Data Collection Howto

A short description of how to do data collection. You may find it useful to look at these maps. http://cs.earlham.edu/~carrick/courses/cs282/lab6/visualization/viz.php

First time Precollection setup

1. Update hicompass to the [latest version cs.earlham.edu/~leemasa/robotics/hicompass.py]
2. Checkout the github repository
   • git://github.com/Sleemanmunk/Magnetic-Mapping.git
   • more info at [github www.github.com]

Every time data collection

Setup

1. Get the latest version of the programs from github (or from a friend with github)
2. Make sure all the compasses you will be using are connected
   • The current plan is to use 2
3. Make sure that bot_id.py refers to your bot
4. Start up your program
5. Follow the on-screen instructions until it gets to time to calibrate.
   • Each compass's ID is written on it in permanent dry-erase marker.
     • The compass IDs don't necessarily match up with their sockets! Look at the board for the mappings or check the wires!
   • The rooms are D124 D128 and D129
     • Enter them exactly as such
   • The origin of the room is marked with a large +. Each tape hatch is 5 tiles apart. North is positive y and East is positive x
6. Calibrate your bot with Dylan's patented Calibration Station(tm)!
   1. Place your robot on the station
   2. Make sure bot 5 is ready
      • Make sure it's connected to the station's motor via port A
      • Make sure bluetooth is set up to communicate with it
      • Make sure sure it's on
   3. Commence with calibration (just hit enter)
   4. The Calibration Station (tm) will spin between 1.5 and 2 times in about twenty seconds
   5. When the station is finished calibrating the bot will go into data collection mode
      • it will print "Press q to stop the program" to the screen

Running: Repeat the following steps until the entire room is mapped

1. Place your robot on the center of a tile
   • Use the attached arm to line it up with the corner of the tile
   • Make sure to keep it facing the same direction!
2. use the WASD keys to move the abstract coordinates of the box to reflect its new location
3. press the spacebar and wait for the data collection to complete

When you are finished, press "q" to stop the program.

Put the data file you've created on quark:

• from the laptop you've taken the data file

$ scp mydatafile.dat myusername@cs.earlham.edu
$ ssh myusername@cs.earlham.edu
$ cp -i mydatafile.dat /tmp/robotics

IMPORTANT: Don't overwrite a file you didn't create!