Encoders are a vital part of control systems in robotics. In this article we’ll be looking at the how, what and why surrounding encoders.
The Arduino is one of the most popular microcontroller platforms around due to its ease of use and large supportive community of users. Today we will look at simple example of using the Arduino to control a RoboClaw.
The RoboClaw allows for simple and direct control with an RC system, yet there are options that allow for more fine grained control of your system. In this article we’ll be discussing these point by point.
Before you can begin using your RoboClaw, you’ll first need to install the RoboClaw driver and Basicmicro Motion Studio on your computer. Once you’ve completed the software installation you’ll be free to uniquely configure your RoboClaw for you particular needs.
The RoboClaw motor controller features several types of protection to ensure the safety of the hardware in your system. On of the most important of these features is the battery cutoff protection. This features ensures that your system’s batteries are protected from both under and over voltage conditions.
Today we will be covering how to configure and wire the RoboClaw motor controller for one of the most common control and drive schemes in robotics. In this tutorial we will show how the RoboClaw can be used in a differential drive robot controlled via an RC radio system. This may be the final configuration for your robot or a step in testing your hardware, either way you’ll see that configuring the RoboClaw takes little time and effort.
The RoboClaw motor controllers incorporate several key technologies. This article is design as a quick overview of some of these technologies.