From plskeggs@noeticdesign.com Thu May 04 05:22:26 2006 Return-Path: Delivered-To: mailman-wheelwatcher@list.nubotics.com Received: (qmail 18648 invoked from network); 4 May 2006 05:22:25 -0000 Received: from triton.noeticdesign.com (HELO ?127.0.0.1?) (192.168.0.5) by tencom.nubotics.com with SMTP; 4 May 2006 05:22:25 -0000 Message-ID: <44599021.7010002@noeticdesign.com> Date: Wed, 03 May 2006 22:24:49 -0700 From: Pete Skeggs Organization: Noetic Design, Inc. User-Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.0; en-US; rv:1.7.13) Gecko/20060414 X-Accept-Language: en-us, en MIME-Version: 1.0 To: WC-132 WheelCommander Controller Support List , "Support forum for the WheelWatcher encoder kit." References: <5DE3FFFAE647164CA712E790A2E8D01D0720AA@ex3.mail.win.hw.ac.uk> In-Reply-To: <5DE3FFFAE647164CA712E790A2E8D01D0720AA@ex3.mail.win.hw.ac.uk> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Cc: Subject: [WheelWatcher] Firmware Update Coming X-BeenThere: wheelwatcher@list.nubotics.com X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.3-b-pls Precedence: list Reply-To: plskeggs@noeticdesign.com, WW-01/WW-02 WheelWatcher Encoder Support List List-Id: WW-01/WW-02 WheelWatcher Encoder Support List List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Thu, 04 May 2006 05:22:26 -0000 News from the firmware front: We're in the middle of a big firmware upgrade for the WheelCommander. New features and improvements include: Interrupt Output Line ============== We've added a programmable interrupt output signal, triggered by - programmable thresholds on analog inputs (low, high, inside or outside of range) - edge or level triggered digital inputs, either or both edges or levels - motion completion This removes the need of the host processor to constantly poll sensors to detect objects or events, and is especially useful over wireless links. Differential Steering ============= We've squashed some minor bugs and made improvements to the differential steering PI loops. Accuracy ======= We're widening the wheel circumference and wheel base constants to 16 bits, for increased accuracy over long distances. Encoder Compatibility =============== Rather than fixing the resolution to 128 ticks per revolution (provided by our WheelWatcher encoders), we've made encoder resolution programmable. This is not only to broaden the appeal of the WheelCommander, but also to make way for the forthcoming Unicoder high resolution encoder product line. Encoder Signal Type ============== Instead of just using CLK / DIR inputs for each encoder (as provided by the WheelWatcher encoders), we've also added standard quadrature (ChA/ChB) signalling. We'll be announcing the date of the first beta version soon. Thank you for your interest in the WheelCommander differential drive controller. Sincerely, Pete Skeggs Nubotics Tech Support