Measuring a distance using DifferentialPilot.getTravelSpeed

[jt18]

I'm trying to calculate the distance traveled using the following code. I've omitted the stopwatch function, but it uses System.currentTimeMillis().

Anyway using the equation d=s*t therefore p.getTravelSpeed()*s.getElapsedTimeSec() however its inaccurate.
It is more accurate over larger distances but over small ones its massivley out.

With a 30cm gap between the two lines the returned value was ~15cm with a 90cm gap size it was ~84CM any ideas or improvements?
Cheers.

Code: Select all

   public static void pilot2(){
      DifferentialPilot p = new DifferentialPilot(3.245, 17.82, Motor.C, Motor.B, false);  // parameters in cm
      p.forward();
      while(cs.getColorID() != 7)
      {
         //halt code until start of black line
      }
      s.start(); //stopwatch start
      Sound.beep();
      while(cs.getColorID()== 7)
      {
         //halt code until passed black line
      }
      while(cs.getColorID() != 7)
      {
         //halt code until next black line
         
      }
      s.stop();
      p.stop();
      Sound.beep();
      System.out.println(p.getTravelSpeed()*s.getElapsedTimeSec());
      Button.waitForAnyPress();
   }

Also if it makes any difference I'm using caterpillar tracks.

[skoehler]

DifferentialPilot used to have a method called getTravelDistance(). However, it seems to be gone now.
I believe you have to use getMove().getDistanceTraveled(). But I'm not sure how to use it.

[foliot]

If you still haven't gotten this ironed out, it would be p.getMovementIncrement() that you're looking for, which returns distance traveled since movement last started. The problem with your code is likely that it doesn't take acceleration into consideration, an error which would be significant at short distances but very small at large distances.