[simpits-tech] Arduino and Aircore motors

[Gene Buckle]

On Sun, 30 Jan 2011, Ray Sotkiewicz wrote:

>
> So let me see if I got this right for the Arduino interface:
>
> 1. Write an app that extracts FSUIPC data
Yes.

> 2. Send it via the same app to the Arduino card using the downloadable 
> Arduino C library
Well you'll need to write an application that runs *on* the Arduino (Atmel 
ATMega 328 in this case) to control the air core motors.  The application 
on the PC will just shove data at the Arduino via the serial port.

> 3. Build an aircore driver interface using possibly the 14-pin DIP (Yay!) LM 
> 1819 (PWM driver, not the analog version)
> 4. Connect to Arduino PWM output to the LM1819 PWM input
I would recommend using the chip that Mike specs in his books (LM298?).  I 
suspect they're cheaper and much easier to find than the LM1819.

The software on the microcontroller end would be a bit more complex, but 
you'd get more bang from your buck.

Mike, please step in if I'm incorrect, but I think the air-core board in 
the BSAI & BRFS books uses four lines from the microcontroller, which 
means you can easily drive four air-core based instruments from a single 
Arduino Uno or Deumillanove(sp!).  You can get Chinese mfg. Arduino boards 
off of eBay vendors for about $10 each if you don't want to pay full-boat 
from SparkFun.  You might also want to look into the Seeduino and other 
"'duino" work-alikes.

An Arduno "cockpit stack" consists of two Centipede Shields (64 channels 
of digital I/O, $20 each) one Mux Shield (48 channels, analog or digital 
input or digital output, $24 each) and an Arduno Uno/Deumillanove at the 
bottom.  This gives you all the I/O you could possibly need for a 
"typical" cockpit for under $100.

When we get the collimating mirror project completed, I'm going to start 
work on the F-15 again and part of that will be to write some code for 
Lightning's JoyMapper program that will allow an Arduino to appear like a 
DirectX joystick, much like it does for the PHCC hardware.

g.

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