Robotics Project Using RF Modem

Figure 1 

The project utilizes two PIC16F84 microcontrollers to control a robot through a serial RF link using joystick interface.

The TX/RX pair and the serial communication built into the PIC Basic programming language for the PIC worked very well together. There is a very little error with regards to the timing that worked with Asynchronous Serial communication at 9600 baud rate. Since the actual programming is written in Basic language, it is not that easy because it uses premade serial communication routines. The PIC Basic POT command is used to read the position of the potentiometer in the joystick where the result is stored in a memory location.

The direction can be determined from the numbers being transmitted and the implications are easy to see. This would show how far the left and how far the right which would introduce the speed control information. The more speed is applied with the further number from 128 from the center. The pins on port A of the PIC is used to control the motor direction where no speed control is used. A wider range of 350 feet outdoors can be achieved by using 900MHz telephone antennas.

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