Electronic
Messaging
With
Your
Robot
by Fred Eady
Robots don't usually have to visually
see something to act on it. For
instance, a robot doesn't have to pull
out its digital voltmeter to measure a
voltage or current. If measuring
voltage and current are in the
robot's operational domain, the
robot is equipped with the proper
sensors to sense voltages and
currents.
Your “man in a can” is probably not as sophisticated as Next Generation’s Data. However, if you really
break Data down, he’s the typical garage robot. He
senses things and is programmed to act on them. In
Data’s case, he can see, hear, smell, and touch. In the
end, that’s all just simple robotic I/O. Data uses his
android senses as data input devices. Your aluminum
wannabe android may get its input by way of a serial
port, analog-to-digital converter (ADC) input, or SPI
portal.
Data produces output by entering values on the
ship’s console, speaking or performing a physical action.
Your mechanical monkey’s output can be in the form of
controlling a relay, controlling an actuator, or sending a
message with its serial port. Then, Data could probably
generate and send what we call an email today. Your
robot can do that, too.
54 SERVO 09.2012
PHOTO 1. The MRF24WB0MA is not as power stingy as the
Microchip 802.15.4 radios. However, the MRF24WB0MA's
appetite for power can be curbed by forcing it to hibernate.
