This is an old revision of the document!
Table of Contents
After our success last year with status and decoration LED strips on the robot, we're doing somthing similar but better this year.
Parts for 2019
- Addressable LED strip http://www.revrobotics.com/rev-11-1198/
- Arduino Uno processor https://store.arduino.cc/usa/arduino-uno-rev3
- Arduino proto shield https://store.arduino.cc/usa/arduino-proto-shield-rev3-assembled
- LM2596-based DC buck regulator board https://www.amazon.com/eBoot-LM2596-Converter-3-0-40V-1-5-35V/dp/B01GJ0SC2C
- wire and connectors
The general idea
Its easy to hack up the addressable LED strip to an arduino and get it to blink following any of the tutorials on the web. (TODO link here)
In order to provide useful feedback to the drivers and spectators, the RoboRio will have to tell the arduino to change color or blink patterns. If only a few patterns are needed, we can select these by changing the state of one or more Digitial Output wires from the rio, connected to digital inputs on the arduino. If many complex patttern choices are needed, we'll change to a TTL or USB serial port for communication.
The LED strip can easily use more +5v power than the arduino can provide, so we'll use a DC regulator board to turn 12v from the PDP into plenty of +5v. This is a similar function to what the VRM does.
We'll mount the regulator board and some headers onto the arduino proto shield, so that it can all be plugged onto the top of the arduino Uno board. After wiring it all up, we'll design and 3d print an enclosure to protect the whole thing.
Schematic
NOTE CHANGE: this drawing is not correct. do not connect regulator board +5v to arduino UNO +5v. It could backfeed into the USB connector when used for power and programming. we'll power the arduino directly from the +12v. drawing change shortly.
