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The goal was to learn how to program and interface the MSP430 microcontroller with a toy tank and make it drive autonomously in a square after a button is pressed. The project demonstrates simple control of two DC motors (output) and the ability to process a button press (input) with the MSP430. There was no goal to create a pretty robot and I guess I got that done as well. ;)
The material list:
$12.00 toy tank,
$4.30 TI MSP430 LaunchPad,
$2.50 SN754410NE Quad Half H-Bridge
The program is written in C and uploaded into the MSP430 via the Code Composer Studio 4.1 software.
Get your own MSP430 LaunchPad micro controller here for only $4.30.
A few early build pics:
Original Tank (with AirSoft cannon)
Here it is five minutes later...
The remote control was removed from the tank. The motor wires were hooked straight into the motor driver chip that was controlled by the MSP430 LaunchPad.
Below is the source code for the project:
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//MSP430 rogram to make tank drive in a square after button push. June 11, 2011
//After the square is complete the tanks waits for a button push to repeat process.
#include msp430g2231.h
void main(void)
{
WDTCTL = WDTPW + WDTHOLD; // Stop watchdog timer
P1DIR |= 0x01; // Set P1.0 to output direction
P1DIR |= 0x40; // Set P1.6 to output direction
volatile long i;
volatile int j;
// RED LED in RIGHT motor. GREEN LED is LEFT motor
P1OUT = 0x41; // Stop motors (both LEDs ON) and
while ((P1IN & 0x08)); // wait for button press on P1.3
for (;;)
{
for (j=1; j<5 data-blogger-escaped-br="br" data-blogger-escaped-j="j"> {
P1OUT = 0x00; // RIGHT and LEFT OFF 'FORWARD'
for (i=0; i<100000 data-blogger-escaped-a="a" data-blogger-escaped-br="br" data-blogger-escaped-delay="delay" data-blogger-escaped-i="i" data-blogger-escaped-little="little">
P1OUT ^= 0x40; // LEFT ON (turn LEFT)
for (i=0; i<20000 data-blogger-escaped-a="a" data-blogger-escaped-br="br" data-blogger-escaped-delay="delay" data-blogger-escaped-i="i" data-blogger-escaped-little="little">
P1OUT =0x00; // Both OFF
for (i=0; i<50000 data-blogger-escaped-a="a" data-blogger-escaped-br="br" data-blogger-escaped-delay="delay" data-blogger-escaped-i="i" data-blogger-escaped-little="little">
} //end J loop
P1OUT =0x41; // Stop motors (both LEDs ON) and
while ((P1IN & 0x08)); // wait for button press
} //endless loop
} //main
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