Contents

• • • Copyright Notice
  
  
• Before Getting Started
  • Who is likely to succeed?
    • Drive to ``make it work''
    • Possession of an inquisitive Mind
    • Ability to stay cool when things seem hopeless
    • Self Discipline
  • Timeline
    • Backward Timeline
  
  
• Robot Components
  • Drive System
    • The Physics
    • Error Consideration
    • Tire
    • Wheel
    • Ball Transfer
    • Bearing, shaft, etc.
    • Gearing
    • Motors
      • Types of Stepper Motors
      • How to Choose a Stepper Motor?
  • Energy System
    • Chemistries
    • Voltage Regulation
      • Logic Voltage Regulators
      • Stepper Booster
    • Energy Calculation
    • Charging and Discharging
  • Chassis
    • Materials
      • Metal
      • Plastic
      • Wood
    • Physics
  
  
• Common Robotics Theories
  • Differential Steering
    • Displacements
    • Velocity
    • Acceleration
  • Stepper Motor Control
    • Displacement
    • Steering
    • Efficient Implementation
  • Noise Related Problems and Solutions
    • Sources of Electrical Noise
      • Basic Theories
      • Digital Circuits
      • High Current Circuits
    • Methods to Reduce Noise
      • Basic Theories
  • PID Loop
    • The Theory
    • From Continuous to Discrete
    • Practical Concerns
      • Resolution of Output
      • The Resolution of and
      • The Resolution of the Integration Term
      • The Resolution of the Differential Term
  
  
• Micromouse
  • Project Management
    • The Necessity
    • Resource Requirements
      • Finance
      • Tools and Materials
      • Time
    • Personnel Issues
      • Regular Meetings
      • Focus on the Tasks
    • Task Management
    • Task Forces
    • Communication
    • Timeline
  • The Competition
    • Specification for the Maze
    • Specifications for the Micro Mouse
    • Rules for the Contest
  • Errors
    • Sources of Errors
      • Wheel Errors
      • Stepper Motor Errors
      • Traction Related Errors
      • Maze Tolerance
    • Reducing Errors
      • Tire Width
      • Wheel Roundness
      • Wheel Center
      • Traction
    • Detecting Errors
      • Length to Sensors
      • Sensor Placement (Lookdown Sensors)
      • Distance Sensors
    • Error Toloerance and Correction
      • Tolerance
      • Correction
  • Sensors
    • Purposes
    • Sensor Types
      • Range Finding
      • Existence
  • Sensing
    • Common Issues
      • Failure Rate
      • Repeatability
      • Accuracy
      • Digital versus Analog
      • Sample Time
    • Using Common Sensor Types
      • Phototransistor-IrED Pairs
      • Reflective Triangulated Ranging Sensors
  • High Level "AI" Algorithm
    • What is it?
    • The Ideal Algorithm and the Practical Algorithm
    • The Floodfill Algorithm
      • Basic Theory
      • The Algorithm
      • Implementation
      • Map Representation
  • Grading Policy
    • Grading by Group or Individually
    • Group Grading
    • Individual Grading
  
  
• Assembly
  • PCB Related Assembly Techniques
    • Tools
      • Lighting
      • Magnification
      • PCB Cleaning
      • Solding Tools
      • Soldering Tips
      • Flux
      • Desolding Braids
      • Desoldering Plungers/Guns
    • PCB Preparation
      • Partitioning a PCB
    • Soldering
    • Diagnosis
    • Desoldering
  
  
• Software/Hardware Tools
  • AVR Programming Tools
    • Getting Linux
      • VMWare Workstation (non-free)
      • Installing Debian over the Web
      • Dual Booting
      • Specify Minimal Packages
      • Upgrading to the Unstable Distribution
      • Get the Rest of the Packages
      • Get the AVR tools

Change log:

• TA 20030911 0838: add change log