Control Console

　What sets TriClops’ control console apart is the game controller. Even I, the old-timer, have believed in this and developed the system accordingly, but now that belief is beginning to waver. Let’s take a chronological look at the development process so far. Since I haven’t kept precise records, there may be some inaccuracies.

  • The very earliest
    　By combining JupyterLab with a game controller plugin, I implemented movement in all four directions using the directional pad. To achieve this, I configured a small PC to work with a tablet game controller.

  • Web-Based Control
    　We developed a web-based control system in conjunction with AI. Specifically, the system reads the analog stick of a game controller and sets the PWM value based on the stick’s angle to determine the Robocar’s speed. At the same time, we continued developing ROCK. In an effort to integrate the game controller, we tested the WinMax 2 and Ayn Thor in practice. Naturally, we also tested it on devices like the iPad.

  • FPS Style
    　I’m exploring ways to control the game using uConsole. Since running ROCK requires a screen resolution of at least FHD (1920x1080), it’s not possible on uConsole, which has a resolution of 1280x720. Therefore, since the first-person view takes up most of the screen, I decided to incorporate an FPS-style UI.I display the camera feed in full-screen mode and position sensor information as needed. I also made it possible to connect a game controller to uConsole.
    　To be honest, the handling isn’t as good as I expected… Is it a matter of balancing the motor, gear ratio, and voltage? The drive stability isn’t consistent unless the PWM is set to its maximum value. In other words, the motor drive stabilizes when the stick is moved close to its maximum angle.
    　This makes me think it might be fine to just turn it on and off at the maximum PWM value. So, I set it up so it can be controlled using the uConsole’s keyboard on/off keys. Here, too, following the example of FPS games,

[Q][W][E]
[A][S][D]
[Z][X][C]

I set it up so it can be controlled using these keys. Depending on the direction of each key, the Robocar accelerates or decelerates in a trapezoidal pattern, moving in a manner similar to coast control. The “S” key stops the car.

  • Where are we going?
    　If it fits perfectly, I have a feeling it’ll be easier to control with the joystick, but above all, being able to control the uConsole with just my left hand is really convenient. I’ve been going through a lot of trial and error, but I think I might be settling on a setup soon.