Overview of Sumobot Simulator 2013 v1.0!

 

Sumobot Simulator 2013

Main Screen of Sumobot Simulator 2013.



Once Sumobot Simulator 2013 is launched, the user is presented with the Main Screen, which allows for the user to select various options in designing their robot:
-The Menu Bar allows for the user to start a new sumobot design, open or save an existing sumobot configuration, as well as switch to the Mechanical, Electrical and Simulation windows. You can also do this through the Tab Panel, as seen in the image above.
-The Info Panel displays the current properties of the sumobot (such as its mass and the voltage of the motor), as set in the other Tabs.
-The Main Panel is the workspace where the user will be entering most of the values and specifications for their robot.

Mechanical Tab

The Mechanical Tab is where users can set some of the main physical properties of their robot, such as its mass, the diameter of its wheels and the coefficent of friction of the surface which the sumobot will be driven across. The corresponding changes will be visible in the Simulation Tab.

Electrical Tab

 

In the Electrical Tab, the user can set many of the internal specifications of the robot, such as the motor voltage, current, speed and diameter of the drive shaft. Furthermore, a power supply (voltage, current) can be selected, as well as the wire length, resistivity and area outlined.

 

The user can additionally switch between a series or parallel circuit configuration for the motors using the Circuit button found in the top-right corner of the screen.

 

Simulation Tab

 

 

The Simulation Tab is where the real fun begins! Here, the user can have their completed sumobot run across a virtual surface (which can be changed using the coefficent of friction), with the Distance, Velocity and Accleration graphs of the robot  displayed in real-time as the robot moves.

Once the user is satisfied with the properties of their sumobot, they can simply click the Simulation button to get their robot going!



Good luck in the ring!

 

 -The Codebusters Team

 

And time!

We are finally officially done our project.  After several hundred (maybe even thousands) lines of code the Sumo Bot Simulator 2013 has reached 1.0 status.  To celebrate our wonderful achievement here is a link to our dropbox where you can download our program:

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/i7ink6qvkzwsw0g/6KzwVzYhIZ/Build%20Version

So long and thanks for all the sumo,
- code buster team

O_O.. Hold the Commentary!

Our client, as of today has been updated with an acceptable version of the sumobots client. In preparation for our presentation much of the code in our program lacks programmers comments. We will continue to add more information in the comments for interested onlookers to fully understand the code.

As for the issue of running the program on the school computers, we will no longer continue to make it accessible within the school as too much information regarding the school's network and why the application refuses to run on these computers is not available at this time. The application however is fully functional for home use and will be available to students via Mr. Song's Dropbox.

Another important topic that came up in today's group meeting was the idea that much of the lwjgl library and the other libraries used by our program are incorporated into the entire file itself when much of the functions are not being used and simply take up much more space. The file size can be reduced by removing the unnecessary components of these libraries just to improve efficency, the size of the download and download time.
Through expermentation and testing we have discovered that on standard computers the program tends to recieve a lag delay as the program itself runs by constantly updating. This real time element is noted to be extremely resource intensive and we feel the need to address the issue if there is still time available. The solution is simply to integrate event handling into our code and is assumed to require a bit of time to fully update the entirety of the project. Despite the issues with few seconds of delay it the program still runs and has entered a promising final stage. Updates in terms of the lag/delay fixes may or may not be implemented with the release of Sumo Bot Simulator Version 1.0.0.0 but will be integrated in future releases if the group continues to procede with updating the project.

Thank You!
~ Code Busters Team!

Finale.

The issue with the help file has been resolved. Despite the previous mention of attempts to open the help file or at least move the information with the jar file, the owness  will be left to that of the user ensuring that the ENTIRE folder (with all external docs, files, resources) is moved for the program to function. In order to properly convey the message to the user a read.me file has been attached to inform the user about the specifics method of moving the files in order for the application/program to run properly.

On another note, the surfaces have been implemented however still require touch ups so that the tiled blocks for ice and concrete are aligned. Since the project deadline has been postponed to Friday June 7, 2013 we still have extra time to optimize the program.

In order to successfully use the time given we will enter a final debug test during the course of next week. Hopefully we can locate and correct bugs. We hope to make the program run smoothly on several different systems with little to know problems by making it less resource intensive and iron out the kinks in our application.

Thank You for your time.
 ~ Code Busters Team.

Progress

The issues with the initialization of the default values using the xml file have been solved. Upon opening the application the input values use to default to 0. Reworking the pathways to presently allows for the default values for standard dimensions and values in regards to the mechanical, electrical items.

Whilst fixing the previous issues with the default values the help text file refuses to open up properly. Although it was fully functional before it currently refuses to open and is to be adressed.

TO DO:
1. Rework pathways to open the help text files.
2. Get the pixel art done for the other two surfaces:
               - ice
               - concrete

Thank You.

~ Code Busters Team

CRUNCH time.

Many things have been accomplished since our last blog post with the progression of this project. The list includes the implementation of our splash screen, adusting the graphs, adding the tool tips, the help files, and ultimately just tweaking and adjusting the program to meet our needs. Also the file is noted to work on home computers with the latest updated version of java, whereas the school computers don't even allow the program to open (school computers do not but the school's is still on the version of java from last year). All in all, the program is working fine and we wish to talk to our client in terms of useage of the application primarily for home use rather than within the school due to lack of knowledge as to why the file refuses to execute on the school's systems.

We are nearing the completion of our project, as well as, the end of the year. So what's left? Just updating the sufaces to look like ice, and concrete when the coefficient of friction is between a certain range. And yeah. yeah. yeah. CRUNCH!

Essentially that's all. Thank Yous!

~ Code Busters Team
*Meow.

Make it, or BREAK IT!

Progress is moving along swimmingly we are continuously trying to integrate the code that acts for the simulation with the simulation code that graphs both the vector and acceleration graphs. Currently we are having a bit of trouble with finding the accleration of the sumbot however we are trying to use the same process to calculate the velocity and apply it to the accleration calculations and graph.

With this progress we will continue into the beta stages. We will be intensively testing for bugs, glitches, optimization options to make our program function as properly and efficiently as possible. Test subjects will be selected from our target audience of grade 12 students involved in the sumbot project will be asked at random to attempt to break the program (pssht not the computer its running on).


*** UPDATE
Executeable file of our program does not run on school computers.
- we need to get this work.


~ Code Busters Team
CHYEAAH! English is a muffin.