Helping with other projects - 16/05

I'm helping Nut with his project. We are cleaning and modifying old computers. We are planning to install a new OS, probably it will be Linux.

Project news - 05/15

I'm steel waiting for pump for my project. I started helping other guys with their projects.

Arduino Project - Pump logic

Hello everyone, today I'm going to tell you how I'm going to realise pump work in my project. After selecting an option on LCD Arduino Screen it will measure an amount of water in earth and if earth is dry it will water a plant.

Arduino RELAY

Also I got an Arduino relay module. I'll need it for switching different modules in my program, which will activate something.

Arduino LCD board

Hello everyone! I got an LCD board for my Arduino! It is very simple to use it, because they have their own library for working with LCD board.

Arduino relay code

OK, I'm publishing Arduino code, which allows you to control relay:
#define RELAY1  0                      
#define RELAY2  1                    
#define RELAY3  2                        
#define RELAY4  3

void setup()
{    
// Initialise the Arduino data pins for OUTPUT
  pinMode(RELAY1, OUTPUT);       
  pinMode(RELAY2, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(RELAY3, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(RELAY4, OUTPUT);
}

void loop()
{
   digitalWrite(RELAY1,LOW);           // Turns ON Relays 1
   delay(2000);                        // Wait 2 seconds
   digitalWrite(RELAY1,HIGH);          // Turns Relay Off

   digitalWrite(RELAY2,LOW);           // Turns ON Relays 2
   delay(2000);                        // Wait 2 seconds
   digitalWrite(RELAY2,HIGH);          // Turns Relay Off

   digitalWrite(RELAY3,LOW);           // Turns ON Relays 3
   delay(2000);                        // Wait 2 seconds
   digitalWrite(RELAY3,HIGH);          // Turns Relay Off

   digitalWrite(RELAY4,LOW);           // Turns ON Relays 4
   delay(2000);                        // Wait 2 seconds
   digitalWrite(RELAY4,HIGH);          // Turns Relay Off        

 }

Arduino LCD Menu code

As I promised, I'm publishing my LCD screen menu code for Arduino.

#include <LiquidCrystal.h>

// select the pins used on the LCD panel
LiquidCrystal lcd(8, 9, 4, 5, 6, 7);

// define some values used by the panel and buttons
int lcd_key     = 0;
int adc_key_in  = 0;
#define btnRIGHT  0
#define btnUP     1
#define btnDOWN   2
#define btnLEFT   3
#define btnSELECT 4
#define btnNONE   5

// Main menu array
String mainMenu[10]; 
// Main menu default choice
int mainSwitch = 0;  
// Amount of items in our main menu.
// Can be found by formula:
// (Amount_of_items - 1)
#define mainMenuItems 2

// Water menu array
String waterMenu[10];
// Water menu default choice
int waterSwitch = 0;
#define waterMenuItems 1

// read the buttons
int read_LCD_buttons()
{
 adc_key_in = analogRead(0);

 if (adc_key_in < 50)   return btnRIGHT;  
 if (adc_key_in < 195)  return btnUP; 
 if (adc_key_in < 380)  return btnDOWN; 
 if (adc_key_in < 555)  return btnLEFT; 
 if (adc_key_in < 790)  return btnSELECT;   

 return btnNONE;  // when all others fail, return this...
}

void setup()
{
 lcd.begin(16, 2);              // start the library
 lcd.setCursor(0,0);
 lcd.print("Main menu:     "); // print a simple message

 // Filling our main menu items
 mainMenu[0] = "Light           ";
 mainMenu[1] = "Water           ";
 mainMenu[2] = "Stop            ";

 // Filling our water menu items
 waterMenu[0] = "item1          ";
 waterMenu[1] = "item2          ";

 lcd.setCursor(0,1);
 lcd.print(mainMenu[0]);
}

void cleanScreen()
{
  lcd.setCursor(0,0);
  lcd.print("                "); 
  lcd.setCursor(0,1);
  lcd.print("                ");
}

void light()
{
  lcd.setCursor(0,0);
  lcd.print(mainMenu[0]); // print a simple message
  lcd.setCursor(0,1);
  
  // Loop for reading buttons
  while(true)
  {
    lcd_key = read_LCD_buttons();
    
    switch (lcd_key)
    {
       case btnRIGHT:
       {
         break;
       }
       // back to main menu on the left button press
       case btnLEFT:
       {
         goto exit;
         break;
       }
    }
  }
  
  exit:
  lcd.setCursor(0,0);
  lcd.print("Main menu:     ");
  lcd.setCursor(0,1);
  lcd.print(mainMenu[0]);
  return;
}

void water()
{
  lcd.setCursor(0,0);
  lcd.print(mainMenu[1]);
  lcd.setCursor(0,1);
  
  while(true)
  {
    lcd_key = read_LCD_buttons();
    
    switch (lcd_key)
    {
       case btnRIGHT:
       {
         break;
       }
       // back to main menu on the left button press
       case btnLEFT:
       {
         goto exit;
         break;
       }
    }
  }
  
  exit:
  lcd.setCursor(0,0);
  lcd.print("Main menu:     "); // print a simple message
  lcd.setCursor(0,1);
  lcd.print(mainMenu[1]);
  return;
}

void aStop()
{
  lcd.setCursor(0,0);
  lcd.print(mainMenu[2]);
  lcd.setCursor(0,1);
  
  while(true)
  {
    lcd_key = read_LCD_buttons();
    
    switch (lcd_key)
    {
       case btnRIGHT:
       {
         break;
       }
       // back to main menu on the left button press
       case btnLEFT:
       {
         goto exit;
         break;
       }
    }
  }
  
  exit:
  lcd.setCursor(0,0);
  lcd.print("Main menu:     ");
  lcd.setCursor(0,1);
  lcd.print(mainMenu[2]);
  return;
}

// Main loop
void loop()
{  
  // move to the begining of the second line
  lcd.setCursor(0,1); 
  lcd_key = read_LCD_buttons();  // read the buttons

 // depending on which button was pushed, 
 // we perform an action
 switch (lcd_key)
 {
   // Enter a sub menu on Right button press
   case btnRIGHT:
     {
       cleanScreen();
       
       if(mainSwitch == 0)
       {
         light();
       }
       else if(mainSwitch == 1)
       {
         water();
       }
       else if(mainSwitch == 2)
       {
         aStop();
       }
       break;
     }

   // Move to the next sub menu (UP)
   case btnUP:
     {
       if(mainSwitch == 0)
       {
         mainSwitch = mainMenuItems; 
       }
       else
       {
         mainSwitch = mainSwitch - 1;
       }
       
       lcd.print(mainMenu[mainSwitch]);
       delay(300);
       
       break;
     }

   // Move to the next sub menu (DOWN)
   case btnDOWN:
     {
       if(mainSwitch > mainMenuItems - 1)
       {
         mainSwitch = 0; 
       }
       else
       {
         mainSwitch = mainSwitch + 1;
       }
       
       lcd.print(mainMenu[mainSwitch]);
       delay(300);
       
       break;
     }
 }

}

Automatic plant farm (04/18/14)

I have started working on the project. I got all components I will need. On the next blog I will publish realization of a menu using an Arduino and LCD Screen.

Plans for future (04/10/14)

We have started our own projects. I'm planning to accomplish an automatic little plant farm. I think it will be pretty hard, but I will try to do it as good, as I can!

More photos from FRC - the last day (09/1/14)

More photos from FRC (06/1/14)

Some photos from FRC (04/1/14)

I'm publishing some photos from FRC!

FRC Competition (03/29/14)

Finally, our competition is finished! We got 32 place out of 63. This year results are much more better, then we had all other years.

03/17/14 - Troubles with programing

    We started fixing some mistakes in our code. And we found a really big problem with an a XBOX controller. It is not reading button values correctly and we have no idea how to fix it.

    Also we started working on a proyotype of our robot's arm.

10/3/14 - Buttons list

We made a list of buttons on XBOX controller and joysticks. We need it it make a controls.

3/8/14 - Controls for our robo

We are still not sure, how we are going to control our robot (With joysticks or with XBOX controller). Overall we decided to connect our codes for joysticks and XBOX controller. So, we will be able to switch our controller any time we want.

2/17/21 (2) - Launching mechanism

We are testing a new idea for our launching mechanism. We believe, that it will work. To finish everything on time, we are working on small groups (3/4 people in groups).

2/17/21 - Ball for our robot

We have fixed a ball for our robot. It is pretty big, so now we are thinking about launching mechanism for it.

Working on our project

We are doing a very good job in assembling our robot! We added a camera to it!

Our programming results!

Our programming computers and Drive Station:

We have already started building our robot!

We are duing pretty well! I will publish some photos.