Setup with the new DE0-Nano-Soc board.

[fotoopa]

The input module for the pic and place robot is ready.
This allows the robot to make a drawing. It uses the content of the neo-display to determine where to place colored disks. The content of the drawing can be loaded from the flash memory or created directly with the editor.
The input module is provided for 5 different colors. Each storage can hold over 40 discs. At the bottom of each storage tube is a servo ejector. When the robot needs a color it controls the right servo. This places the disc on the supply belt. A chain with a magnet holder moves the colored disc to the recording head of the robot. Each disc contains a small neodym magnet. This magnet is used for transport but also for detection on arrival at the robot holder. It also contains a hall detector. If the robot detects a disc, it continues with the placement.
The neo-matrix actually contains 2 blocks of 8x8. The scanning proceeds per block from top left to bottom right.


HD picture on Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/fotoopa_hs/51301855836


HD picture on Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/fotoopa_hs/51301110802


HD picture on Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/fotoopa_hs/51301110812

The video:

Pic and place robot make drawing. by Frans, on Flickr

With this, I am gradually coming to the end of this project. A few more small updates and everything is finished. Meanwhile, the Robopro program file has become quite large (6.9 Mb).
It does not make sense to make the program available. You cannot run anything online without the FPGA I2C interface.
I have now also bought a second TXT controller. However, it also has the problem of regularly showing a blank display. To solve this problem I have placed the beta version 4.8.0 on the sd card and used it to boot. This made the display work normally. The existing Robopro program runs correctly on version 4.8.0 of the TXT.

Frans.

[atzensepp]

This project is absolutely amazing and we are curious what will come next. Thanks for sharing!
Although this is very special you have solutions for many problems that people face who want to build similar rigs.
Some of them are:

• Usage of 3d-printed parts (for mayn of them stl files would be interesting)

• Various Encoders

• Multi Motor Control

• Usage of model servos

• Usage of FPGA and interface to txt controller

and many more. You really could fill a book with this.

[fotoopa]

This project is absolutely amazing and we are curious what will come next.

Thanks!
What will follow has not been determined for now. I have already made so much that it will be difficult to find a new challenge. I have quite a few limitations because my eyes are getting very bad. That is also the reason why I am now using 2x 32 inch screens on the PC. I can hardly read the small display on the TXT anymore. My projects also require a lot of controls. That is no longer possible on the TXT display.

All current developments tend to be quite limited in I/O functions. That is why I have always chosen some kind of standard SPI modules. If your controller changes, the SPI modules can then always be retained. Those SPI modules contain all possible types of I/O. Because of this I have an enormous amount of inputs available. For outputs same story, motors, servos, stepper motors, digital outputs etc. I do now use a very powerful FPGA module as a controller between the TXT and the in-outs. But that could just as easily be any microcontroller board working in your favorite programming language. However, the advantage of an FPGA is that you have like a hundred cores that can finish a function in real time. By the way, the FPGA module contains almost 100 I/O lines. That is very confortable.

You really could fill a book with this.

Yes that could be a thick book. Too bad I'm not a good writer. I'm also always afraid of writing something wrong. I have now started training one of my grandchildren, 8 years old. He has successfully written his first small programs with Robopro and the TXT. In 3 weeks he will come again for a week of vacation. Then we will continue to work on other small programs.

Frans.

[atzensepp]

Hi Frans,

maybe you find a ghost writer who helps you to write the texts. A table of contents and the things you are most proud of would be a good start.
Maybe to start small with a ft-pedia article.

Florian