IR sensors

[Tim Vanderhoek <vanderh@ecf.utoronto.ca>]

Okay, it's 1am and I'm finally in a position where I can almost
begin testing the IR sensors . . .

A couple of notes:

1) Guys, when you reassemble the robot, be very very careful, especially
near the bottom of Zeta, to make sure that all of the wires are connected
and that any unconnected wires are placed where they need to be.  The
power wires for one of the opto-encoders was not connected and because
of how hard it is to disassemble Zeta, or even reach into her innards,
it took me literally _hours_ (_very_ frustrating hours) to find the
missing power cable and reconnect it.  I don't know whether it was
disconnected before the lab, or when, but we've got to be more careful
about these connections because this was a very painful process.

2) Joyce, I understand you have an essay due.  That's fine.  But I should
not have to argue with you in order to be able to walk out of your room
with the tools I need to do _my_ job and to fixup problems with circuits
not specifically mine when those problems arise.  When I plugged in the
+12V power for the IR sensors, the 7805 started getting very hot.  My
first guess is that it's broken, although it could be a simple short
somewhere else.  I don't have a 7805 to replace it with.  So now I have
to pull one off the motor board power supply.  This means I can't test
the drive system.  It also means the motor supply 7805 needs to be
replaced later.  Other than this, there is a stunning lack of wire should
I need any, and I don't know whether the velcro that's supposed to hold
the computer box together is lost or whether you have it.  I should
_not_ have to argue with you in order to be able to take components that
have been paid for 33% with my money.  I know you have an essay due,
but we also have a robot due _very_ soon and finishing that robot is
_not_ as simple as just throwing the parts together ("well, the IR sensors
work when I test them").  Finish the essay, but realize that if you
prevent me from also doing my work that I need to do (namely testing
the damn IR sensors with the computer), then _I_ _need_ _to_ _have_
either a) you present or b) the components to fix the sensors myself.

I don't think you understand how hard I'm trying to avoid getting into
arguments with you, but I should have either told you to let me take
those parts or told you to finish the robot yourself.

3) We should at some point investigate how harmful placing the motor
control board on the same level as the IR amp/filter boards is.


-- 
Signature withheld by request of author.