Servo Troubleshooting notes
Most noisy, jittery, or hot servos turn out to be mechanical or power issues, not mysterious failures. This short checklist lists common servo malfunctions, probable causes, and straightforward corrective actions, covering gear wear, potentiometer contamination, underpowered or overloaded servos, wiring and battery problems, and alignment faults. Keep it handy when troubleshooting hobby or small robotics servos to speed repairs and avoid further damage.
Making a connection 1
Reliable electrical connections are the unsung foundation of any embedded system, yet connector selection and technique are often overlooked. This practical primer walks through common terminal styles, when to solder versus crimp, basic crimping steps and tool choices, plus simple checks and color-coding rules to help you make durable, serviceable wire connections without surprises.
Troubleshooting notes from days past, TTL, Linear
Troubleshooting electronics is more about thinking than tools, yet details matter. This concise collection of technician notes condenses practical procedures and probe precautions, IC failure modes, digital logic diagnostics, and common power-supply traps. Drawn from classic guides by Frank R. Dungan and James Perozzo, it provides a methodical checklist to isolate faults faster and avoid costly mistakes when repairing embedded hardware.
Circuit Board Standoffs
Can't find the exact standoff size for your PCB? This post shows how to fabricate custom standoffs from tubing or solid rod, with practical guidance on material choices, measurement, cutting, lathe facing, and drilling and tapping. The walkthrough uses brass as an accessible option, lists the correct drill size for 4-40 screws, and explains how to create chassis threads if needed.
Obsolete? Yes. Still in use? Yes. How do you use it? Ummm...
Old technology refuses to die, and sometimes you must keep it running. This post looks at real-world examples from Voyager needing FORTRAN support to nuclear subs and hospitals still on Windows XP, and argues for practical preservation steps: digitize datasheets and manuals, back them up locally, document code thoroughly, and cross-train personnel. It explains why upgrades help, but why archives and training matter more for unreachable systems.
Intel 8088 - A blast from the past
The Intel 8088 is an 8 bit processor related to the 16 bit 8086.
The Microcomputer class consisted of wire-wrapping the chips to perfboard using sockets.I had taken computers apart, soldered, etc., but had never used wire-wrapping to construct a computer board to that point.Most people carried the board to class. A few people stared when I opened the plywood box with breadboard area, and plugged the full-sized power supply in. The lid is wide enough to hold the 11x17 paper the...
My little runaway...
Since most vehicles won't float and land gently from more than a few inches, some type of stand is needed to keep the vehicle stationary as work is being done. It can also prevent crashes and broken things, which becomes more important as the vehicle becomes larger and heavier.
For now, most of my work is done with 1/10 scale or smaller vehicles, so I made a stand from leftover wood. Full-size vehicles may require a hydraulic lift and jack stands.
Smaller vehicles can be held by...
It ain't heavy, it's my robot...
For anyone building a man-portable unmanned ground vehicle this post collects practical design constraints and mission trade-offs engineers actually face. It summarizes weight and cost classes, locomotion options from throwables to wheeled skid-steers, sensor and camera requirements, power and battery strategies, communications range, and field-repair issues. Use it as a checklist to match platform choices to intended tasks and environments.
Unmanned Ground Vehicles - Design Considerations for Snow and Cold Environments
Winter conditions expose UGV weaknesses: snow, ice and extreme cold change traction, sensor performance, batteries and lubrication. This post walks through snow mechanics, ground-pressure tradeoffs for wheels versus tracks, and practical mitigations like heaters, insulation, sensor covers and low-temperature lubricants. If you design autonomous ground systems for cold climates, these engineering checks and referenced studies will help you avoid mission-ending failures.
Choosing a Microcontroller for Your Vehicle
Picking the right microcontroller can make or break an autonomous vehicle project, and this post gives a practical checklist to help. It walks through voltage and power needs, memory and IO planning, cost and availability tradeoffs, and when to step up from an 8-bit MCU to a 32-bit controller or single-board computer. Real-world board examples illustrate the choices.
Basic hand tools for electronics assembly
Though the software tools vary with different microcontrollers, many hardware tools are the same.
Steering an autonomous vehicle - two basic ways
Choosing how a small autonomous vehicle turns changes its mechanics, controls and navigation. This post compares Ackerman steering, which uses pivoting front wheels for energy-efficient, low-slip driving suited to encoder-based dead-reckoning, with skid-steering, which relies on differential wheel speeds for simple zero-turn maneuvers but introduces tire slip and odometry challenges. Read to weigh stability, mechanical complexity and suitability for tight spaces.
Troubleshooting notes from days past, TTL, Linear
Troubleshooting electronics is more about thinking than tools, yet details matter. This concise collection of technician notes condenses practical procedures and probe precautions, IC failure modes, digital logic diagnostics, and common power-supply traps. Drawn from classic guides by Frank R. Dungan and James Perozzo, it provides a methodical checklist to isolate faults faster and avoid costly mistakes when repairing embedded hardware.
Intel 8088 - A blast from the past
The Intel 8088 is an 8 bit processor related to the 16 bit 8086.
The Microcomputer class consisted of wire-wrapping the chips to perfboard using sockets.I had taken computers apart, soldered, etc., but had never used wire-wrapping to construct a computer board to that point.Most people carried the board to class. A few people stared when I opened the plywood box with breadboard area, and plugged the full-sized power supply in. The lid is wide enough to hold the 11x17 paper the...
Choosing a Microcontroller for Your Vehicle
Picking the right microcontroller can make or break an autonomous vehicle project, and this post gives a practical checklist to help. It walks through voltage and power needs, memory and IO planning, cost and availability tradeoffs, and when to step up from an 8-bit MCU to a 32-bit controller or single-board computer. Real-world board examples illustrate the choices.
Unmanned Ground Vehicles - Design Considerations for Snow and Cold Environments
Winter conditions expose UGV weaknesses: snow, ice and extreme cold change traction, sensor performance, batteries and lubrication. This post walks through snow mechanics, ground-pressure tradeoffs for wheels versus tracks, and practical mitigations like heaters, insulation, sensor covers and low-temperature lubricants. If you design autonomous ground systems for cold climates, these engineering checks and referenced studies will help you avoid mission-ending failures.
Making a connection 1
Reliable electrical connections are the unsung foundation of any embedded system, yet connector selection and technique are often overlooked. This practical primer walks through common terminal styles, when to solder versus crimp, basic crimping steps and tool choices, plus simple checks and color-coding rules to help you make durable, serviceable wire connections without surprises.
Mounting plate for Arduino
While having a breadboard with your microcontroller is necessary, it is very cumbersome if the two aren't fastened together somehow. You can buy mounting plates, but I choose to make one.
Circuit Board Standoffs
Can't find the exact standoff size for your PCB? This post shows how to fabricate custom standoffs from tubing or solid rod, with practical guidance on material choices, measurement, cutting, lathe facing, and drilling and tapping. The walkthrough uses brass as an accessible option, lists the correct drill size for 4-40 screws, and explains how to create chassis threads if needed.
Basic Sensors for an Autonomous Vehicle
A compact primer on inexpensive sensors you can use to help a small autonomous vehicle sense its surroundings. The post walks through line follower modules, several switch types for bumpers, ultrasonic PING sensors and passive infrared units, with practical notes on mounting and common pitfalls like reversed pins and unreliable returns on rough surfaces.
Basic hand tools for electronics assembly
Though the software tools vary with different microcontrollers, many hardware tools are the same.
Choosing a Microcontroller for Your Vehicle
Picking the right microcontroller can make or break an autonomous vehicle project, and this post gives a practical checklist to help. It walks through voltage and power needs, memory and IO planning, cost and availability tradeoffs, and when to step up from an 8-bit MCU to a 32-bit controller or single-board computer. Real-world board examples illustrate the choices.
Troubleshooting notes from days past, TTL, Linear
Troubleshooting electronics is more about thinking than tools, yet details matter. This concise collection of technician notes condenses practical procedures and probe precautions, IC failure modes, digital logic diagnostics, and common power-supply traps. Drawn from classic guides by Frank R. Dungan and James Perozzo, it provides a methodical checklist to isolate faults faster and avoid costly mistakes when repairing embedded hardware.
Intel 8088 - A blast from the past
The Intel 8088 is an 8 bit processor related to the 16 bit 8086.
The Microcomputer class consisted of wire-wrapping the chips to perfboard using sockets.I had taken computers apart, soldered, etc., but had never used wire-wrapping to construct a computer board to that point.Most people carried the board to class. A few people stared when I opened the plywood box with breadboard area, and plugged the full-sized power supply in. The lid is wide enough to hold the 11x17 paper the...
Basic Sensors for an Autonomous Vehicle
A compact primer on inexpensive sensors you can use to help a small autonomous vehicle sense its surroundings. The post walks through line follower modules, several switch types for bumpers, ultrasonic PING sensors and passive infrared units, with practical notes on mounting and common pitfalls like reversed pins and unreliable returns on rough surfaces.
Steering an autonomous vehicle - two basic ways
Choosing how a small autonomous vehicle turns changes its mechanics, controls and navigation. This post compares Ackerman steering, which uses pivoting front wheels for energy-efficient, low-slip driving suited to encoder-based dead-reckoning, with skid-steering, which relies on differential wheel speeds for simple zero-turn maneuvers but introduces tire slip and odometry challenges. Read to weigh stability, mechanical complexity and suitability for tight spaces.
Circuit Board Standoffs
Can't find the exact standoff size for your PCB? This post shows how to fabricate custom standoffs from tubing or solid rod, with practical guidance on material choices, measurement, cutting, lathe facing, and drilling and tapping. The walkthrough uses brass as an accessible option, lists the correct drill size for 4-40 screws, and explains how to create chassis threads if needed.
Making a connection 1
Reliable electrical connections are the unsung foundation of any embedded system, yet connector selection and technique are often overlooked. This practical primer walks through common terminal styles, when to solder versus crimp, basic crimping steps and tool choices, plus simple checks and color-coding rules to help you make durable, serviceable wire connections without surprises.
Obsolete? Yes. Still in use? Yes. How do you use it? Ummm...
Old technology refuses to die, and sometimes you must keep it running. This post looks at real-world examples from Voyager needing FORTRAN support to nuclear subs and hospitals still on Windows XP, and argues for practical preservation steps: digitize datasheets and manuals, back them up locally, document code thoroughly, and cross-train personnel. It explains why upgrades help, but why archives and training matter more for unreachable systems.
Mounting plate for Arduino
While having a breadboard with your microcontroller is necessary, it is very cumbersome if the two aren't fastened together somehow. You can buy mounting plates, but I choose to make one.
