Custom AX-12 firmware with PWM speed control v1.2
Custom AX-12 firmware with PWM speed control v1.2
by PedroR
Wed May 11, 2011 11:14 am
Hi All
To consolidate previous information by Limor ( http://robosavvy.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=28843 - preliminary announcement) ) and RicardoMarinheiro ( http://robosavvy.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=7021 - version 1.0) ,
as part of the ActuatedCharacter project which RoboSavvy is developping, I am posting here the latest news from the project:
The AX-12 firmware is now up to version 1.2
This new firmware for AX-12 has been developed that is capable of not only position control but also precise PWM speed control.
This is key to the project in hand and is also a feature with interesting potential as controlling PWM can give you, for example, control over impact absortion, helping with backlash effects and overall closed loop control.
Other features of the firmware are a much more efficient communication protocol (so you can have a high frequency/query rate).
Some features of the original AX-12 firmware are not present as the main purpose of this firmware is to allow the main controller an overall view of the system and have it continuously make adjustments on the servos by using a Global approach instead of an individual, servo by servo approach.
Blog post with instructions on how to flash the firmware are here:
- Version 1.2. http://actuated.wordpress.com/2011/02/1 ... t-version/
The post includes links to all the code (firmware, auxiliary PC software and Roboard sample).
Instructions on Reflashing the AX-12 firmware:
http://actuated.wordpress.com/2011/01/2 ... -firmware/
FYI/Side note: another part of the projects is the EZPhysics 3D Physics simulator which has now reached a stage where documentation is available and you can start experimenting with it.
The interesting bit is that you can do a full simulation or you can feed external data/control over TCP/IP into the simulation (Matlab, real world sensing, etc): http://ezphysics.org
(it's free and open source)
Regards
Pedro
To consolidate previous information by Limor ( http://robosavvy.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=28843 - preliminary announcement) ) and RicardoMarinheiro ( http://robosavvy.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=7021 - version 1.0) ,
as part of the ActuatedCharacter project which RoboSavvy is developping, I am posting here the latest news from the project:
The AX-12 firmware is now up to version 1.2
This new firmware for AX-12 has been developed that is capable of not only position control but also precise PWM speed control.
This is key to the project in hand and is also a feature with interesting potential as controlling PWM can give you, for example, control over impact absortion, helping with backlash effects and overall closed loop control.
Other features of the firmware are a much more efficient communication protocol (so you can have a high frequency/query rate).
phpBB [media]
Some features of the original AX-12 firmware are not present as the main purpose of this firmware is to allow the main controller an overall view of the system and have it continuously make adjustments on the servos by using a Global approach instead of an individual, servo by servo approach.
Blog post with instructions on how to flash the firmware are here:
- Version 1.2. http://actuated.wordpress.com/2011/02/1 ... t-version/
The post includes links to all the code (firmware, auxiliary PC software and Roboard sample).
Instructions on Reflashing the AX-12 firmware:
http://actuated.wordpress.com/2011/01/2 ... -firmware/
phpBB [media]
FYI/Side note: another part of the projects is the EZPhysics 3D Physics simulator which has now reached a stage where documentation is available and you can start experimenting with it.
The interesting bit is that you can do a full simulation or you can feed external data/control over TCP/IP into the simulation (Matlab, real world sensing, etc): http://ezphysics.org
(it's free and open source)
Regards
Pedro
