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Multi-RCX Remote Control Control more than one RCX-based robot independently - Battle Bots, anyone? As a summer off-season project, our team has worked on implementing remote control for multiple independent RCX-based robots. The basis for this is using number signals sent to the IR port of the RCX and received by a custom RIS program. Four versions of the program (identical except for an offset number to make each different) loaded onto four program slots on an RCX allow up to four robots to be controlled at the same time. Each robot has a range of 20 numbers assigned to it (1-20, 21-40, 41-60, and 61-80) to trigger actions, such as go forward, backward, turn or stop. Two different ways of sending the signals to the robots can be used. An RCX-based remote control unit can be used to send the numbers, with RIS code. Light sensors can be used to select the number to be sent, by detecting different colored bricks, and using the range of values to branch to a given number to be sent. One light sensor will control one motor or combined function (white/grey/black - forward/stop/backward or left/stop/right, needing two input channels). Touch sensors can be used, but because of the numbers needed, a touch switch port expander is needed (to allow one switch for forward, one for backward, one for left, one for right, no switch pressed for stop, using four input ports). This was just a demonstration project for us, due to how many RCXs could be required. However, the LEGO Company could easily produce a remote like this at a modest cost (combining a GamePad-style controller and a four-channel selector), and expand the market for Mindstorms (hint, hint!). A shareware program available on the internet called "BattleBricks" (from www.battlebricks.com) can be used to send the numbers, as well. The program installs on a laptop or desktop computer, and uses a LEGO IR tower to send the numbers to robots. The keyboard or USB GamePad controllers (button type, not analog joysticks) are used to choose what commands to send, when matched with selected numbers stored in a data file. Our configuration uses an older laptop computer (P/166), with a USB hub to allow up to 4 GamePad controllers, and a serial LEGO IR tower. Obviously, a laptop is more expensive than RCXs, but we had a laptop available, and GamePad-style controllers are inexpensive. |
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