Precision Robot NavigationConfiguring a PS2 optical mouse to

interface with a BASIC Stamp 2 microcontroller

Researchers: Calley Levine and Ali Moussawi

Mentor: Professor Vikram Kapila

Teaching Assistant: Mr. Mishah Salman

Summer 2004

Our Robot

Our Project• The precision navigation robot was created in order to

provide a cheap and practical method for determining the position of a robot.

• This was done using a PS/2 optical mouse and the BASIC Stamp 2 (BS2) microcontroller

• Difficulty: Interfacing communication between the mouse and the BS2

• Many attempts were made to write a program which would successfully enable the communication… simply said, we failed

– Factors: timing, power, and data transfer

• Instead, the PAK-Via pic was used and its displacement readings were then applied in order to restrict the movement of the robot to an area inscribed by specified parameters (i.e. a room)

What We Learned…• Circuitry (basics; use of transistors; integration of

sensors, processors, actuators, etc.)

• Computer programming using PBASIC language

• Responsibilities of employment… the work wasn’t too bad

• Managing time and keeping to deadlines is extremely important (AIM, Minesweeper, and Microsoft Paint are destructive forces!!!)