Maze Solver
i am in the process of converting my non contact wall follower into a line follower. Since making it, I have explored many different aspects of the design, trying to get the hardware good enough to make a reliable (even if slow) Maze Solver.
Encoders
I use the AS5040 Austria Microsystems magnetic encoder chip, mounted onto custom PCBs mounted outboard of the wheels. This provides me with 256 pulses per revolution, but a compromise of this is that they stand proud of the robot and are very likely to get caught on walls. This is only a problem because the PCBs were an add on and therefore the chassis design didn't take this into account, I can rectify this with a new chassis design, although this is a major job.
Motors
These were 30:1 geared motors which offered great top speed, I have since changed them to 100:1, this decreases the top speed drastically, but does however offer much tighter control of the moves.
Sensors
Having carried out comprehensive tests on a whole range of led emitters and receivers I had settled on using green LEDs and ambient light sensors, these gave me great feedback but we're slightly affected by ambient lighting. I have since paired the same green led with infrared sensors and to my amazement, offered very similar response and even less affected by ambient light, I will replace these in due course.
Encoders
I use the AS5040 Austria Microsystems magnetic encoder chip, mounted onto custom PCBs mounted outboard of the wheels. This provides me with 256 pulses per revolution, but a compromise of this is that they stand proud of the robot and are very likely to get caught on walls. This is only a problem because the PCBs were an add on and therefore the chassis design didn't take this into account, I can rectify this with a new chassis design, although this is a major job.
Motors
These were 30:1 geared motors which offered great top speed, I have since changed them to 100:1, this decreases the top speed drastically, but does however offer much tighter control of the moves.
Sensors
Having carried out comprehensive tests on a whole range of led emitters and receivers I had settled on using green LEDs and ambient light sensors, these gave me great feedback but we're slightly affected by ambient lighting. I have since paired the same green led with infrared sensors and to my amazement, offered very similar response and even less affected by ambient light, I will replace these in due course.