First look at WRPC with ABE

This is a pre-pre-pre alpha look at the basics of communication between WRPC and ABE. Spot the bug at the end of the clip :)

Wireless Reprogrammable PS2 Controller (Part I and a half)

Intro

I’ve been writing a bit on the menu system I’m developing to get my design clear and optimised. I thought - Why not share it?

What follows is where I’m up to.

Outputs

The Robot Controller System (RCS) has an LCD screen of two lines, each having 16 character spaces of 5 x 8 pixels. Each character space is separated by 1-2 pixel sized gaps.

With this in mind, all displays and menus must be designed to fit comfortably in this space.

The system is also equipped with a piezo speaker for interface and other feedback.

Inputs

• 2 x Left Buttons (top)
• 2 x Right Buttons (top)
• 1 x Analog D-Pad (Left, Right, Up, Down)
• 1 x Select Button
• 1 x Start Button
• 4 x Action Buttons (Triangle, Circle, X, Square)
• 2 x Analog Joysticks
• 2 x Joystick Buttons

Menu Navigation

The menu navigation style will be reminiscent of PS2 menus.

• Up and Down will change the selected menu item
• X enters an item’s submenu or executes an item
• Triangle exits a submenu or cancels execution of an item
• Where possible, the menu will include human-helpful prompts
• For menu items that involve editing values, the Left and Right buttons will move between characters and jump between fields if multiple exist
• If an item is editable, it will be underlined or marked
• Multi-character values will only be able to be edited one character at a time (i.e. no decimal rollover)
• X will jump forward between fields until the last field and then it will act as a confirmation button
• Triangle will jump backward until at the first field and then act as a cancellation button
• Start will toggle “Settings” menu visibility
• Select will toggle “Mode” menu visibility

Non-Menu Modes

When the RCS is not displaying menus, it will display a configurable HUD or other display relevant to the current “mode”.

These might include:

• Distance to target
• Battery levels
• Directional heading
• Temperature data
• Speed
• Control hints
• Mode indication
• Signal strength

And of course, if the current mode is interactive, feedback on the current controls or state of the controlled.

LCD Screen Guides

Note that '_' indicates variable area. If only one line is described, it indicates the top line unless otherwise noted.

• LCD Layout
  ################
################
• Setting Mode Layouts
  < __ASetting__ >
012345ABCDEF
----------|-----
On
• Enumerated Mode Layout
  ____ASetting____
< Option 12345 >
• Action Mode Layout
  < ___Action___ >
X=Go ^=Stop