THIS MONTH:
Cirque Du Robot
THE
SMARTSENSOR
LITE FROM
CATCAN
CREATIVE.
alot of robotics kits make for great hacking platforms, and to get the most out of an expandable kit you need
versatile sensors. This month, we have the opportunity
to demonstrate both – an expandable platform with the
LEGO NXT kit, and a multitalented sensor with the
SmartSensor Lite from CATCAN Creative, Inc.
The SmartSensor Lite is equipped with accelerometers,
a gyroscope, and even a temperature sensor. We thought
that such a dynamic sensor would be perfect for some
gravity-defying stunts in our very own Cirque du Robot.
Opening Up the Magic Box
CATCAN Creative is a Taiwanese company dedicated to
designing sophisticated sensors and servos for hobbyists
and educational use. One of their products is the
SmartSensor Lite. The SmartSensor Lite is indeed compact
and lightweight, and the telltale pattern of holes around
the border of the PCB indicates that the unit is designed to
work with the LEGO Mindstorms NXT kit. The folks at
CATCAN sought to create an easy to use sensor capable
of capturing all sorts of motion data. The well equipped
sensor module used a tri-axial accelerometer that takes
measurements of the traditional Tait-Bryan angles – pitch,
yaw, and roll. A gyroscope measures angular velocity
about the yaw axis. The unit even comes with a
temperature sensor. The temperature sensor might seem
like a random addition, but with a stated range of - 40° C
to 125° C, we’re sure that intrepid hackers will figure out a
way to put it to good use. The specs on all of the sensors
are available on the infinitely helpful CATCAN website
( www.catcan.com.tw).
GETTING ACQUAINTED WITH THE SMARTSENSOR LITE.
70 SERVO 01.2011
