A cool robot by Bill Clingan

A Robot by Bill Clingan

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This robot features (3) Sonars with 1 uS resolution each using 16 bit up counters to measure the echo time returned. Each counter can be read through a 16 bit port. One 8 bit down counter that controls the sonar inhibit circuit for all three sonars at a 1 uS resolution which allows the sonars to detect objects down to 4 inches away. This also allows all three sonars to be activated at the same time without any processor intervention.
One degree resolution Vector 2X compass with hardware circuit that will keep a port register updated with the latest bearing. Again this eliminates all processor involvement to obtain the data from the compass.
Used thirty magnets on each wheel with a hal-effect transistor to keep track of wheel movement. Each signal is feed into a 8 bit down counter that controls each wheel. This eliminates the slow rise time problems associated with photo-transistors. The hall-effect transistor is mounted on one of the nuts that mounts the motor to the frame.

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Has a NE555 timer circuit when enabled that allows for a slower motor movement. This allows me to have two motor speed (Fast / Slow).
Two infrared proximity detectors in front of each wheel to detect objects that are not detected by the sonars.
Two 6 volt batteries used in kids cars they ride in, to form 12 volts and allow ample run time.
386 processor running at 25 MHz with 16 MEG of non-volatile storage and 512 Kbytes of ram. Battery backup clock calendar chip. 34 Parallel I/O lines, etc.......