Ron Hackett

LCD Software For Your TankBot
Column: SERVO TankBot
November 2009
This month, we are going to explore two software applications for our new serial LCD: real-time distance-to-obstacle measurement and battery voltage monitoring. However, before we do that we need to be sure that our LCD is functioning correctly.

SERVO Tankbot | September 2009
Column: SERVO TankBot
September 2009
Adding an LCD to Your TankBot.

Adding Sonar Capabilities to Your TankBot
Column: SERVO TankBot
July 2009
In the previous TankBot column, we simplified our IR obstacle detection system to make it smaller so that the IR circuitry could coexist on the breadboard with the next project (or two) that we would construct. This month, we’re going to make good use of the extra space we created.

Taking Control of Your SERVO Tankbot
December 2008
As we discussed in the first Tankbot article back in September, the PICAXE servo command generates a continuous pulse-train in the background, suitable for driving the TankBot’s servo motors. The complete syntax of the command is “servo, pin, pulse” where “pin” refers to the PICAXE I/O pin to which the servo is connected and “pulse” is a value between 75 and 225 (in 10 µs units). Theoretically, 150 (1,500 µs or 1.5 ms) is the center value that will cause the servo to stop rotating altogether...

Emancipating Your SERVO TankBot
March 2009
Kit Available in the SERVO Online Store! In last December's issue of SERVO Magazine, we implemented a simple project that enabled us to control the TankBot's movements with any universal TV remote control capable of transmitting the Sony Infrared Control (SIRC) protocol. This month, we're going to take the opposite tack and enable the TankBot to explore the environment on his own, without any intervention on our part. In order for the TankBot to avoid ramming into any obstacles, we're going...

SERVO Tank Bot | May 2009
Column: SERVO TankBot
May 2009
This month, I had originally planned to move on to a new TankBot project but I quickly realized that in order to do so, I would first have to dismantle our previous project because it took up virtually all the space on the TankBot’s breadboard. I couldn’t bring myself to do that. Instead, I opted to simplify the IR circuitry so that it would be smaller and therefore able to coexist on the breadboard with the next project (or two) that I have in mind...