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a wire "skirt"
Each robot is encircled by a pair of slip rings.When they touch they complete 2 conductive paths.Output A on each robot is connected to the top ring.The bottom ring is connected to common on all robots.Output A is also connected to an RC network that will decay at a predetermined rate, according to the RC constant.Each robot has a unique RC time constant. ie .1, .3, .5, .7,.9.........When two robots make contact, the RC time constant will change to a new value.If .1 and .3 collide, the RC will change to .4 and that can be read by Input B on each robot.A look up table that has the values of all possible combinations of RC times will then be able to determine which 2 or more individuals are colliding.
Thanks for the input. That certainly is in the realm of what I am contemplating, but I can't help thinking that there must be a simpler way. The RTC method requires synchronization and if I add bots at any time, I have to figure out how to synchronize them and adjust the algorithm of existing bots.
... So what if I set the output power for a transmitter so low as to not radiate far off of a mesh antenna more than a few millimeters? The mesh antenna could be conductive thread. Then I can put the receiver for each bot in continuous listen mode, set the transmitters to quick random bursts, and the receivers will not pickup the transmitted signal until they touch or are nearly touching.
Quote from: Pogertt on October 01, 2013, 02:50:49 PMEach robot is encircled by a pair of slip rings.When they touch they complete 2 conductive paths.Output A on each robot is connected to the top ring.The bottom ring is connected to common on all robots.Output A is also connected to an RC network that will decay at a predetermined rate, according to the RC constant.Each robot has a unique RC time constant. ie .1, .3, .5, .7,.9.........When two robots make contact, the RC time constant will change to a new value.If .1 and .3 collide, the RC will change to .4 and that can be read by Input B on each robot.A look up table that has the values of all possible combinations of RC times will then be able to determine which 2 or more individuals are colliding.Are you happy this will cope with Robot A colliding with Robots B and C simultaneously - and that each Robot knows it has hit the other two? Yes/No is fine for me!
...there is still capacitive coupling at RF frequencies (down into the kHz range). It may be possible to use this method of sending an ID from one Bot to another.
How does that work for bots that are in the air and don't have ground return, like the OP describes?
Capacitive sense is an interesting idea. I thought that it could only detect humans?...I still wonder if other inert objects might "look" like my bot.