Activ
Media Robotics
The Performance PeopleBot also has a
large, red Emergency STOP button
prominently positioned on the left strut
just beneath the upper deck. When
pressed, the button brakes and
disengages the motors and signals a stall.
A separate digital sense line to the
microcontroller activates an
E_STOP
flag,
to distinguish the event from a bump-
related or other common stall.
Figure 10. Performance PeopleBot's
control panels are on the inside of the
left strut.
To release the button, press it in and twist.
You also will have to manually (
MOTORS
button on the User Control Panel) or have
your client software programmatically re-
enable the motors.
U
SER
C
ONTROL
P
ANEL
The User Control Panel is where you have
access to the AROS-based onboard
microcontroller. Find it towards the top
on the inside left strut of the Performance
PeopleBot.
The red
PWR
LED is lit whenever main power is applied to the robot. The green
STAT
LED
states depend on the operating mode and other conditions: It flashes slowly when the
microcontroller is awaiting a connection with a client; it flashes quickly when in joydrive
mode or when connected with a client and the motors are engaged; and it flashes
moderately fast when in maintenance mode.
The
BATTERY
LED’s apparent color depends on
your robot’s battery voltage: green when fully
charged (>12.5 volts), through orange, and
finally red when the voltage is below 11.5. When
in maintenance mode, the BATTERY LED glows
bright red only, regardless of battery charge.
Figure 11. Performance
PeopleBot’s
User Control Panel
A built-in piezo buzzer (audible through the holes
just above the
STAT
and
PWR
LEDs) provides
audible clues to the robot’s state, such as upon
successful startup of the microcontroller and a
client connection. An AROS client command
lets you program the buzzer, too, to play your
own sounds.
The
SERIAL
connector, with incoming and
outgoing data indicator LEDs (
RX
and
TX
,
respectively), is through where you may interact
with the H8S microcontroller from an offboard or piggyback computer for tethered
client-server control and for AROS system maintenance. The port is shared internally by
the
HOST
serial port, to which we connect the onboard computer. Digital switching
circuitry disables the internal
HOST
serial port if the computer is OFF or not connected by
software with the controller. However, serial port interference will be a problem if the
HOST
and User Control
SERIAL
ports are both occupied and engaged. Accordingly,
remove the
SERIAL
port cable when using the onboard PC.
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