New from HiTechnic: Angle and Magnetic Sensors

[mightor]

The NXT can handle that many pulses per second without missing a few?

- Xander

[mpscholz]

[...] its not that hard to "hang it" under the axle and gear too

Well .. I'm not so sure about this.
Depends on the model, I presume.
There are a lot of models I've seen with no space for a relatively large device like a sensor on any of the ends of an axle.

When making use if this sensor, one would have to design the model accordingly from the start, won't she?

The sensor is quite a useful thing, no doubt, but the requirement to put it on the end of an axle might prove a serious limitation for model designers.

[cghaning]

The NXT can handle that many pulses per second without missing a few?

- Xander

I never had any problems... really the NXT motors turn pretty slowly (160 RPM max). Eventually at a high enough rpm, you would run into trouble. Maybe I'll dig it out and do some tests with it geared up to see when the NXT starts to lose counts.

But the nice things about the encoder I pointed out is you can change the number of encoder counts via dip switches.

If you look at the guts of the NXT (i.e. the firmware source), the encoder count functions are handled via interrupt handlers, so it ought be pretty fast (check out d_output.r of the firmware source).

[HaWe]

The sensor is quite a useful thing, no doubt, but the requirement to put it on the end of an axle might prove a serious limitation for model designers.

I fully agree!

[doc222]

[...] its not that hard to "hang it" under the axle and gear too

Well .. I'm not so sure about this.
Depends on the model, I presume.
There are a lot of models I've seen with no space for a relatively large device like a sensor on any of the ends of an axle.

When making use if this sensor, one would have to design the model accordingly from the start, won't she?

The sensor is quite a useful thing, no doubt, but the requirement to put it on the end of an axle might prove a serious limitation for model designers.

When designing anything would not all things have to be considered? It could be hung under a through axle as well and paired with a gear set. Most of this use is going to be making PF smart I think. Though I may get one to make a Dyno for my LPE to start. Have always wanted one to test these designs. I have made one with a Lego servo but it has alot of free load just to get a rotation reading. So you can not get base line Rpm no load then compare a load peak to time it takes to get there. Hp/torque power.

If Form is over function than perhaps it may be deal kiiller. If function is primary then having a sensor hanging on the outside wont matter. I know when i wrote Hytechnic years ago about perhaps making a standalone rotation sensor: my wishes then were Axle through, compact. But Hytecknic seems to have one major limiting factor, they have to go through Lego before it can be sold it seems and from the letters I have been sent in reply.

I think then it may be perhaps Mindsenors that could build the optimal roation sensor since they have no constraints in design(unlike Hytech's stock Lego cases excepting the switch mux is a custom case makes things bigger). Though I do not think they will since this is such a limited market and to have two vendors making the same type of product may be a issue.

But if I had a dream design it would be: Axle through, be able to connect right on the PF motors even be size of the outer Dia. of a SmPf and a pigtail with a female plug.(this would mean that you wont have to have the male part on the assembly), just mount it right and the axle goes right through it in-to the pf, this could then be put any where on any axle as well. Just a dream.

Doc