ME400_Motor_Operation

Description

This project is designed to control motors using a Raspberry Pi 4 and the BTS7960 motor driver. It provides the motor operation code in two programming languages: C and Python. The aim is to showcase how joystick input can be utilized to control the speed and direction of a motor, offering a practical example of interfacing hardware components with software in embedded systems.

Prerequisites

Before you can compile and run the software, you need to install some prerequisites. This guide assumes you are using Ubuntu 22.04.

Installing Dependencies

1. Python: Ensure you have Python installed. Your project uses Python scripts, so Python is essential. To install Python, use:

   sudo apt update
   sudo apt install python3 python3-pip
   sudo apt-get install python3-rpi.gpio

   pip3 install pyserial RPi.GPIO pygame

2. GCC for C compilation: Your project contains C files, so you need GCC to compile them.

   sudo apt update
   sudo apt install build-essential

3. WiringPi (for GPIO access on Raspberry Pi): This is required for motor_operation.c to interface with GPIO pins.

   sudo apt install -y git
   git clone https://github.com/WiringPi/WiringPi.git
   cd WiringPi
   git pull origin
   ./build
   # Check the installation statement
   gpio -v

4. Joystick support: To interact with the joystick, ensure you have joystick support installed.

   sudo apt-get install joystick

Hardware Setup

• Raspberry Pi 4: This project is designed to run on a Raspberry Pi 4. Ensure that it is set up with Raspberry Pi OS and connected to your motor driver and joystick.

• BTS7960 Motor Driver: Connect the motor driver to the Raspberry Pi according to the driver's datasheet. Ensure that the input pins from the Pi are correctly connected to the driver's control inputs.

About the Code

joy_test

The joy_test code is designed to test the joystick inputs without controlling the motor. It opens the joystick device, reads its inputs, and prints them to the console. This is useful for verifying that the joystick is working correctly and for debugging input issues.

motor_operation

The motor_operation code integrates joystick inputs with motor control logic. It reads joystick movements and translates them into motor speed and direction commands, controlling the motor via the GPIO pins on the Raspberry Pi. This demonstrates a practical application of using joystick inputs for real-world physical control.

Compiling C Programs

To compile the C programs (joy_test.c and motor_operation.c), use the following GCC commands:

For joy_test.c:

gcc -o joy_test joy_test.c

For motor_operation.c:

gcc -o motor_operation motor_operation.c -lwiringPi

Running the Programs

• For Python scripts

python3 <script_name>.py

• For compiled C programs

./joy_test

or

./motor_operation