mini-boat

Overview

This project controls two DC motors using a joystick connected to a computer, an Arduino board for motor control, and a Jetson device as an intermediary to relay commands between the joystick and Arduino. The joystick inputs are processed by the controller.py script, which sends motor speed data to the Jetson (jetson_client.py) via a TCP socket. The Jetson forwards these commands to the Arduino over a serial connection, and the Arduino adjusts the motors accordingly.

Components:

1. controller.py (Joystick Controller)

   • Captures joystick inputs using pygame.
   • Calculates motor speed and direction based on joystick axes and buttons.
   • Sends motor speed data to the Jetson device over a TCP socket connection.

2. jetson_client.py (Jetson Client)

   • Acts as a server to receive motor speed data from the controller.
   • Forwards the data to the Arduino over a serial connection.
   • Optionally reads back feedback from the Arduino.

3. board.ino (Arduino Motor Controller)

   • Receives motor speed data from the Jetson via serial communication.
   • Controls two DC motors using PWM signals based on the received data.
   • Handles motor direction (forward/reverse) based on the sign of the speed values.

Connection Flow:

1. The user operates the joystick connected to the computer.
2. The controller.py script reads joystick input, calculates the motor speeds, and sends this data to the Jetson over TCP.
3. The Jetson, running jetson_client.py, receives the motor speed data and sends it to the Arduino over a serial connection.
4. The Arduino, using the board.ino program, receives the motor speed data and adjusts the motors' speed and direction accordingly.

Hardware Setup:

• Computer (Controller): Runs the controller.py script and captures joystick input.
• Jetson Device: Runs the jetson_client.py script, acting as a middleman between the computer and Arduino.
• Arduino Board: Controls the motors based on the commands sent by the Jetson.
• DC Motors: Connected to the Arduino via a motor driver. Motor control pins should be connected as follows:
  • Motor 1: ENA (5), IN1 (3), IN2 (2)
  • Motor 2: ENB (6), IN3 (12), IN4 (11)

Software Dependencies:

• controller.py requires:

  • Python 3.x
  • pygame library for joystick input.

• jetson_client.py requires:

  • Python 3.x
  • pyserial library for serial communication with the Arduino.

Usage Instructions:

1. Arduino Setup:

   • Upload board.ino to the Arduino board using the Arduino IDE.
   • Ensure the motor driver and motors are correctly wired to the Arduino.

2. Jetson Setup:

   • Run the jetson_client.py script on the Jetson device.
   • Ensure the Arduino is connected to the Jetson via USB (adjust the serial port in the code if necessary).

3. Controller Setup:

   • Run controller.py on the computer.
   • Ensure the computer can connect to the Jetson over the network (adjust the IP address in controller.py to match the Jetson's IP).
   • Use the joystick to control the motors.

Troubleshooting:

• Connection Issues:

  • Ensure the correct IP address and port are specified in controller.py and jetson_client.py.
  • Verify that the serial port in jetson_client.py matches the one used by the Arduino.

• Motor Control Issues:

  • Check the motor wiring to the Arduino.
  • Verify the Arduino's serial communication with the Jetson by reading debug output on the Jetson.

Future Improvements:

• Add feedback from the Arduino to the Jetson to monitor motor performance.
• Implement more precise control (PID controller) to smooth out motor movements.

Connection Graph:

+-----------------+ +-----------------+ +-----------------+ | Joystick | | Controller | | Jetson Device | | (Computer) | | (controller.py)| | (jetson_client.py)| | | | | | | | (USB or Bluetooth) <--------| (TCP Socket) <---| (IP: 192.168.1.3) | +-----------------+ +-----------------+ +-----------------+ | | (Serial) | +-----------------+ | Arduino | | (board.ino) | | | +-----------------+ | | (Motor Control) | +-----------------+ | Motor Driver | | | +-----------------+ | +------------+-------------+ | | +-----------------+ +-----------------+ | Motor 1 | | Motor 2 | | | | | +-----------------+ +-----------------+