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home  >  Libby  >  Libby - refurb. Log 12 April 2026
2025-10-20
Added 100k pullups on Serial1-Rx and Serial2-Rx connector pins on the 2560 board. Before if the serial cables were disconnected then the serial system read noise but didn't recover and give the proper values when the cables were reconnected, not until after a reset!!!

2025-10-18
Modified the SonarControllers to True-Serial to suit the ArduinoMega2560.
Two BC549 invert the signals for the (PicAxe) PC-test header. Both boards, Base and Waist, are the same.

2025-10-13
The Safety STOP pin was just INPUT_PULLUP but during one run it stopped being PULLUP, so I added a 4k7 pullup on the waist board - see 2025-08-31.

2025-10-07
Motor Drivers changed to Dual VNH2SP30 Arduino Shield, and 2560 board motors connector changed to 2x5
Voltmeter and charging socket added
The neutral position (1500us) started to drift on the R/C speed controllers so I changed them for the VNH2SP30 Arduino Shield. The voltmeter I had in from the Cycler Robots and it has a 'press to energize' by it.

2025-08-31
Waist Safetystop wiring changed, all switches commoned to pin1 to 2560 interrupt2

2025-08-26
Rear IIC PCF8574 wiring changed - whisker LEDs now on D7 D6 D5 D4 (all moved up 2 to accord with side/front chips)

2025-08-01
Base Brain

Front/side sensor IIC boards in front corners.

2025-07-17
Libby Arduino-Mega2560 board wiring modified 2025-08-31 (2025-10-07 Motor connector changed see above)

2560 pin allocation - Doc_Arduino_PortPins.h

2025 May Side IIC boards moved as shown above. Side Handles added.

2024-09-17,27
Skirt plates optical sensors
Wiring Circuit-Boards
Front

Right

Left

Rear

2024-04-08
Software for the two Ultrasonic sensor arrays

Upper waist array
  • USarrayTR.bas
  • USarrayTL.bas
    Lower base array
  • USarraytR.bas
  • USarraytL.bas
    • The boards accept -
  • "T" then "1","2","3","4","5","6" commands to select one sensor, T1 is right and T6 is left, a byte distance value (cm) is returned;
  • "T" then "R" to select the Right side controller which returns byte values for sensors 3,2,1;
  • "T" then "L" to select the Left side controller which returns byte values for sensors 4,5,6;
  • "A1" which turns autoscanning on, "A0" which turns autoscanning off;
  • "D" which turns debug mode on, and "d" which turns debug mode off;

    • 2024-02-10
    Waist-shelf-wiring

    2x5 connector for base cable - 2025-08-31 wiring changed

    2024-02-07
    Waist-shelf-nose IR-receiver

    2024-01-31
    Base D9 RS232 connector

    2023-12-19
    Upper Ultrasonic Array
    Wired up the array

    2023-12-12
    Lower Ultrasonic Array
    Wired up the array

    2023-12-01
    Patch boards for the Ultrasonic arrays
    connections:-
    LED 0v 0v Ping 5v     pwm Ping 5v 0v

    2023 November
    Ultrasonics
    I finished the control board for Hextor's Ultrasonic Array, then copied it twice for Libby's Ultrasonic Arrays. Modified to True Serial 2025-10-18

    2023 May, June
    Refitted the body
    Body Refitting Gallery

    2023 March, April

  • I stripped it all down, cleaned it and resprayed everything;
  • replaced the missing wiring in the Skirt plates;
  • added witness LEDs activated by the Skirt microswitches, they are also under computer control;
  • replaced the missing foam padding round the edges of the Skirt plates;
  • remade the two side IIC boards with an added PCF8591 4 channel A/D convertor to read the IR whiskers (not yet made);
  • made a similar IIC board for the rear Skirt plate;
  • moved the Front/Side IIC boards to the electronics well at the front of the Base;
  • remade the power distribution for the base;
  • remade the electronics shelf and fitted two motor driver modules which were spare from when I originally made Liberator.
  • made a housing for the Base Ultrasonic Array.
  • refitted the upper and lower body complete with its Ultrasonic Array.

    Libby - base refurb. Gallery
    Base Ultrasonic Array Housing Gallery

    Sensor IIC boards Front/Side (Stbd #0, Port #1) --- Rear (#2) [2025-08-26 rear 8574 wiring changed]


    Side IIC boards moved and wiring changed as shown - May 2025


    Original positions