I received a gift of a Lynxmotion Rover Bot, 4-wheel drive kit (A4WD) with a Basic Atom processor. I'd like to dump the processor and use Arduino.
My choices seem to be:
Use one Arduino and write the code to efficiently switch back-and-forth between "observe environment" behavior and "navigate the bot" behavior.
Use two arduinos and have one handle object avoidance and the other handle propulsion.
I'm thinking I like #2 because I can be constantly searching with IR & Sonar (Ping) while the bot is moving, as opposed to "move a bit - look around - adjust course - repeat" It seems cooler to me to have the bot do both at the same time.
Comments... Suggestions?
I have 2 Megas and 6 Duemilanovas. I'm thinking 2 Duemilanovas, or one of each.
I'm thinking I like #2 because I can be constantly searching with IR & Sonar (Ping) while the bot is moving, as opposed to "move a bit - look around - adjust course - repeat" It seems cooler to me to have the bot do both at the same time.
The typical behavior of the bot ought to be "go that way until told not to". So, most of the Arduino's time should be occupied making observations and decisions, and very little time is spent telling the motors to turn on or off.
This can easily be handles using a single Arduino.
If you use two, one going to be doing the work, while the other twiddles it's thumbs waiting for serial data to arrive. When that data arrives, it will change the motor behavior and go back to twiddling thumbs.
I don't see that adding another Arduino is necessary or even useful.