Progress Report Week 4: 6 - 10 May 2013 Week 5: 13 - 17 May 2013 Week 6: 20 - 24 May 2013

What was done: 1. Enable Local Data Logging with Auto Run 2. LM35 Temperature Sensor with Beaglebone 3. Telemetry Block Diagram (Beaglebone + Arduino) & Location of Components 4. Circuit Sensors for Use: Amploc25, 50 & 100 5. Voltage Attenuation Circuit Design & Prototype 6. Arduino: Communication using I2C, Analog Read & Display on LCD 7. Switchover to Arduino Micro-Controller 8. Research on Arduino Shields: CAN Bus, Data Logger & Serial LCD 9. Updated Telemetry Block Diagram (Arduino MEGA) To do's: 1. Order Arduino Shields & LCD 2. XBee/XStream Transmission & Receiving 3. Software for User Interface for Chase Vehicle

1. Enable Local Data Logging with Auto Run

Initially, we had the problem of enabling the local data logging with the auto run function. However, the problem was solved when the path was specified to /var/lib/cloud9/autorun/importable.txt.

Figure 1.0 Program for Running Data Logging with Auto Run

Do take note that the function Display() has been omitted with the '//' command as there is no way to display the outputs on a the console log as it is not connected to the computer.

2. LM35 Temperature Sensor with Beaglebone

The program mention before was integrated with an LM35 Temperature Sensor to display the readings of the ambient temperature.

Figure 2.0 LM35 Sensor Connected to the Beaglebone with a Toggle switch to end the Auto Run process

3. Telemetry Block Diagram (Beaglebone + Arduino)

Before introducing the diagram, let us look at where the other teams will be placing their components.

Figure 3.0 Location of where the MPPT's will be placed in the solar car

Figure 3.1 Location of where the Motor Controllers 1 &2 and Battery Box will be placed in the solar car

From Figure 3.0 and 3.1, we see that the Motor Controllers and the Battery Box are located quite closely. The MPPT currents and MPPT string voltage that we want to measure are also located closely together. Hence, we come up with the following Telemetry Block Diagrams:

Figure 3.2 Beaglebone side of the Telemetry Diagram

Figure 3.3 Arduino side of the Telemetry Diagram

Figure 3.4 Full Telemetry Diagram

4. Circuit Sensors for Use: Amploc25, 50 & 100

We've researched 2 kinds of DC non-invasive current sensors: Panucatt and Amploc. However, Panucatt has been out of stock since 2011, so we've gone for Amploc instead.

Figure 4.0 Amploc Current Sensor

Figure 4.1 Amploc Current Sensor Continuation

Current Type Solar/MPPT Battery Motor

Maximum Current 4A/string 46.5A 10A

Table 4.0 Table reflecting the currents to be measured and their maximum currents From here, we will need 7 Amploc current sensors: 4 Amploc25 for the Solar/MPPT string currents 3 Amploc50 for the Motor and Battery currents

5. Voltage Attenuation Circuit Design & Prototype

There is a need for voltage attenuation as the maximum analog voltage input for the Arduino is only 5V. We have to step down the three voltages we're measuring: 1. Voltage across Motors 2. Voltage across Battery 3. Voltage across MPPT We've decided to step down the voltage by 30. The voltage attenuation circuit is designed as follows:

Figure 5.0 Circuit design for the voltage attenuation circuit Even in the case of 126V or 130V, the voltage would still appear to be 4.2V or 4.333V, hence a step down ratio of 1:30 is good.

6. Arduino: Communication using I2C, Analog Read & Display on LCD

Figure 6.0 Arduino communicating with one another and displaying measured ambient temperature via LCD We managed to get 2 Arduino's to communicate with each other via I2C. The Arduino would analog read in the ambient temperature, store it, then send that value across to another Arduino before displaying it on an LCD. This would play a big part for our Telemetry system should 1 Arduino MEGA be unable to handle all the instructions it is tasked to do.

7. Switchover to Arduino Micro -Controller

We discussed and analysed whether we could really use Beaglebone as part of the telemetry system, since it had a built in Data Logger in it. However, after 5 weeks of persevering, even after communicating with the Beaglebone community via Tweeter and forums, and buying the Beaglebone Book, Bad to the Bone, we were unable to serial transmit. Through the book, we found out that we could serial transmit via C language using terminal. Even so, the amount of coding needed just to serial transmit a single letter versus the amount of codes in Arduino Sketch, Arduino Sketch clearly wins. Hence, we've decided to go all Arduino once again just like last year. In the event the Arduino MEGA cannot handle all the instructions, the instructions will have to be split up into several Arduino UNO boards.

8. Research on Arduino Shields: CAN Bus, Data Logger & Serial LCD
The CAN Bus shield we've looked at and are trying to order is this:

Figure 8.1 CAN Bus Shield Hardware Feature

Figure 8.1 Only CAN Bus Shield Description The full set comes with a Data Logger Micro/SD Card, however, the full feature is out of stock. Instead we aim to look at the "Only CAN Bus" Shield instead. We chose this as it had sufficient resources and tutorials so we would be able to fully utilise this shield.

This is the Data Logger Shield that we plan to buy:

Figure 8.2 MicroSD Card Shield for Arduino This MicroSD card we've looked up takes up less pins from the Arduino. Unlike the other shield we've looked up, this is compatible with the Arduino MEGA, whereas others would need an Arduino UNO. We aim to have just a single Micro-Controller board: Arduino MEGA if possible (if it can handle all the instructions assigned to it).

Lastly, here is the serial LCD we plan to get:

Figure 8.3 Serial LCD(20x4) We also had to look for resources and tutorials whether we'll understand how to use and get this to function. After further researching, and discerned that we would be able to get this to work, we decided to go with this. Feasibility is one of the key things that we look at, and time and skill is one of the important factors of feasibility. Whether with what skill set we have, can we accomplish and get the intended parts we bought to function with the limited time given was one of the few questions we've asked ourselves.

9. Updated Telemetry Block Diagram (Arduino MEGA)

With a new telemetry system, we must of course have a new telemetry block diagram ready.

Figure 9.0 Arduino MEGA Telemetry Block Diagram