Program the Controllers and Bots

Program the Tilt Controller

  • If you have more than one tilt controller, use a sticker to label your first one "B".
  • Connect your HomeWork Board to your computer via the programming cable.
  • Open XBee Tilt Controller CH B.bs2 and use your BASIC Stamp Editor software to load it into the HomeWork Board.
  • If you have a second tilt controller, label it "D", and load XBee Tilt Controller CH D.bs2 into it. 
  • If you have more tilt controllers, make a copy of XBee Tilt Controller CH D.bs2, and update the CH CON $0D to a new channel value and mark your tilt controller board with that value.  Your other options are: $0E, $0F, $10, $11, $12, $13, $14, $15, $16, $17, $18, $19, and $1A.  If you need one more option, use $0C.  It's the XBee modules default so save it for last to reduce the likelihood of other XBee network traffic. Example: Your third controller board could be labeled "E", and the program would be updated with CH CON $0E. 

Program the Receiver Robot(s)

  • If you have more than one SumoBot or Boe-Bot robot, use a sticker to label your first one "B".
  • Connect your robot's board to your computer via the programming cable.
  • Set your robot board's power switch to 1.
  • Make sure Tilt Controller B's battery is connected.
  • Open XBee Tilt Controlled SumoBot CH B.bs2 and use your BASIC Stamp Editor software to load it into your robot's board.
  • Keep an eye on the Debug Terminal and listen for the beeps. 
    (It beeps twice periodically as it configures the XBee, and then once repeatedly as it waits for communication to start.  When communication starts, the robot makes a 2 second long beep and then goes quiet, which means it's ready to be tilt controlled.  Skip to the Drive Your Robot instructions to get started with that.)
  • If you have a second robot, label it "D", and load XBee Tilt Controlled SumoBot CH D.bs2 into it. 
  • If you have more robots, follow the same procedure you used for multiple controllers.  Make sure to start with a copy of XBee Tilt Controlled SumoBot CH D.bs2, and update its CH CON directive just like you did with the tilt controllers.

Test Drive!

  • Put your robot down on the floor, and move its switch to position 2 to power the servos.
  • Hold your tilt controller board flat in front of you, facing so that so that the 9 V battery is on the left.
  • Tilt the board forward and backward, so the robot rolls forward then backward.
  • Try making the robot turn while driving, by tilting the board forward-right, backward-left, and so forth.

If you made two tilt-controlled SumoBot robots, it's battle time.  Have fun!

If your robot starts beeping in the middle of tilt control, it might mean either your tilt controller's or robot's batteries are running low.