Last week, the team wrote two scenario codes. Both codes had the AEV pickup the R2 unit and return to the start. Additionally, both codes had delays to have the AEV wait before the intermediary gate. The team’s first code relied on the distance the AEV traveled (Appendix B), while the second code was based on how much time the AEV traveled (Appendix C). Team member Travis wrote the distance-based code, while team member Joseph wrote the time-based code. Both codes were written in Arduino IDE. The team then repeatedly ran the AEV with each code on the track and adjusted variable values until the AEV traveled the correct distances for each segment of the scenario. A code was considered finished when the AEV ran it and successfully completed the entire scenario.
The team wrote the two codes for two primary reasons. First, a user-defined set of instructions is needed to complete the final scenario. It doesn’t matter how efficient the AEV is. If the AEV’s coded instructions are incorrect, the AEV will not be able to complete its mission. Second, the team wanted to determine if the final instructions should be based on how far the AEV traveled or on how much time it traveled. Writing the entire scenario for both techniques allowed the team to analyze and choose which was better.