Thursday,April30

What:Brainstormingmeeting
Who:Everyone
Possiblethemes:
JamesBond
Totoro

Discussionofgoalsfortheproject/teamdynamics
Noallnighters,prefernottoworkonFriday/Saturdaynights
Beabletoclaimtimetoworkonotherstuff
Communicatewell,bespecificonhowlateyoumightbe
Oktosetdownsomethingthatsnotworkingseekhelpfromteammates,TAs,Ed
Morningandafternoonsarepreferredworkingtimes
Prefertoplanaheadandstayonschedule,notnecessarilypushreallyhardtoget
ahead
Snacks/mealbreaks
Wouldliketohaveafunctional,wellcontrolledhovercraft
Goodsteeringisapriority
Meetrequirements,butdoesntnecessarilygoaboveandbeyond

Teamunits:INCHES

Biweeklyplanningmeetings:
Thursday:5:30pm
Sunday:evenings

Friday,May1
What:Hovercraftprototyping
Who:Tamara,Michelle,Karen
Thingstried
Smallfoamnoodle
Bigfoamnoodle
Garagedoorweatherstripping

Saturday,May2
What:Hovercraftprototyping
Who:Tamara,Karen,Margaret
Shortafternoonprototypingsession.Ideastried:
Plasticskirt,workedok,hardtotakeoffandland(workedbetterwiththinfoamlining
sothemainbodydidntstartontheground).Hadproblemswithsomepartsfoldingin
oroutandthenlosingalotofairinthatdirection.

Brushbristlesliningtheoutside.Triedwithplasticliningofthebristles,butthisdidnt
getquiteenoughlift,triedwithlongplasticliningwithbetterperformance,stilldidnt
glideasmuchasarigidbase.
Startedontheplasticbagsystem.

Sunday,May3
What:CommunicationsMeeting
Who:Tamara
Metforanhourandhashedoutsomeofit.Brokeintosubteamstowritecommunications
protocol,meetingat8pmtomorrowtoputitalltogetherforfirstdrafttomorrow.Controllerside:
buttontoinitiatelink,knobtoselectwhichone(12throwswitch),LEDforconnectionstatus.
Needstobedecided:doweneedtopurposefullydisconnectotherthantheballoonbeing
popped.Shouldwebeabletodisconnect?Robotmovementcontrols:thrust
(forward/back/startmovingforward/stop)valuefrom127to127,left/rightisvaluefrom127
to127(leftisnegative),1bytewithbrakeMSBandLSBispoptheballoon,3extrabytesfor
extrainfo(2signedintsbytes,1digitalbyte?,ignoreunlessitwassentfromyourMI6),control
statusforhowtolink,withrequesttolink,thenrobotacknowledges.

2questions:
Howwilla0thrustcommandbedifferentfromabrake?Dobothneedtobesenteachtime?
Willtheballoonpopmessagebesentoutonceormorethanonce?

What:Furtherprototypingandmeetingwithcoaches
Who:Karen,Michelle,Margaret
Trieddoingtheplasticbagtechnique(bagpinnedinthemiddle,holesnearthepin,andthen
therestofitshouldballoonouttofillspace).Haddifficultymakingthemiddlestaypinnedand
itjustdidntseemparticularlystable.

Metwithcoaches(Nikinperson,Ninaoverthephone).Nikgaveusagoodideabasedonhis
hovercraftfromlastyearusingadrawstringonafabricskirttokeepblowoutsfromhappening.
Lotsofgeneralgoodideasandguidance.WillprobablymeetwithNinainpersonsometime
thisweektogetsomehelpwithlogistics.

What:Majorplanningmeeting
Who:Everyone
UpdatesfromKarencanusemorethanoneTiva,PICsshouldbeprogrammedinCunless
Assemblyisrequired
UpdatesfromTamaraonCommMeeting.Thentryingtonaildowneverythingweneedtodo.

Systemsdefinitions
MI6PIC(foruseofI2C)Michellemakesslidesfordesignreview(anddrawhovercrafts)
Break/InitLinktobotswitch>Keyinignition,limitswitch,slotsensor,halleffect

12positionselector>
LinkStatus>RGBLED,onthesteeringwheel
On/OffPower>switch
SteeringR/L>AccelerometerI2C
Forward/Brake>footpedal,force,analoginput
Balloonpopping>hornbutton(withnoise,eventually)
3inputmodalitiestilt,key,forceonfootpedal>askEdaboutthis

Circuits/Boards
PIC
Powerwithfuse
Sensors
XBee
Battery

SPECTREMargaretmakesslidesfordesignreview
Hoveringfan
MOSFETdrivewithdiodes
1digitaloutputwithPWMcapabilities
Thrustfan(s)
MOSFETdrivewithdiodes
Balloonpopperservo
Steering/brake2servos
Electromechanicalindicatorofbeinglinkedflag
SPECTRE#

Circuits/Boards
Powerdistributionwithfuse6Vregulator
Xbee
BalloonMonitor(notus)
BalloonMonitorPIC
Tivawithconnector
Batteries

Monday,May4
What:TeamDesignReviewMeeting
Who:everyone
Goingoverourslidesquicklysowerereadyfortomorrow.

Wednesday,May6,1pm
What:WorkMeeting
Who:Everyone

Wegotthethrustfanstodaythatweorderedoffofamazonandtheyaremuchsmallerthan
expected(about2inchesindiameter).DecidedtotakearuntoahobbystoreinSanCarlos
togetnewthrustmotorsandfans.Boughttwotypesofpropsthatworkonthenewly
purchasedmotors.

Friday,May8
What:TestingThrustfansandmovingacrossthepond
Who:Tamara

AftertestingthemotorsthatweboughtonWednesday,wefoundthattheyarejustnot
powerfulenoughtogetusacrossthepond.WehaveorderedsomenewmotorsfromJameco
thatrunoffof12v(theprevioussetranoffof5v)andwillbetryingtheseouttoday.The12v
setshouldbecompatiblewiththepropequipmentwealreadybought.

Saturday,May9
What:Generalworkday:MargaretandKarencode,Tamaramechanics
Who:Margaret,Karen,Tamara

Tamaraexperimentswithgettingthethrustfanstowork(the12vmotorsseemtoprovide
sufficientthrust)andMargaretandKarenintegratetheballoonmonitorPICwiththeSpectre
TIVAandgettheTIVAreadyforprotocolcommunicationwiththeMI6

Sunday,May10
What:Generalworkday
Who:All

KarenandMargaretfinishuptheSPECTREcodeandMichellestartsworkingontheReceive
andTransmitstatemachinestopreparefortheSPECTREandMI6totalktogether.Tamara
continuesworkonthemechanicaldesignofthespectresothatithoversandcangoina
straightline.

Monday,May11
What:GeneralWorkdayinpreparationforCheckPoint1
Who:All

Onthemechanicsside,aftermuchtesting,Tamaraswitchedtohavingonethrustfaninthe
frontoftheCraft,pullusalong.Shefoundthistobemuchmorestablethanhavingafanin
thebackpushusalong.Withthisnewdevelopmentweareveryhappywithhowwellweare
abletohoverandgoalongastraightlinewithoutanysoftwareinterventionneeded.Thisalso
leavesmorespacefortheballooninbackwhichisadvantageous.

Onthecodeside,westruggledalottodaywithusingthePICfortheMI6control.Weare
havingtroublegettingthecompiler(onMPLab)tocompilecorrectly.Thecompileron

MPLabXisworkingokbutwehavetogothroughthiscomplicateddancetogetthecodeonto
thePIConcewecompileit.Becauseofthesereasonsandthefactthatitsgettinglateand
thefactthatdebuggingonthePICismuchmuchmoredifficultthantheTIVA,wehave
decidedtoswitchMI6controltoanadditionalTIVA.Wethinkthatthiswillmakeitmucheasier
todoourjobwell.Bytheendofthenightwehavecommunication(theabilitytoPAIRand
keepthatconnectionbetweentheMI6andourSPECTRE)doneandreadyforCheckPoint1.

TuesdayMay12
What:CheckPoint1checkoff
Who:All

Wesuccessfullycheckedoffforcheckpoint1.

ThursdayMay14
What:TeamMeetingwithEd
Who:All

What:GeneralWorkSession
Who:Karen

Workingonimplementingthecodetointializeandcontrolthe7PWMlinesthatweneedfor
ourhovercraft(twoturningservos,oneballoonpopper,oneindicator,twothrustfansand
hoverfan).CreatedabreadboardversionoftheMI6withrealbuttoninputs.

FridayMay15
What:WorksessionintheLab
Who:Karen,Michelle

KarenworkedonfinishingupthePWMinitializationaftergettingafeweditsfromMargaret.
Michelleworkedongettingtheaccelerometerforthesteeringwheelinitializedbymodifying
somepreexsistingcodetoconfigureforI2C.Westruggledforalongtimewiththe
accelerometeronlytorealizethattheaccelerometerisinitializedintosleepmodeandneeds
tobewokenupbeforeanymeaningfulvaluescanberead.

What:BuildingSteeringWheelDriveSetup
Who:Michelle,Tamara
Builtthesteeringwheelfixturethatallowsustohavethesteeringwheelturnbacktothe
originalposition.Integratedaccelerometerintosteeringwheelcolumn.

SaturdayMay16
What:Worksessioninthelab
Who:All

TodaywasaimportantmilestonebecausewewereabletointegratetheMI6andthe
SPECTREsothatwecouldtesttheabilityoftheMI6tocontrolthethrust,hover,andsteering
ontheSPECTRE.Overallthingsaregoingprettywellbutwearestrugglingwithsome
differencesbetweenthebehaviorinthelabversusthebehavioroutside.Whenweareinthe
labwehavealmostnoconnectionlostdisconnects.Inthefountainwehavequiteafewlost
connections.Wearetryingtodeterminewhetherthisisabuginourcodeordueto
environmentalconditions.

SundayMay17
What:BuildinguptheSPECTREandMI6
Who:All

Aftertestingthismorningwerealizedthatwearenotabletomoveinthefountainaswellas
desired.Wethinkthatthisisbecausethereisalotoffrictionbetweenourskirtbottomandthe
pondbottomsurface.Overall,ourskirtjustseemstobeabitworseforwearandsowethink
thatitistimetoreplaceit.Additionallyweneededtoimproveourwayofmountingthethrust
fanstoprovidebetterprotectionagainstanyonegettingtheirfingerscaught.OntheMI6side
wearecontinuingtobuildupthephysicalpiecesthatwewillneedforourfinalcontroller
system.UsingtheCADthatwedevelopedyesterday,wecutoutandgluedtogetherthefoot
pedalthrusterandthereverseshifter.

TuesdayMay19
What:Generalworkday
Who:All

Todaywasadayofintegrationaftermovingallofthespectrecircuitryfrombreadboardsto
protoboards.IthinkthatIfrequentlyunderestimatehowmanydifficultiesthiscancauseand
howmuchdebuggingneedstobedoneafterward.Weslowlydebuggedourcircuitrytoday
discoveringvariouserrorsalongthewayincluderangingfromthecommon(jumpercables
thatwerepluggedinthewrong)tothelesscommon(deadjumpercable)totheseemingly
inexplicable(fluxcreatingatinyconductivechannelbetweenpowerandgroundonthe
breadboard).Eventuallythoughwedidgeteverythingupandrunningandaregoodtogofor
testingtomorrow.

WednesdayMay20
What:CheckPoint2attempt
Who:Margaret,Tamara,Michelle

Weattemptedtocheckoffthiseveningbutwereunabletomaintainconnectionwithour
robotsorotherrobotslongenoughinthepondtodoouractivitiesandwearentexactlysure
whythisis.Whenwetestwithteamsinthelabitseemstoworkfine!Wehaveheardfrom
otherteamsthatmountingtheXBeeuphigheronboththeSPECTREandgettingtheMI6
Xbeepointingdirectlythattheradiocommunicationcanbeimproved.


Additionally,wearehavingalotoftroublemaneuveringaroundthepond.Althoughwecan
hoverandmovefineinlab,betweenthefrictionofthepondandthepowerfulwindweeither
getstuckorwegetcaughtupinthewind,getblowndownintooneendandcantgetthe
powerneededtogotheotherway.Wearegoingtotryaddingasecond

ThursdayMay21
What:CheckPoint2,CheckoffSuccessful
Who:All

AfterremountingtheSpectreXBeeandhavingsomeoneontheMI6sidepointtheXBeeat
theSpectreasitismovingaroundthepondwewereabletocheckoff.However,wearestill
reallystrugglingwithouractualmobilityaroundthepond.Althoughwecanhoverfairlywell,
wecantgetthepowerweneedtopushourselvesaroundthepondinoppositiontothewind.
Sincewealreadyhavetwofans,theonlythingwecanhopetodonextistoswitchtoeven
morepowerfulmotors.

FridayMay22
What:GeneralWorkday
Who:Tamara,Karen,Michelle

Aftermountingthemorepowerfulmotorsanddoingtestingwehavediscoveredthatour
circuitryisreallynotsetuptohandlethemorepowerfulmotors.Wefirststartedhaving
problemswhenweweretestinginthefountainandwekeptblowingor10Afuses.Firstwe
thoughtthatitmightbeaonetimeoccurrencebutwhenwestartedblowingthempredictably
wecheckedthenew,morepowerfulmotorsresistanceandfoundittobeextremelylow(less
than2ohms)whereasourpreviousmotorshadaresistancecloserto10ohms.Thismeant
thatwhenweweredrawingalotmorecurrentthanwehadbeenpreviously.Thismighthave
beenokifithadntbeenforthefactthatwebuiltourmotordrivecircuitryoffoftheless
powerfulmotorsandasaconsequencehadusedapowerMOSFETratherthanafullmotor
driveboard.Withthenewmorepowerfulmotorweriskeddestroyingthiscircuitbyrepeatedly
switchingsomuchcurrent.Althoughwewaffledbackandforthonthisdecisionforawhile,in
theendwedecidedtostickwiththeoriginallesspowerfulmotorsbecausewecoulddriveok
withthemandthereisastrongrumorthatwewillbemovinginsideandweknowthatwecan
drivefinewiththesemotorsinside.

What:Shopsession
Who:MichelleandTamara

Thiseveningwelasercutthefrontpanelandintegratedeverythingtogetherintothefinalform
oftheMI6.Weneedtodoalittlemoremountingtomorrowbutoverallwearereadytotest
onemoretimewiththeSPECTREandalsodecorate.

SaturdayMay23
Who:Karen,Michelle,Tamara
Wefoundouttodaythatthecompetitionandgradinghavebeenmovedtothed.Schoolsowe
spenttodaydoingthefinalfixturing,wirelayoutandtestinginthed.School.Wearemoving
reallywellinthed.Schoolandtheonlychangewehavemadeforitistoswitchtofeetwitha
slightlytackiercontactsurfacewiththeground.Wealsomadeacodemodificationtoimprove
performance.Wefoundthatonsuchasmoothpolishedconcreteflooronceyoustart
spinning,youkeepspinningevenifyouhavelifterbothfeetandturnedonbothfans.Asa
consequence,wenowbreakinstantaneouslyafterwestartturningsothatwemaintainour
headingaftergettingoutofaturn.

SundayMay24
Who:Michelle,Tamara,Karen
What:DecoratinginRm36

TodaywasspentputtingdecoratingtouchesontheMI6including:
Spraypainting
MakingVinylcutstickersforthecontrols
Mountingthereverseshifter
Lasercuttingthekeyandintegratingthatsystem
AddingRGBLEDStrips

MondayMay25
Who:Michelle,Karen,Tamara
What:FinishingtouchesinLab

WerealizedtodaywhiletryingtofilmandtestthattheRGBLEDsseemtobeinterferingwith
ourabilitytocreateandmaintainaconnection.Onsecondthoughtthisisnotthatsurprising
becauseoperatingtheLEDstakeatonofprocessorpulsesandthereforeactskindoflikethe
equivalentofalotofprintstatements.Theresultsthatwesawweresimilartoconnectivity
issueswehadexperiencedwhentherewasalotofprintstatementsinthecode.Tofixthis
problemweremovedtheLEDServicethatwascontrollingtheRGBLEDsandusedlinesfrom
themainTIVAtodriveasecondTIVAthatwassolelyresponsiblefordrivingtheLEDs.This
seemstoworkingandsowearereadyforgradingtomorrow.

TuesdayMay26
Who:All
What:Grading

GradingintheD.Schooltodaywentreallywell.Imhappywithourperformanceandwaseven
alittlesurprisedatourabilitytodrivetoandpopballoons.Wewereabletocomplete
everythingonthegradingchecklistwithoutissue.