[Robotgroup] Drive a Droid proposal... How to detect the "fence"?

[Vern Graner]

Clendon Gibson wrote:
 > If you are good with geometry, then you can put encoders on
 > the wheels and calculate your position by dead reckoning.

Friction errors accumulate as the wheels move over the surface and slide 
on occasion. You would have to rely on external, calibrations and 
corrections for any deviation caused by accumulated error. The amount of 
calibrations would depend on the surface, the wheels and the number of 
events that could cause slip (i.e. hard starts and stops, turns etc).

 > The most obvious advantage is that there is no physical fence.

But we *need* a fence, if not for keeping the bot in, then to keep the 
audience from encroaching on the area the droid travels. We don't want 
to run over any toes. :)

Vern

-- 
Vern Graner CNE/CNA/SSE    | "If the network is down, then you're
Senior Systems Engineer    | obviously incompetent so why are we
Texas Information Services | paying you? Of course, if the network
http://www.txis.com        | is up, then we obviously don't need
Austin Office 512 328-8947 | you, so why are we paying you?" ©VLG