Last night was a mix of up and down emotions for me. I wrote a python program to set all the Pi Droid Alpha digital I/o pins to input, and loop printing their values to my ssh console. Every Python program feels like a great personal success right now.
The output showed that the encoders are working. Wow, that is really a success, since I had fried one and the tiny, tiny part is no longer manufactured. It was a lot of work to dissasemble the entire robot to get access to the tiny encoders, solder the new one in place and rewire the connections properly. It felt so good to spin the wheels and see each bit registering.
The program also showed that the wiring for the three bumpers is not good. I tore the bot down and changed the three signal connections but it seems that I need to fix the power connection to the bumpers.
I guess success or setback, it is time playing and learning. I need to not let times when my computers or robot are "sick" affect me. (It doesn't help to have gloomy weather this week, even though we really need the water.)
Off to work to pay for all these toys.
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