Monday, January 15, 2007 Update:

I got inspired to do some wiring on my project this weekend. I made 4 connectors for the encoders and motors. I also started working on the ball launcher. I took my 2” 90 degree PVC elbow and started hacking at it. I am using a DIY brushless motor I built for flying RC airplanes to drive the launch wheel www.gobrushless.com. The wheel is foam landing tire which I tapped for 3mm (to fir the motor shaft thread) and secured with a nyloc nut. I am using a homemade mount I turned from nylon previously to mount it to an “arm” of blue PVC. The arm will screw to a block of Delrin I have JB Welded to the modified elbow. This will allow me to adjust the motor/wheel assembly up and down, and the threaded motor shaft will allow me to adjust the wheel position with respect to the center of the tube.

The launch motor will be driven by a BL ESC (electronic speed control) that I have which is in turn controlled by the MAVRIC via a standard servo signal. The balls will be fed to the launcher via a turnstile gate controlled by another servo.

I’ll post pictures if my ISP is back up tonight. Hopefully I’ll get off my duff and actually write some code to make this thing move.

Onward,
Jay