Author Topic: Help with building a wireless robotic car using PIC microcontroller 16F877.  (Read 6805 times)

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Offline AaronLTopic starter

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I have a few questions.

1. Which programming language should I use? I am thinking of using C++. I know assembly but am not very good at it, so I am trying to avoid assembly.

2. Which program should i use to compile the PIC code? I am thinking of using MPLAB IDE. Is it sufficient/ok?

3. Is 16F877 enough to build a wireless robotic car? It was recommended by my lecturer. But i need further confirmation.

4. Which wireless module should I use? For this one, I have no idea at all.

I hope you all can help me with this. Your help is needed. Thank you.

Best Regards,
A.

Offline Joker94

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i cannot help with the PIC questions as i don't know alot

as for the wireless modules. there is a lot to choose from

just a few quick questions
1 what is your budget
2 what is the car going to do
3 are you going to control it from your computer

ten i should be able to help with the wireless questions

even better go to chat

Offline AaronLTopic starter

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Hi, thanks for noticing and replying this thread.

1. I hope my project can be as simple and as cost effective as possible.

2. Im actually going to modify the wireless robotic car to play soccer. After building 2 of them, i will put them inside an electronic stadium and kick a ping pong ball(or some other ball) around. I'll be using a separate dc motor as the kicker.

3. And no, i don not plan to control it from my computer. I plan to control it with a remote control car's controller or some other controllers that are more basic and simpler for me to modify them into wireless (Atari joy pad maybe?).

=)

Offline Joker94

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cost effective can be done trust me.

ok, do you want to re use old electronics or do you want to start from the start.

if you want you can hack into the old circuits or buy 2 wireless circuits. a transmitter and reciever circuit.

these from nordics are cheap and may suffice.

http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/product_info.php?products_id=691 chip antenna

http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/product_info.php?products_id=705 plug in external antenna

you may need a plug in antenna depending on the placement of the board.

And as it is a trabciever you'll need 2 of the same , one to transmit and one to recieve.

one simple option is, cant you just modify a standard rc car and modify it rather that re build the

Offline AaronLTopic starter

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I am suppose to build everything from the scratch. Have to figure out the circuits, codings and things like that. =(

Offline Joker94

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good point

therefore you shoould go with it.

sorry i cannot help with the PIC question

Offline waltr

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Aaroni,
 For what you want to do the 16F877 PIC will do it. Do use Microchip's IDE, MPLAB, as it is free and does work. It includes a simulator which is very handy for learning and doing the first rounds of debugging your code. For a simple project as yours assembler would not be that hard but you can get the free Hi-Tech C compiler that integrates with MPLAB. http://www.htsoft.com/
The free version's only limitations is there are no optimizations available but you may not need them.

Good luck and keep us posted on the progress of your bots.

Offline AaronLTopic starter

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Hi, thanks for noticing and replying this thread, waltr.

May I know what does Hi-Tech C compiler do?

And is it possible to write a working coding for my bot with my existing knowledge of C++?

Offline waltr

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The Hi-Tech compiler creates the binary code for the particular PIC processor specified in the project.

It depends on how well you know C and C++. The Hi-Tech compiler is strictly standard C. You will need to learn the hardware of the PIC and how those portions of C work with the hardware. A good starting tutorial is: http://www.gooligum.com.au/tutorials.html
 

 


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