Alternate Solution 1:
- Use 3 switches installed in a controller box. The concept of using three is because the user has three axis of movement and all of them must be utilized for optimal control of the remote operated vehicle during the task. The switches would have to be a “Double pull, double throw” or a DPDT switch. This special type of switch has 6 pins and when the switch is in the north position, it connects the 4 most laterally north pins, and when it is in the south position, it connects the 4 most laterally south pins. This allows the motor to turn on and off, and if you switch the polarity or cross the wires across the plane, it would allow the motor to spin in the opposite direction. It is possible to accomplish 3 axis of motion with 3 motors in numerous ways.
o You can have a 2 on the sides for rotation and forward and backwards to get your X-plane and Y-plane motion. In addition, you can have 1 centrally motor for z-plane motion.
o You can also have 1 motor mounted in each plane centrally located which will allow the ROV to move as desired by the user. (This method is less efficient due to how power is distributed throughout the device and how the ROV is weighted)
* Photo Credit to Bioseatro at http://www.boiseastro.org/Rover.htm for Diagram
Alternate Solution 2:
- Similar to above (Alternate Solution 1) Where the design was to reverse the polarity of the electricity to allow the motor to rotate clockwise and counterclockwise there is another method to achieve this. You can also hook up the motor to the outer pins of the DPDT switch and have the electricity remain static throughout the procedure. This may be more safe considering that the motors we plan on using during this Remote Operated Vehicle project are going to yield approximately 2.6 Amps per motor which may be dangerous if they ever bridge.
* Photo Credit to E Motion LLC Inc. (e-motionllc.com) for Diagram
Alternate Solutions 3:
- Another, more complicated, approach to solving this problem or accomplishing this task is to use a more advanced type of controller. The most common controllers come to mind with video game consoles. What was better to use than the commonly found, universal, inexpensive to utilize and replace, PlayStation 2 DualShock controller. This controller has 17 different buttons and 2 analog sticks. This allows the user to have much more control over individual components and gives the user more precise and accurate control of their ROV. This system will have to incorporate an Arduino Microcontroller so that the computer can manipulate and tell the PlayStation 2 Controller what commands to output to the electronic components. Considering that this alternate solution incorporates a microcontroller and offers more expandability and versatility, this is a much more competent solution.
*Photocredit to Sony PlayStation (R) Trademark (Sony.com) and Arduino (Arduino.cc) for Images
