What's new on Continuity Rover?
I'm constantly working on Continuity, taking photos, videos and general notes on (almost) every new thing. If you want to be up to date with what's new, this is the right place!
Joypad integration
During the last few weeks of testing, I integrated a joypad into Continuity's control methods. This was done to simplify testing on the robot, improving precision and making things a bit more fun when it comes to having a quick demo available to show to people (this happened multiple times, in the past few weeks). I chose to connect a PS3 joypad using the comprehensive features offered by the "Gamepad" GitHub repository. This repository not only simplifies the process but also provides users with multiple joypad configurations, catering to diverse testing needs. In an initial trial, I focused on controlling the Remote Sensing Mast (RSM), a pivotal element of the rover that comes with two degrees of freedom: azimuth rotation and elevation. The RSM serves critical functions such as capturing photos, and panoramic images and facilitating autonomous navigation by aligning with the direction of movement. Subsequent tests focused on legs extension and other general movements, all executed seamlessly through joypad control. While these tests may appear useless given Continuity's ultimate autonomous functionality, being able to control the robot in a user-friendly way is actually extremely important for something that I'm working on aside. I'm trying to develop a simulation framework using Blender, the same open-source software I used for 3D modelling Continuity. Blender is capable of running rigid body simulations and being able to interface them with a Python script might allow me to use it as a real-time simulation tool. More updates will follow on this topic.