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DASH FREEALGORITHM DASH FREE uses a simple algorithm for line-following. Each sensor selects which of two trimmers will set the speed for the corresponding motor. The outer sensor controls the speed of the outer motor. The inner sensor controls the speed of the inner motor. The speeds can be set independently to the desired value. Speeds can be adjusted to compensate for the layout of the various heavy items and the sensors.
There are three conditions that the mouse will find in normal operation. It it finds the fourth condition it is "lost".
In this condition the motors should be set so that the outer motor is slightly faster than the inner motor. This will gradually bring the outer sensor onto the line.
In this condition the outer motor should be slightly slower than the inner motor. This will gradually bring the outer sensor off the line. These two conditions will make the mouse run along the outside edge of a straight line using the outer sensor to speed up and slow down the outer motor to keep the mouse close to the edge.
When the mouse reaches the corner, the inner sensor will come off the line. Under these conditions the inner motor should stop altogether to make the mouse spin round as quickly as possible.
This is the algorithm described in the manual that comes with DASH FREE. It may be possible to get good results with slightly different algorithms. For example, it may not be necessary to stop the inner motor completely at a corner. It may be quicker to take a wider line and avoid drastic accelerations.
