After a few false starts and more or less total rewrites, I have decided that the core functionality of r2_control deserves a 1.0 release.
https://github.com/dpoulson/r2_control/releases/tag/1.0
The last few updates have added some much needed core functionality that makes this code work well for basic driving at events. Future versions will improve on this and add extra modules for more fancy items.
With this release, the following functionality is working, having been tested at a number of events over the last few months.
- Sounds – 486 MP3 tracks installed, and easy to add more.
- Servo control – Can add Adafruit 16 channel PWM controllers and control many servos for opening doors, etc.
- Web control – Built in web interface to do basic controls and testing
- PS3 controller – The PS3 controller is working well, interfacing with the r2_control API to trigger sounds, servos, scripts, etc. It also interfaces directly to the motor controllers for movement.
There is also some WIP functionality that I don’t class as core.
- Monitoring – got a POC of system monitoring (voltages, currents, etc.)
- Telegram – Communication and control over instant messenger
I’ve many plans for future expansion of r2_control for version 2.0, which I will hopefully get time to do in the coming months. These are just some of them:
- Refactor of PWM code using updated Adafruit I2C libraries
- Add modules for rseries logics and flthy HP systems.
- Finish the monitoring system
- Switch the dome control to packet serial rather than PWM servo control
- Move dome control into core r2_control, rather than direct from PS3 controller
- Auto dome (auto center, turn, etc.)
For now, there are too many events coming up to be able to risk taking R2 out of commission, so most of the work will be on tweaking the actual droid and tidying things up.
