Evan Rust
Published © GPL3+

WW2 Tank Laser Tag Sherman & Panther

Create 2 tanks and battle them out, using laser light as the ammo!

AdvancedFull instructions providedOver 2 days25,332

Things used in this project

Hardware components

Raspberry Pi Zero Wireless
Raspberry Pi Zero Wireless
×2
DFRobot MiniQ Robot Chassis Kit
×2
Dual H-Bridge motor drivers L293D
Texas Instruments Dual H-Bridge motor drivers L293D
×2
Perf Board 6x4cm
×1
5V Regulator
×4
Standard LCD - 16x2 White on Blue
Adafruit Standard LCD - 16x2 White on Blue
×2
HC-05 Bluetooth Module
HC-05 Bluetooth Module
×2
Thumb Joystick
×4
Adafruit ADS1115 ADC
×2
LED (generic)
LED (generic)
×10
Laser Diode
×2
Photoresistor
×8
RobotGeek Continuous Rotation Servo
RobotGeek Continuous Rotation Servo
×2
Servo Micro 9g
×2
1800 mAh LiPo Battery 11.1V 30C
×2
1300 mAh LiPo Battery 7.4V 30C
×2
Pushbutton switch 12mm
SparkFun Pushbutton switch 12mm
×2
Toggle Switch
×2
Concave Arcade Button
×2
SPDT 2 Position 3 Terminal Switch
×1
Arduino Nano R3
Arduino Nano R3
×2

Software apps and online services

Arduino IDE
Arduino IDE
Notepad++

Hand tools and fabrication machines

3D Printer (generic)
3D Printer (generic)
CNC Router
Soldering iron (generic)
Soldering iron (generic)

Story

Read more

Custom parts and enclosures

Thingiverse Link

Schematics

Github Repository

Code

Robot Code Python Class

Python
from __future__ import division
import RPi.GPIO as GPIO
from time import sleep
from serial import Serial
import json

import Adafruit_PCA9685

class Car(object):

    def __init__(self, BT_Port, laser_pin):
        GPIO.setmode(GPIO.BCM)
        self.ser = Serial(BT_Port, baudrate=9600,timeout=0)
        self.laser_pin = laser_pin
        self.laser_state = False
        GPIO.setup(self.laser_pin, GPIO.OUT)
        
    def configMotors(self, mL1, mL2, mR1, mR2, invertLR=False):
        self.motor_array = [mL1, mL2, mR1, mR2]
        self.invert = invertLR
        for pin in self.motor_array:
            GPIO.setup(pin, GPIO.OUT)
        #self.motor_pwm.append(GPIO.PWM(pin, 490))
        self.motorL1_pwm = GPIO.PWM(mL1, 100)
        self.motorL2_pwm = GPIO.PWM(mL2, 100)
        self.motorR1_pwm = GPIO.PWM(mR1, 100)
        self.motorR2_pwm = GPIO.PWM(mR2, 100)
        self.motorL1_pwm.start(0)
        self.motorL2_pwm.start(0)
        self.motorR1_pwm.start(0)
        self.motorR2_pwm.start(0)
        
    def configServos(self):
        self.pwm = Adafruit_PCA9685.PCA9685()
        self.servo_min = 150
        self.servo_max = 600
        self.pwm.set_pwm_freq(60)
        
    def deg_to_pulse(self, degree):
        pulse = (degree - 0) * (self.servo_max - self.servo_min) / (180 - 0) + 150 
        print('Pulse: '+str(pulse))
        return int(pulse)
        
    def receive_command(self):
        self.cmd = ""
        if  self.ser.inWaiting():
            self.cmd = self.ser.readline()
            if self.cmd != None:
                try:
                    data = self.cmd.decode('utf-8')
                    data = json.loads(data.strip())
                    print data
                    if data != "":
                        return data
                    else:
                        return ""
                except ValueError:
                    pass
        #except IOError:
            #pass
            
    def turn_wheel(self, motor1, motor2):
            if self.invert:
                temp = motor1
                motor1 = motor2
                motor2 = temp
            motor1 = (motor1 / 2)
            motor2 = (motor2 / 2)
            if motor1<0:
                self.motorL2_pwm.ChangeDutyCycle(motor1*-1)
                self.motorL1_pwm.ChangeDutyCycle(0)#make positive if negative
            else:
                self.motorL1_pwm.ChangeDutyCycle(motor1)
                self.motorL2_pwm.ChangeDutyCycle(0)
        
            if motor2<0:
                self.motorR2_pwm.ChangeDutyCycle(motor2*-1)
                self.motorR1_pwm.ChangeDutyCycle(0)#make positive if negative
            else:
                self.motorR1_pwm.ChangeDutyCycle(motor2)
                self.motorR2_pwm.ChangeDutyCycle(0)
        
    def move_turret(self, turret_deg, barrel_deg):
        self.pwm.set_pwm(0, 0, self.deg_to_pulse(turret_deg))
        self.pwm.set_pwm(1, 0, self.deg_to_pulse(barrel_deg))
            
    def fire_laser(self, state):
        GPIO.output(self.laser_pin, state)

    def update(self): #Run to make the robot work
        self.json_obj = self.receive_command()
        print self.json_obj
        try:
            if "motor" in self.cmd:
                if self.json_obj["motor"] != None:
                    val1 = self.json_obj["motor"][0]
            # if val1 > 0:
                 #    val1 += 10
                    val2 = self.json_obj["motor"][1]
            # if val2 <0:
            #   val2 += 4
                    self.turn_wheel(val1, val2)
            elif "shoot" in self.cmd:
                self.laser_state = self.json_obj["shoot"]
                self.fire_laser(self.json_obj["shoot"])
            elif "turret" in self.cmd:
                val1 = self.json_obj["turret"][0]
                val2 = self.json_obj["turret"][1]
                self.move_turret(val1, val2)
        
        except TypeError:
            pass
    sleep(.01)

Robot Code Python Main

Python
import car

bt_port = "/dev/rfcomm3"
laser_pin = 20
rc_car = car.Car(bt_port, laser_pin)

rc_car.configMotors(6,5,19,13, invertLR=True)
rc_car.configServos() #Turret drive servo, barrel servo

while 1:
    rc_car.update()
        

Controller Code

C/C++
#include "Timer.h"
#include <Wire.h>
#include <LiquidCrystal_I2C.h>

int JS_VALS[2] = {};
int JS_VALS_R[2] = {};

const int JS_PINS[4] = {A0, A1, A2, A3}; //L_X, L_Y, R_X, R_Y
const int led_pins[4] = {4,5,6,7};

const int button_pin = 3;
const int deadzone = 8;
bool laser = false;

const int servo_limits[5] = {0, 180, 50, 95, 75}; //Left, Right, Lower, Upper, Middle limits for the turret
int turret_positions[2] = {90, servo_limits[4]}; //Initial positions

unsigned long last_time = 0;
long motor_delay = 30; //Delay 30 ms between motor control polls
long turret_delay = 150; //Delay 150 ms between turret control polls

long reloadSpeed = 8000;
float driveSpeed = 1.0;
int crewValues[4] = {3,3,2,1};
bool crewLeft[4] = {true,true,true,true};
int crewLeftNum = 4;
int reloadTimer, crewReplaceTimer, fireTimer;
bool is_reloaded= true;
bool can_move = true;
bool can_fire = true;

LiquidCrystal_I2C lcd(0x3F, 16, 2);

Timer t;

void setup() {
  // put your setup code here, to run once:
Serial.begin(9600);
lcd.init();
lcd.backlight();
lcd.print("Begin fighting!");
delay(2000);
lcd.clear();
lcd.home();
pinMode(button_pin, INPUT_PULLUP);
Serial.println("Begin");

t.every(motor_delay, control_motors);
t.every(turret_delay, control_turret);
t.every(50, checkButton);
for(int i=0;i<4;i++){
    pinMode(led_pins[i], OUTPUT);
}
updateCrew();

}

void loop() {
  /*control_motors();
  control_turret();
  delay(150);*/
  t.update();
  if(Serial.available()>0){
      String data = Serial.readStringUntil('\n');
      if(data=="HG"){
          crewLeft[0] = false;
          crewLeftNum -= 1;
          reloadSpeed += 2000;
          can_fire = false;
          crewReplaceTimer = t.after(6000, replaceCrew);
      }
      else if(data=="HD"){
          crewLeft[1] = false;
          crewLeftNum -= 1;
          driveSpeed -= .2;
          can_move = false;
          crewReplaceTimer = t.after(6000, replaceCrew);
      }
      else if(data=="HC"){
          crewLeft[2] = false;
          crewLeftNum -= 1;
          driveSpeed -= .1;
          reloadSpeed += 1500;
          crewReplaceTimer = t.after(6000, replaceCrew);
      }
      else if(data=="HM"){
          crewLeft[3] = false;
          crewLeftNum -= 1;
          crewReplaceTimer = t.after(6000, replaceCrew);
      }
      updateCrew();
  }
  if(crewLeftNum<=1){
      lcd_clear();
      lcd.print("You lose");
      while(1);
  }
}

void checkButton(){
    if(digitalRead(button_pin)==0){
        fire_laser();
    }
}

void replaceCrew(){
    if(crewLeft[0]==false){
        if(crewLeft[2]==true){
            crewLeft[2] = false;
            crewLeft[0] = true;
            can_fire = true;
        }
        else if(crewLeft[3]==true){
            crewLeft[3] = false;
            crewLeft[0] = true;
            can_fire = true;
        }
    }
    else if(crewLeft[1]==false){
        if(crewLeft[2]==true){
            crewLeft[2] = false;
            crewLeft[1] = true;
            can_move = true;
        }
        else if(crewLeft[3]==true){
            crewLeft[3] = false;
            crewLeft[1] = true;
            can_move = true;
        }
    }
    updateCrew();
    t.stop(crewReplaceTimer);
}

void updateCrew(){
    for(int i=0;i<4;i++){
        digitalWrite(led_pins[i],crewLeft[i]);
    }
}

void lcd_clear(){
    lcd.clear();
    lcd.home();
}

void fire_laser(){
  if(is_reloaded){
      if(can_fire){
        lcd.clear();
        lcd.print("Firing laser");
        is_reloaded = false;
        String json_string = "{\"motor\":[" + String(0)+","+String(0)+"]}"; //Stop tank before firing
        Serial.println(json_string);
        laser = true;
        fireTimer = t.after(2000, stopLaser);
        
      }
    }
}

void stopLaser(){
    t.stop(fireTimer);
    laser = false;
    lcd_clear();
    lcd.print("Reloading");
    reloadTimer = t.after(reloadSpeed, reloadGun);
}

void reloadGun(){
    lcd_clear();
    lcd.print("Reloaded");
    is_reloaded = true;
    t.stop(reloadTimer);
}

void control_motors(){
  JS_VALS[0] = analogRead(JS_PINS[0]);
  JS_VALS[1] = analogRead(JS_PINS[1]);
  int x = map(JS_VALS[0], 0, 1023, -50, 50);
  x = constrain(x, -100, 100);
  int y = map(JS_VALS[1], 0, 1023, -50, 50);
  y = constrain(y, -100, 100);
  int motor1 = x+y;
  int motor2 = y-x;
  motor1 = constrain(motor1, -100, 100);
  motor2 = constrain(motor2, -100, 100);
  if(abs(motor1) <= deadzone){
    motor1 = 0;
  }
  if(abs(motor2) <= deadzone){
    motor2 = 0;
  }
  
  motor1 = int(float(motor1)*driveSpeed);
  motor2 = int(float(motor2)*driveSpeed);
  
  if(can_move==false){
      motor1 = 0;
      motor2 = 0;
  }
  
  String json_string = "{\"motor\":[" + String(motor1)+","+String(motor2)+"]}";
  Serial.println(json_string);
  String json_string2;
  if(laser){
    json_string2 = "{\"shoot\":1}";
    Serial.println(json_string2);
  }
  else if(!laser){
    json_string2 = "{\"shoot\":0}";
    Serial.println(json_string2);
  }
}

void control_turret(){
  JS_VALS_R[0] = analogRead(JS_PINS[2]); //Get X values
  JS_VALS_R[1] = analogRead(JS_PINS[3]); //Get Y values
  int x = map(JS_VALS_R[0]+10, 0, 1023, 5, -5);
  x = constrain(x, -5, 5); //Catch outliers
  int y = map(JS_VALS_R[1], 0, 1023, 2, -2);
  y = constrain(y, -2, 2);

  turret_positions[0] += x;
  turret_positions[1] += y;

  if(turret_positions[0] <= servo_limits[0]){
    turret_positions[0] = servo_limits[0];
  }
  else if(turret_positions[0] >= servo_limits[1]){
    turret_positions[0] = servo_limits[1];
  }
  if(turret_positions[1] <= servo_limits[2]){
    turret_positions[1] = servo_limits[2];
  }
  else if(turret_positions[1] >= servo_limits[3]){
    turret_positions[1] = servo_limits[3];
  }
  
  String json_string = "{\"turret\":[" + String(turret_positions[0])+","+String(turret_positions[1])+"]}";
  Serial.println(json_string);
  
}

Credits

Evan Rust

Evan Rust

122 projects • 1084 followers
IoT, web, and embedded systems enthusiast. Contact me for product reviews or custom project requests.
Thanks to AceofAces16.

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