Main Page
The Northwestern University mechatronics design wiki provides reference material on the theory and applications of electronics, sensors, actuators, etc., for use in mechatronics-related research and projects. Practical applications often refer to equipment and supplies available in the Northwestern Mechatronics Design Lab.
The mechatronics wiki was initiated by undergraduate Ben Stephens in 2006, under the supervision of Profs. Kevin Lynch and Michael Peshkin. Since then, many students have contributed content.
Important: Please be sure to read the Rules for Using the Mechatronics Design Lab.

Contents [hide]
1 Design Competition 2008
2 Sensors and actuators for DC
3 Prof. Peshkin's favorite datasheets
4 PIC 18F4520 prototyping board
5 Programming with CCS C
6 Interfacing and skeleton code for the PIC 18F4520
7 PIC Microcontrollers
8 e-puck Mobile Robot
9 Printing Circuit Boards
10 Electronics
11 Analog and Digital chips
12 Sensors
13 Actuators
14 Mechanical Design
15 The PC/104 Stack
16 xPC Target Real-Time Operating System
17 QNX Real-Time Operating System
18 Lab Supplies and Data Sheets
19 Vendors and Useful Links
20 Other Software
21 Other Lab Equipment
22 Course Material
23 Miscellaneous


[edit]
Design Competition 2008
Wiki pages on sensors, actuators, programming, and microcontrollers: use pages below
Parts in the DC2008 quick start pack
PIC C intro slides, as presented 2008/01/24 (pdf)
PIC interfacing slides, as presented 2008/01/28 (pdf)

[edit]
Sensors and actuators for DC
Solderless Breadboard & wiring that works
Using LEDs & IREDs
Using a laser
Infrared reflectivity
Using phototransistors
Sensing optical tape
Comparators : the analog digital interface
Faulhaber MiniMotor SA gearmotor with encoder, as well as the local wiki page
Adding a magnetic encoder to a GM3 Gearmotor
Using magnetic switches (Hall Effect)
Driving high-current devices: several options
Driving a Stepper Motor
Driving an RC Servo
Accelerometers
Strain gauges
Basic Stamp Microcontroller Not recommended for DC2008
NiMH rechargable batteries and chargers
[edit]
Prof. Peshkin's favorite datasheets

[edit]
PIC 18F4520 prototyping board
Prototyping board intro
Assembling the 18F4520 prototyping board, circuit, parts
Using the 18F4520 prototyping board

[edit]
Programming with CCS C
The C language
CCS C, specifically for the 18F4520
Embedded Programming Tips for CCS C
Using the CCS development environment
Debugging C on a PIC
More debugging tips
CCS user forum

[edit]
Interfacing and skeleton code for the PIC 18F4520

These topics have wiki pages and sample code available
Link to all sample code here.
Digital inputs & outputs (filename: DigitalIO)
Analog Input (filename: AnalogInput)
reading a trimpot
reading a phototransistor
amplified phototransistor, and IRED strobing
using an instrumentation amp (example: for a strain gauge)
Analog Output, and the I2C bus (filename: AnalogOutput)
Waveform Generation with AD9833 (filename: AD9833)
SPI - Serial Peripheral Interface - on the PIC
Pulse width modulation (PWM) for driving motors or other high current devices (filename: MotorPWM)
using H-bridges
Interrupts
Quadrature decoding in software (filename: QuadratureSoft)
Quadrature decoding in hardware, or just counters (filename: QuadratureHard)
Running RC servos (filename: RCservoSoft & RCservoHard)
Watchdog timer (filename: Watchdog)
RS-232 serial communication between a PC and a PIC (filename: RS232)
Text output to a serial LCD display
Text output to a parallel LCD display
Servo skeleton with fast & slow interrupts
XBee radio communication between PICs (and between a PC and a PIC)
I2C communication between PICs
Serial communication with Matlab
SPI communication between PICs (Note: this function has not been successfully tested)
Microphones
Ambient light color sensing
Controlling a seven segment display
Storing constant data in program memory
PIC computation time benchmarks
Stepper motor control with the PIC
Global Positioning System
IR communication between PICs (Note: this function has not been successfully tested)
Interfacing to External EEPROM
I2C Motor Controller
Interfacing with a Photodiode Array

These topics have sample code available, but no wiki pages yet
Link to all sample code here.
Counter0 - Counting pulses with Timer0]
Counter1 - Counting pulses with Timer1]
Interrupt0 - Periodic servo cycles using interrupt routines, 10mS & slower; Timer 0]
Interrupt2 - Periodic servo cycles using interrupt routines; 10mS & faster; Timer 2]
InterruptExternal - Interrupts generated by an external pulse]

These topics need more development
Link to all sample code here.
AnalogOutputParallel - Analog output using 8 digital lines]
PIC-to-PIC communication
Zigbee radio communication
Modulated IR communication
Strobing LEDs or IREDs for better range and immunity to background light
I2C communication
CAN bus
Capturing data to Matlab
Running stepper motors

[edit]
PIC Microcontrollers
PIC Microcontrollers with CCS Compiler, for DC, 333, etc, using the CCS ICD-U40 device [this section has been replaced by the material above]
PIC Microcontrollers with C18 Compiler, for e-puck, or using the Microchip ICD device or

[edit]
e-puck Mobile Robot
e-puck Mobile Robot

[edit]
Printing Circuit Boards
PCB Artist: Software provided by Advanced Circuits
[edit]
Electronics
Electronics
Phase-Sensitive Detection
Op-Amp Applications

[edit]
Analog and Digital chips
Comparators: the analog to digital interface
Filtering with the LMF100
Opamps : building blocks of analog computation
Instrumentation amps, and NU circuit board for them
Controlling large numbers of LEDs with LED drivers
Opto-isolators: Signal transfer while electrically isolating circuits

[edit]
Sensors
Angle, Linear Position: Potentiometers
Beam Breaker: Optointerrupter
Proximity: Optoreflector
Infrared reflectivity : Sensing optical tape
Proximity: Reed Switch
Proximity, Angle: Hall Effect Sensor
Angle: Rotary Encoder
Angular Velocity: Tachometer
Light: Photodiodes and Phototransistors
Ambient Light: Photocell
Temperature: Thermistor
Temperature: Thermotransistor IC
Audio: Microphones
Tilt, Acceleration: Accelerometers
Force: Strain Gauge
Current: Current Sense Resistor
Contact: Microswitch (Limit Switch)
Ambient light color sensing
Global Positioning System
Optics
Optical Locating
Lateral-Effect Photodiode
IRED's
Pressure Sensing

[edit]
Actuators


Some of the available actuators
Brushed DC Motors
Choosing a Motor and Gearing Combination
Driving Using a Linear Amplifier
Driving using a single MOSFET
Driving Using Pulse Width Modulation
PIC PWM Motor Driver
Gear Motor
Pulse Width Modulation
Pulse_width_modulation
Driving a DC motor using a single MOSFET
Driving a DC Motor using PWM
Driving a high current DC Motor using an H-bridge
Adding a rotation encoder to a gearmotor
Using Opto-Isolators to Prevent Interference
Brushless DC Motors
Driving Brushless DC Motors
Stepper Motors
Driving Stepper Motors
Unipolar Stepper Motor Driver Circuit
Bipolar Stepper Motor Driver Circuit
RC Servos
Driving Your Servo Using a 555 Timer
Solenoids
Practice: Driving Your Solenoid
AC Motors
Using the Yaskawa Motors
Fans As Actuators
LIMS Air Hockey Table
Actuators Available in the Mechatronics Lab

[edit]
Mechanical Design
Mechanics of Materials
Beam Mechanics
Mohr's Circle
Failure Theories
Static Loading
Variable Loading and Fatigue
Attaching to a shaft
Support
Housings
Shafts
Bearings
Transmission
Rigid: Gears
Flexible: Belts, Chains
Motion Connection/Separation: Clutches, Brakes, Couplings
Linkages
Serial Chains
Parallel and Closed-Loop Chains
Other: springs/dampers, cams, etc.

[edit]
The PC/104 Stack


The PC104 Stack
Overview
The PC/104 Lab Kit
Hardware:
Advantech CPU Card
Sensoray 526 Data Aquisition Card
[Power Components]
[I/O Electronics: Analog I/O, Digital I/O, Encoder Connections]
Advanced: Creating a Working Stack from Parts
[Building the Breakout Board]
[Breakout Board Ribbon Cables]
[Assembling the PC104 Stack]
Creating an xPC Flash Boot Disk <- when new version of MATLAB
Custom Boards
Dual PWM Motor Controller
Dual Linear Amplifier Motor Controller

[edit]
xPC Target Real-Time Operating System
Overview of Real-Time Programming with Simulink and xPC Target
Configuring xPC Host/Target PC
Quickstart:Creating a simple xPC Program
Commonly Used Blocks
Using the Host Scope
Advanced
Model Properties
M-file communication
Using outside of the lab
Standalone Mode
Stateflow
Code Examples
Controlling a DC Motor with an Encoder
Something With State Machine
Using RS-232 and Printing to LCD
UDP Communications between Target and Host PC
M-functions and S-functions
xPC Code From Student Projects

[edit]
QNX Real-Time Operating System
QNX Control Program with Interrupts

[edit]
Lab Supplies and Data Sheets
Generally stocked lab inventory

[edit]
Vendors and Useful Links

[edit]
Other Software
List of Useful Software for Download
Circuit Schematics and PCB Layout
LaTex Document Preparation
Mathematical Formulae
Document Formatting
Software Setup
IEEE Styles

[edit]
Other Lab Equipment
Prototyping Tools
Tektronix TDS220 Oscilloscope
Tektronix CFG253 Function Generator
Mastech Power Supply
Fluke III Multimeter
Benchtop Multimeter
Powered Breadboard
Soldering Iron
High Performance Neuromechatronics Benches
The Sensoray 626 DAQ Card

[edit]
Course Material
ME 224 Experimental Engineering
ME 333 Introduction to Mechatronics
ME 333 Lab Kits
Lab 5
Suggested final projects
ME 333 final projects
ME 433 Advanced Mechatronics

[edit]
Miscellaneous
Swarm Robot Project Documentation
Machine Vision Localization System
Indoor Localization System (Obsolete)
Robot Helicopter Project
E-Puck Color Sensing Project
Guitar Tunning Project
Swarm Robot Project