Problem with simple arc moves

[benjamin7]

According to both the leJOS NXT API documentation and Chapter 9 of 'Intelligence Unleashed', a pilot (robot) should travel a forward-directed, clockwise arc if the radius is negative and the angle is positive.

I tried to let my robot (the Carpet Pilot built in Intelligence Unleashed) travel the shape of the number eight, i.e., one full forward-directed, counter-clockwise circle, followed by a full forward-directed, clockwise circle. So I typed:

robot.arc(30, 360);
robot.arc(-30, 360);

The first circle was as expected. However, in the second circle the robot traveled counter-clockwise and backward instead of forward. I had to set both the radius and the angle negative to get a clockwise, forward-directed circle. Could someone please tell me, what I am doing wrong.

[skoehler]

Have you tried robot.arc(30, -360); ? Which Pilot Class are you using? I'm not aware of the implementation of the "Carpet Pilot".

The implementation might have a bug. I will ask the other developers for a comment.

[benjamin7]

Thank you for your quick reply.

I have now tried all types of arc movements. When I set a positive radius, everything is fine: in combination with a positve/negative angle the robot travels forward/backward with the center of the circle left of the NXT.
When I set a negative radius, the center of the circle is right of the NXT (which is also fine), but the forward and backward directions are mixed up (negative angle -> forward (clockwise) movement, positive angle -> backward (counter-clockwise) movement. It should be the other way around.

I am using the DifferentialPilot class. The 'Carpet Pilot' is not a piece of implemented software but a real, physical robot. Its building instruction is in the book 'Intelligence Unleashed'. Sorry for the misunderstanding. I am using leJOS 0.9.1.

This is my complete code:
-----------------------------------------------------------------
package nxt.intelligence.unleashed;
import lejos.nxt.*;
import lejos.robotics.navigation.DifferentialPilot;

public class ArcMoves {

public static void main (String[] args) {
double diam = DifferentialPilot.WHEEL_SIZE_NXT1;
double width = 16.4;

DifferentialPilot robot = new DifferentialPilot(diam, width, Motor.B, Motor.C);

robot.setAcceleration(500);

robot.arc(30, 360); // OK
robot.arc(30, -360); // OK
// in the following two cases the center of the circle is right of
// the NXT but the forward/backward directions are mixed up
robot.arc(-30, 360); // the robot drives backward in a counter-clockwise circle
robot.arc(-30, -360);// the robot drives forward in a clockwise circle
Button.waitForAnyPress();
}
}
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[roger]

Hi Benjamin,
The sign of the angle parameter has the same meaning in all methods of the DifferentialPilot class. A positive angle means that the heading increases, and a negative angle means that heading decreases. (Heading = the angle relative to the X axis of the direction in which the robot is heading.)
If the initial heading is zero, steer(30,-90) and steer(-30,-90) both result in the robot heading of -90 degrees.
So arc(-30,-360) will cause the robot to travel in a circle or radius 30, centered on the right side of the robot, and the heading angle will decrease from 0 to -360. The robot moves forward to do this.
Unfortunately, the JavaDocs for Differential Pilot are incorrect - I hope to make the correction soon.
Roger

[benjamin7]

Hi Roger,
now I understand the meaning of the angle parameter and the behavior of my robot during arc moves. Thank you very much for your detailed explanation.