TicTacToe Bot (Part 2)

PART-2 : The TicTacToe Robot Controller

Now, that we have an algorithm working, what's next? Good question. Lets take a look again at the block diagram of our electronics:

 

Roughly based on the above I whipped together a Schematic:

Basically a Atmel (AVR) ATMega32, with a 2x16 Character LCD,  a Keypad Matrix,  and A set of headers for interfacing with the motion driving circuitry and sensors.

Step 1: Preparing the firmware.

This was main part, apparently porting the windows 'C#' code to plain 'C' wasn't all that simple, after all. Well it would have been , except:

So, I did a bit of optimization, and then some more, and then a LOT more. A poem would explain better:

"Till I had reduced each int to byte,

and byte to bit,

Till each hardware register was consumed,

Till each register could be used,

or Re-Used no more,

and Lo... I present to you the 'Optimized Code-Size'"

This I'm particularly proud of.

Anyway, the code is divided into 5 Files:

• main.c
• game.h
• game.c
• UserInterface.h
• UserInterface.c

Step 2: Preparing the hardware.

After getting the code "Out of the way", it was time to do what I really wanted to do this weekend. Time to get some Solder Iron Burns and some spit, wire and breadboards, together!!

Lets See what we need first. Hmmm....

-Solder Iron. Check.

-Bread Board. Check.

-LCD. Check.

-Microcontroller. Check

r step -Random Headers and Stuff. Check.

-Some Discreets. Check.

-Lots-a-Buttons. Check.

All clear. Lets go....

One Hour Later:

Everything assembled to my satisfaction, and ready for testing.

It Works!!! It Works!!!

Some random screens:

Scrolling Up and Down the Menu:

Preparing the Outer Box: (I wish I had taken my art and crafts class in High school seriously

Ooohhh the guts and wires.....

The Front Panel: (Before I got creative with a felt pen )

  AAaahhh Finished....

 

Still Works....

Under the hood: Easy Access to the Microcontroller, and I/O Headers. I know, I'm a genius.

  So, Thats it for now. What about the rest of the bot? Well the main part is over, I mean, the Code works on the Mega32, is now optimized, quite a bit, and I spent an entire long weekend (Long Weekend = Friday + Saturday + Sunday) on it, so it may be atleast another 3-4 weekends that this project will be on hold, so that I can work on other interesting projects. Nothing to be sad about... Next week, I'm working on Panasonic Servo based gantry (Ball Screw), with a Xilinx Spartan XC3S400. Nice....

 

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