Problems with Sejway example from Maximum LEGO NXT

[DigitalOne]

I'm pretty green when it comes to programming, a bit of T-SQL and very little VB.NET. At this point I have no JAVA programming experience besides what I've read in the book.

So I put together the ChessBot and managed to get it to run through the program. So I moved to the Sejway.

I created the SejwayBad, downloaded it the brick and tried to run it.... the screen flashed? or more like drew a line on the LCD and then shut off. Here's the code I have.

Code: Select all

import lejos.nxt.*;

public class Sejwaybad {
   public static void main (String[] args) {
      int NEUTRAL = 37;
      int speed = 900;
      LightSensor s = new LightSensor (SensorPort.S3, true);
      Motor.B.setSpeed (speed);
      Motor.C.setSpeed (speed);
      
      while (!Button.ENTER.isPressed()) {
         int SENS_VAL = s.readValue();
         
         boolean forward = SENS_VAL > NEUTRAL;
         if (forward) {
            Motor.B.forward();
            Motor.C.forward();
         } else {
            Motor.B.backward();
            Motor.C.backward();
         }
         
      }
      
      s.setFloodlight(false);
      Motor.B.flt();
      Motor.C.flt();
   }
}


So I tried the Sejway. When I run this program the wheels just spin and the bot fall on its face and drives off. It also had to be shut off. Here is that code;

Code: Select all

import lejos.nxt.*;

public class Sejway {
   
   // PID constants
   static final int KP = 28;
   static final int KI = 4;
   static final int KD = 33;
   static final int SCALE = 18;
   
   // Global vars:
   int offset;
   int prev_error;
   float int_error;
   
   LightSensor ls;
   
   public Sejway() {
      ls = new LightSensor(SensorPort.S2, true);
      Motor.B.regulateSpeed(false);
      Motor.C.regulateSpeed(false);
   }
   
   public void getBalancePos() {
      // Wait for user to balance and press orange button
      while (!Button.ENTER.isPressed()) {
         // NXTway must be balanced.
         offset = ls.readNormalizedValue();
         LCD.clear();
         LCD.drawInt(offset, 2, 4);
         LCD.refresh();
      }
   }
      
      public void pidControl() {
         while (!Button.ESCAPE.isPressed()) {
            int normVal = ls.readNormalizedValue();
            
            // Proportional Error:
            int error = normVal - offset;
            // Adjust far and near light readings:
            if (error < 0) error = (int)(error * 1.8F);
            
            // Integral Error
            int_error = ((int_error + error) * 2)/3;
            
            // Derivative error:
            int deriv_error = error - prev_error;
            prev_error = error;
            
            int pid_val = (int)(KP * error + KI * int_error + KD * deriv_error) / SCALE;
            
            if (pid_val > 100)
               pid_val = 100;
            if (pid_val < -100)
               pid_val = -100;
            
            // Power derived from PID value:
            int power = Math.abs(pid_val);
            power = 55 + (power * 45) / 100; // NORMALIZE POWER
            Motor.B.setPower(power);
            Motor.C.setPower(power);
            
            if (pid_val > 0) {
               Motor.B.forward();
               Motor.C.forward();
            } else {
               Motor.B.backward();
               Motor.C.backward();
            }
         }
      }
      public void shutdown() {
         // Shutdown LightSensor, motors
         Motor.B.flt();
         Motor.C.flt();
         ls.setFloodlight(false);
      }
      
      public static void main(String[] args) {
         Sejway sej = new Sejway();
         sej.getBalancePos();
         sej.pidControl();
         sej.shutdown();
      }
}


Is the code out date like some other areas of the book? Or is my sensor not working properly? And if not is there a way to calibrate it?

Thanks for any advice you have.

[bbagnall]

Hi there,

Try downloading the code right from the book's website (bottom of page):
http://www.variantpress.com/books/maximum-lego-nxt

Make sure you have the robot built exactly as described, including plugging the motors and sensors in the right ports. Also, read the part on page 284 called "Using Sejway". It explains that you have to position it in the balanced position, then hit the orange button and it will start trying to balance.