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Good news everyone! I’m excited to let you know that our latest batch of tutorials in the VEX Cortex Video Trainer are available now!

This set of 5 tutorials focuses on the VEX Line Tracking Sensors:

1. The Line Tracking Sensors – Introduces the sensors and explains how they work
2. Calculating Thresholds – Goes through the process of acquiring sensor values using the ROBOTC Sensor Debug window and calculating a threshold for the robot to distinguish light from dark
3. Basic Line Tracking – Opens, explains, and runs a basic line tracking sample program on the robot
4. Line Track for Distance – Modifies the sample program to line track for a number of encoder counts
5. Optimized Line Tracking – Explains how to modify motor speeds for tracking different types of lines

These tutorials will work with the new VEX Line Tracking Sensors (in the picture above), as well as the slightly larger, previous generation. To view them, open the VEX Cortex Video Trainer and head to the Sensing > Line Tracking section. Be on the look-out for additional programming challenges and activities using the line tracking sensors early next year.

As usual, the VEX Line Tracking Sensors can be purchased at the RobotMatter store. Happy Holidays everyone!

Here’s a video that a ROBOTC user shared with us. The NXT robot is able to line track and also climb a book that sits along the path. Take a look:

More 3rd party 3rd party drivers

Does a 3rd party 3rd party driver make it a 4th party? I’m not sure, you decide.  In any case, my good man Gus at HiTechnic has provided a very nice driver for the new HiTechnic Super Pro Board.  Thanks for that!

I also added a driver for the totally awesome Mindsensors Touch Panel sensor and their very versatile Sumo Eyes sensor.  Big thanks to Mindsensors for providing me with the sensors!  The Touch Panel driver still needs a bit of work; I need to add the ability to calibrate it and allow the gesture code.  I’ve made a start but I’m still trying to figure out exactly how they work.  I tried calibrating it once and that really messed it up.  A simple factory reset fixed it, of course, no permanent damage was done, just some mild panic on my side and me thinking I had killed my panel (I was not a happy camper, trust me!).  Deepak from Mindsensors had a quick fix which was actually in the docs, if I had bothered to read them a bit more carefully. Note to self: Read The Fine Manual!  Oh and don’t calibrate the panel, it’s really not necessary.  Trust me.

Changelog

* common.h: added better round() function
* DIMU-driver.h: fixed signed to unsigned conversion
* LEGOUS-driver.h: fixed boneheaded I2C address error
* Added MSSUMO-driver.h for Mindsensors SumoEyes sensor + test program
* Added MSTP-driver.h for Mindsensors TouchPanel sensor + test program
* Added HTSPB-driver.h: for HiTechnic Super Pro Board + tonnes of examples
* HTMAG-test1.c: cleared up some things in test program

Where can I download it?

You can get it at the usual place: [LINK].

[Original article]

Ivan Seidel (ivanseidel) posted an incredible stop action movie based video explaining PID. Take a look!

Be sure to click the “CC” button for English Subtitles