Stephan Schultz
Published © GPL3+

Self balancing robot

An autonomous robot created from laser-cuts, moving on two wheels and finding the brightest spot in a room.

AdvancedShowcase (no instructions)15,490
Self balancing robot

Things used in this project

Hardware components

Arduino Nano R3
Arduino Nano R3
×1
9V battery (generic)
9V battery (generic)
×2

Hand tools and fabrication machines

Laser cutter (generic)
Laser cutter (generic)
Soldering iron (generic)
Soldering iron (generic)

Story

Read more

Custom parts and enclosures

Laser-cut parts

Schematics

Wiring schematic

File missing, please reupload.

Code

BalanceRobot.ino

Arduino
Main code to control the robot movement
#include <NewPing.h>

int internalLedPin = 13;
int externalLedPin = 12;
int potentiometerPin = A0;

int dc1EnablePin = 4;
int dc1Pin = 10;
int dc1ReversePin = 9;
int dc2EnablePin = 3;
int dc2Pin = 6;
int dc2ReversePin = 5;

int distanceTriggerPin = 8;
int distanceEchoPin = 7;
int maximumDistance = 5000;
int balancedDistanceOriginal = -1;
int balancedDistance = -1;

const int measuredDistancesCount = 10;
int measuredDistances[measuredDistancesCount];

int potentiometerValue = 512;

unsigned long timerLogLast = 0;
int timerLogDelta = 200;

unsigned long timerDistanceLast = 0;
int timerDistanceDelta = 10;

unsigned long timerDebugLast = 0;
int timerDebugDelta = 3000;

bool isTurningCW = true;

// magic numbers for power calculation
const float powerFactor0 = 0;
const float powerFactor2 = 0.00005;


NewPing sonar(distanceTriggerPin, distanceEchoPin, maximumDistance);

void setup() {
  digitalWrite(internalLedPin, HIGH);
  //pinMode(externalLedPin, OUTPUT);
  
  pinMode(dc1EnablePin, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(dc1Pin, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(dc1ReversePin, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(dc2EnablePin, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(dc2Pin, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(dc2ReversePin, OUTPUT);

  pinMode(distanceTriggerPin, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(distanceEchoPin, INPUT);
  Serial.begin(9600);
}

void loop() {
  unsigned long timerNow = millis();

  // check sonar value
  if (timerNow > timerDistanceLast + timerDistanceDelta) {
    sonar.ping_timer(sonarCallback);
    timerDistanceLast = timerNow;

    // balance
    double stableDistance = getAverageDistance(3);
    if (stableDistance > balancedDistance + 1) {
      //powerBothWheels(255);
    } else if (stableDistance < balancedDistance - 1) {
      //powerBothWheels(-255);
    }
  }

  // debug
  if (timerNow > timerDebugLast + timerDebugDelta) {
    
    // change direction
    
    if (isTurningCW) {
      //powerBothWheels(-255);
    } else {
      //powerBothWheels(255);
    }
    isTurningCW = !isTurningCW;
    Serial.println("Changing direction");
    

    int powerValue = digitalToAnalog(potentiometerValue);

    timerDebugLast = timerNow;
  }

  // log misc. stuff
  if (timerNow > timerLogLast + timerLogDelta) {
    // update potentiometer value

    //potentiometerValue = analogRead(potentiometerPin);
    potentiometerValue = 512;
    balancedDistance = balancedDistanceOriginal + (map(potentiometerValue - 512, 0, 512, 0, 10));

    Serial.print("Last distances: ");
    Serial.print(getMeasuredDistancesAsString());

    Serial.print(" Average distance: ");
    Serial.print(getAverageDistance(10));

    Serial.print(" Last power value: ");
    Serial.println(calculatePowerValue());

    timerLogLast = timerNow;
  }
}

void sonarCallback() {
  if (sonar.check_timer()) {
    int currentMeasuredDistance = (sonar.ping_result / 24);

    // shift all elemts of the array by -1
    for (char i = 0; i < measuredDistancesCount - 1; i++) {   
      measuredDistances[i] = measuredDistances[i + 1];
    }

    // store the new distance at the end of the array
    measuredDistances[measuredDistancesCount - 1] = currentMeasuredDistance;

    // if no balanced distance has been set, use the current one
    if (balancedDistanceOriginal < 0) {
      balancedDistanceOriginal = currentMeasuredDistance;
      balancedDistance = balancedDistanceOriginal;
    }

    // let LED indicate if balanced or not
    int deltaFromBalanced = currentMeasuredDistance - balancedDistance;

    if (deltaFromBalanced <= 1 && deltaFromBalanced >= -1) {
      digitalWrite(internalLedPin, HIGH);
    } else {
      digitalWrite(internalLedPin, LOW);
    }

    int powerValue = calculatePowerValue();
    powerBothWheels(powerValue);

  } else {
    // invalid distance measured
  }  
}

int calculatePowerValue() {
  int powerValue = 0;
  double lastMeasuredDistance = measuredDistances[measuredDistancesCount - 1];
  //double lastMeasuredDistance = getAverageDistance(5);
  
  double deltaFromBalanced = lastMeasuredDistance - balancedDistance;

  // modify power value using pedometer (centered pedometer --> factor = 1)
  //double factor = map(potentiometerValue, 0, 1023, 0, 200) / (double) 100;
  double factor = 1;

  if (lastMeasuredDistance - balancedDistance < 0) {
    deltaFromBalanced = deltaFromBalanced * (-1);
  }

  // powerValue is this formular solved for x: 
  // deltaFromBalanced = powerFactor2 * x^2 + powerFactor1 * x + powerFactor0
  powerValue = factor * sqrt((deltaFromBalanced - powerFactor0) / powerFactor2);

  if (powerValue == 0) {
    double stableDistance = getAverageDistance(5);
    double stableDistanceDelta = stableDistance - balancedDistance;
    powerValue = 0.5 * sqrt((stableDistanceDelta) / powerFactor2);
    if (stableDistanceDelta > 0) {
      powerValue = powerValue * (-1);
    }
  } else {
    if (deltaFromBalanced < 0) {
      powerValue = powerValue * (-1);
    }
  }

  powerValue = min(255, powerValue);
  powerValue = max(-255, powerValue);

  if (lastMeasuredDistance - balancedDistance > 0) {
    powerValue = powerValue * (-1);
  }

  return powerValue;
}

double getAverageDistance(int count) {
  if (count > 10) {
    count = 10;
  }

  double average = 0;
  for (char i = measuredDistancesCount - 1; i >= 0 && i + count >= measuredDistancesCount; i--) {
    average += measuredDistances[i];
  }

  average = average / count;
  return average;
}

String getMeasuredDistancesAsString() {
  String distanceArray = "[";
  for (char i = 0; i < measuredDistancesCount; i++) {
    distanceArray = distanceArray + " " + measuredDistances[i] + " ";
  }
  distanceArray = distanceArray + "]";
  return distanceArray;
}

void powerBothWheels(int value) {
  powerLeftWheel(value);
  powerRightWheel(value);
}

// Left wheel
void powerLeftWheel(int value) {
  if (value > 0) {    
    powerLeftWheelForwards(value);
  } else if (value < 0) {
    powerLeftWheelBackwards(value * (-1));
  } else {
    stopLeftWheel();
  }
}

void powerLeftWheelForwards(int value) {
  digitalWrite(dc1EnablePin, HIGH);
  analogWrite(dc1Pin, value);
  analogWrite(dc1ReversePin, 0);
}

void powerLeftWheelBackwards(int value) {
  digitalWrite(dc1EnablePin, HIGH);
  analogWrite(dc1Pin, 0);
  analogWrite(dc1ReversePin, value);
}

void stopLeftWheel() {
  digitalWrite(dc1EnablePin, LOW);
  analogWrite(dc1Pin, 0);
  analogWrite(dc1ReversePin, 0);
}

// Right wheel
void powerRightWheel(int value) {
  if (value > 0) {    
    powerRightWheelForwards(value);
  } else if (value < 0) {
    powerRightWheelBackwards(value * (-1));
  } else {
    stopRightWheel();
  }
}

void powerRightWheelForwards(int value) {
  digitalWrite(dc2EnablePin, HIGH);
  analogWrite(dc2Pin, value);
  analogWrite(dc2ReversePin, 0);
}

void powerRightWheelBackwards(int value) {
  digitalWrite(dc2EnablePin, HIGH);
  analogWrite(dc2Pin, 0);
  analogWrite(dc2ReversePin, value);
}

void stopRightWheel() {
  digitalWrite(dc2EnablePin, LOW);
  analogWrite(dc2Pin, 0);
  analogWrite(dc2ReversePin, 0);
}

int digitalToAnalog(int digitalValue) {
  return digitalValue / 4;
}

Credits

Stephan Schultz

Stephan Schultz

1 project • 12 followers
I develop apps: http://steppschuh.net

Comments