hoquet

Hello everyone,

This is my first mini project with the netduinoGo and learning about robotics. I have a programming background, although 10 years ago in .net. I purchased the NetduinoGo starter kit with the button, led, potentiometer, etc.. I got all of it working and was able to make buttons respond, led's blink, etc.. Cool Huh?

I then added the shield base and got that to work. Atleast blink a light and power on. Now I wanted more. So I purchased an LCD, not knowing anything about whether or not it would work or others have used it and if there is some sample code out ther. Then I managed to get an LCD screen connected through various websites and tutuorials. I finally got the Hacktronics LCD Module working with the Netduino. Someone wrote an interface and class along with diagrams on what to connect the digital I/O to the Hacktronics. I can now write out whatever I want to the LCD screen. Although all string manipulations, truncations, etc. I have to handle myself. But it works, I even learned what the heck a resistor is. I also watched a youtube video on how to solder. Hey, it has been 15 years since I took any kind of physics.

Now I thought I would try my hand at an Virtuobotix MMA7361 Accelerometer which I order even before I wrote my first Netduino application. I learned that next time before ordering the hardware, see if there is some code that people have written is readily available for c#. Trying to convert Arduino classes and interfaces is nearly impossible. Anyways, I connected the accelerometer to the shield and followed code that someone else wrote for another accelerometer: Sparkfun ADXL 335

Very basic code:

 // Define our accelerometer inputs
        static AnalogInput accX;
        static AnalogInput accY;
        static AnalogInput accZ;

        public static void Main()
        {
            // Create the Inputs
            accX = new AnalogInput(Pins.GPIO_PIN_A0);
            accY = new AnalogInput(Pins.GPIO_PIN_A1);
            accZ = new AnalogInput(Pins.GPIO_PIN_A2);

            // Keep application alive via loop
            while (true)
            {
                // Read data from the sensor
                double x = (double)(accX.Read());
                double y = (double)(accY.Read());
                double z = (double)(accZ.Read());

                // Output data to screen
                Debug.Print("X: " + x + " Y: " + y + " Z: " + z);
            }
        }

So, what do I get for an output?

X: 0.48815628815628814 Y: 0.526984126984127 Z: 0.67252747252747258
X: 0.48815628815628814 Y: 0.5252747252747253 Z: 0.6676434676434676
X: 0.48986568986568985 Y: 0.52722832722832724 Z: 0.66935286935286931
X: 0.49108669108669106 Y: 0.52576312576312578 Z: 0.66984126984126979
X: 0.48888888888888887 Y: 0.52649572649572651 Z: 0.67130647130647125
X: 0.48766788766788766 Y: 0.52747252747252749 Z: 0.66862026862026858
X: 0.48888888888888887 Y: 0.52771672771672773 Z: 0.67057387057387052
X: 0.48840048840048839 Y: 0.52503052503052505 Z: 0.66935286935286931
X: 0.4879120879120879 Y: 0.5252747252747253 Z: 0.67106227106227101
X: 0.48913308913308912 Y: 0.5252747252747253 Z: 0.66788766788766785
X: 0.48717948717948717 Y: 0.52503052503052505 Z: 0.67057387057387052
X: 0.4879120879120879 Y: 0.52551892551892554 Z: 0.66984126984126979
X: 0.49108669108669106 Y: 0.52722832722832724 Z: 0.66862026862026858
.....

Great, seems like it is working. How the heck do I veryify that it works? Even though the device is sitting on my desk at home, the numbers keep changing. I read some articles about getting the g-force, radians, and using offsets. I just want something like degrees tilt in either of the 3 axis with 2 decimal places. Any resources anyone would recommend would be great. I'll keep posting my progress as well as I add a motor shield and the xbee shield. I'm just learning, so please keep it simple. I am also attaching the work that I have done. For the hacktronics LCD which is a 4 line 20 char, I would be happy to share my code and board configuration.

Thanks