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Bots /The Ultimate Palm Robot/ Mukhar & Johnson / 222880-6 / Chapter 5
Chapter 5 Checking Out the Robot 115
If there is a problem, you will see an error message.
Launch a cup file
After a cup file has been downloaded to the BrainsStem, you will send a
launch command to start the program:
launch module_id slot
The first parameter in the command is the module number. Again, for the
BrainStem GP 1.0, 2 is the default module number. The second parameter is
the same slot number to which the program was loaded. The command to
launch the program in slot 0 is shown here:
launch 2 0
And, the entire sequence of commands to compile, load, and launch the
simple.tea program using slot 0 on the BrainStem module will look like this:
steep "simple.tea"
load "simple.cup" 2 0
launch 2 0
If everything works correctly, the program will start executing and the ro-
bot may begin to spin its wheels. If you are using a PDA, simply place the ro-
bot on the floor. If you are using a PC, detach the robot from the serial cable
and place it on the floor. Try placing an obstacle in front of sensor 0 and see
what the robot does.
Examining a TEA File
When we compiled, loaded, and launched the simple.tea program on the
PPRK for the first time, it didn’t work the way we expected it to. The docu-
mentation in the manual states
Wait until the robot stops moving and then wave your hand in front of each
ranger slowly. One of the rangers will initiate a simple movement program….
We interpreted that to mean that if any sensor detected an object, the robot
would perform the movement program. But when we launched the program,
two of the three sensors did not appear to be detecting anything, because when
those two sensors should have detected something, the robot did nothing.
Next, we checked all the connections and used the GP and Config pro-
grams to check the sensors. Everything seemed to be okay, so why didn’t it
work the way we thought it should?
P:\010Comp\Bots\880-6\ch05.vp
Monday, May 12, 2003 4:06:14 PM