
 *Set  altitude
@@ Line 32: / Line 36: @@
 == Hardware ==
-An Arduino of course, and to run the motors I used an external plug in dc supply of well over 5 volts and a 5 volt linear regulator to power the servos.  I left the arduino running off the usb port.  I bought a couple of laser pointer lasers ( a laser pointer without the case, batteries, and swithch, but with an adjustable lens ), I will try to find a refence when I order more.  I added 2 RC servo motors, one standard size, one micro.  Using a small peice of sheet stock, I drilled 2 holes in in and then using double sided foam tape and a nylon tie, fastened the servo to the sheet.  I fastened the smaller servo to the horn of the larger servo so the axies are at right angles.  Finally I tied on the laser to the horn of the small servo.  ( a picture will appear here, soon? ).  The laser is powered from the 5 volts thru a current limiting 200 ohm resistor ( a 150 or perhaps even 100 ohm resistor would give a brighter beam, at some point the beam gets too bright and the laser fails, experiment at your own risk.  My laser came without specs. )  In the program the output pins for the Arduino are defined in the header file.
+An Arduino of course, and to run the motors I used an external plug in dc supply of well over 5 volts and a 5 volt linear regulator to power the servos.  I left the arduino powered off the usb port.  I bought a couple of laser pointer lasers ( a laser pointer without the case, batteries, and switch, but with an adjustable lens ), I will try to find a reference when I order more.  I added 2 RC servo motors, one standard size, one micro.  Using a small peice of sheet stock, I drilled 2 holes in in and then using double sided foam tape and a nylon tie, fastened the servo to the sheet.  I fastened the smaller servo to the horn of the larger servo so the axies are at right angles.  Finally I tied on the laser to the horn of the small servo.  ( see the picture ).  The laser is powered from the 5 volt regulator thru a current limiting 200 ohm resistor ( a 150 or perhaps even 100 ohm resistor would give a brighter beam, at some point the beam gets too bright and the laser fails, experiment at your own risk).  My laser came without specs for current or anything else.  In the program the output pins for the Arduino are defined in the header file.
 [[Image:can1.png|alt text]]
@@ Line 50: / Line 54: @@
 == Command Interface ==
-All commands ( except stop should be terminated with a carriage return ) Note that the command interface is not very smart, giving parameters that are out of range my blow the whole program up. If so reboot the microcontroller . Do not send a new command ( except stop ) until earlier commands have been completed ( actually you can get ahead some if you are careful ). Commands may be either upper or lower case. The backspace key usually works.
+All commands ( except stop should be terminated with a carriage return ). Note that the command interface is not very smart, giving parameters that are out of range my blow the whole program up. If so reboot the microcontroller . Do not send a new command ( except stop ) until earlier commands have been completed ( actually you can get ahead some if you are careful ). Commands may be either upper or lower case. The backspace key usually works.
@@ Line 142: / Line 145: @@
 == Program Design ==
-The program does not use the Arduino servo library ( ref would be nice ) or interrupts.  Instead it relys on polling comparing the current time ( mills() ) to a saved time to see if it is time for a new pulse.  This seems to be a common tenique, which I borrowed from the web. ( For some info on servo motors see: [http://opencircuits.com/Motors#Servo Motors] ).  Two variables store the time in microseconds for each pulse, this time is implemented using the delaymicroseconds() function.  See the function: xxx.  The Arduino PWM functions and hardware are not used: on most microcontrollers these give you good resolution in a 0 to 100% duty cycle, but not good for the 5% to 10% duty cycle used by servos ( this may or may not apply to the Arduino, I did not even check ).
+The program does not use the Arduino servo library ( ref would be nice ) or interrupts.  Instead it relys on polling comparing the current time ( mills() ) to a saved time to see if it is time for a new pulse.  This seems to be a common technique, which I borrowed from the web. ( For some info on servo motors see: [http://opencircuits.com/Motors#Servo Motors] ).  Two variables store the time in microseconds for each pulse, this time is implemented using the delaymicroseconds() function.  See the function: xxx.  The Arduino PWM functions and hardware are not used: on most microcontrollers these give you good resolution in a 0 to 100% duty cycle, but not good for the 5% to 10% duty cycle used by servos ( this may or may not apply to the Arduino, I did not even check ).
 The archive has 2 versions of the program the Simple Laser Cannon can only aim the laser left, right, up, down and does not save any setings or "fire" at any points.
@@ Line 158: / Line 161: @@
 *You can use the pointing feature of the system to implement an instrument with a very large scale:  Put a temperature scale on one side of the room, the "cannon" on the other and have it point to the temperature.
 *I have been thinking about a clock, each hour would be a piece of crystal and the laser would hit it on the hour.  Minutes might use another laser or other sort of display.
-== Possibly useful links ==
+== Possibly Useful Links ==
 *This program uses my: [[Arduino Command Interpreter]]
@@ Line 176: / Line 178: @@
 *[[PC-Microcontroller Communications]] discusses free terminal programs, most much better than hyperterminal.
 *[http://www.popsci.com/node/19965How|It Works: The Flying Laser Cannon] for a more distructive version.

@@ Line 57: / Line 57: @@
 |Aim up
 |unnn
 |Shift the aim up by nnn microseconds.  Software keeps pulse in legal 1 to 2 msec range.
 <!------------------------------->
@@ Line 63: / Line 62: @@
 |Aim down
 |dnnn
 |Shift the aim down by nnn microseconds.  Software keeps pulse in legal 1 to 2 msec range.
 <!------------------------------->

@@ Line 78: / Line 78: @@
 <!------------------------------->
 |-valign="top"
-|Go for a number of steps
+|more to come
-|gnnn
+|...
-|go for a number of steps ( max. about 30,000 ) Direction set with d.
+|for now you will have to read the code.
-Responds with "g starting<cr>" when rotation begins, then with "g done<cr>" when done.  May be stopped early with stop command.
+<!-------------------------------
 |-valign="top"
 |Set the time delay between steps in ms ( max 255 )
 |tnnn
 |Reports delay set.  nnn = 0 to 255
-<!------------------------------->
+<!-------------------------------
 |-valign="top"
 |Micro second delay in addition to to the ms delay.
 |unnnn
 |Reports delay set. Ok to use values nnn = as high as 5000 us.
-<!------------------------------->
+<!-------------------------------
 |-valign="top"
 |Set the permutation of the motor wires.
 |pn
 |Set the permutation, find the value that works for your motor. ( n = 0 to 5 ) Responds with the permutation set.
-<!------------------------------->
+<!-------------------------------
 |-valign="top"
 |Special command 1, Spin the motor in an interesting way.
 |x1
 |Motor spins responds with "x special done<cr>" when it is done.  May be stopped with the stop cammand.
-<!------------------------------->
+<!-------------------------------
 |-valign="top"
 |Special command 2, Vibrate the motor first a lot then less and less to stop

@@ Line 181: / Line 181: @@
 *More information on serial communications with microcontrollers: [[Microcontroller Serial Communications Articles]]
-*A free terminal program, I like this much better than hyperterminal: Welcome to our Free Download/New Products Page! http://www.rs485.com/psoftware.html
+*[[PC-Microcontroller Communications]] discusses free terminal programs, most much better than hyperterminal.
 *[http://www.popsci.com/node/19965How|It Works: The Flying Laser Cannon] for a more distructive version.