Communicating with the Kayak
The kayak has two computers installed in the computer box:
Both computers have static ip addresses and automatically log on to the SMART-MUV network hosted by the Cisco router SN:JV200JB13276 in the lab. To connect to the computers, first connect the netbook to the SMART-MUV network. You need to make sure the netbook is also using a static IP. To do this, open the available networks tab, and ensure that SMART-MUV is selected. Then open the Network and Sharing Center and click on the Wireless Network Connection (SMART-MUV). Open the Properties tab, then select Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) and open properties. The Use the following IP address option should be selected. The following worked in January:
IP address: 192.168.10.55
Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0
Once it is connected, open Putty to ssh to the ubuntu kayak computer and remote desktop to operate the windows xp computer.
The top computer runs windows xp:
ip address: 192.168.10.12
computer name: laPetiteOrange
username: James
password: orange
The bottom computer runs ubuntu:
ip address: 192.168.10.13
username: orange
password: orange
Running an Experiment
Collecting Sensor Data
First, connect to both the ubuntu and windows computers on the kayak.
Pressure data is collected with labview on the windows machine.
All other sensor data is collected with the ubuntu machine. At the terminal in the home directory, run:
pAntler kayak2.moos
A bunch of messages should be output to the terminal. This necessary process runs in the background. Open up another ssh terminal with Putty. In this second terminal, run:
zLoggerNG
This starts logging data from all of the sensors (except pressure) and stores them in a single binary file in the current directory named with the starting timestamp.zlog. To stop recording data, type:
control-c
to end the zlogger process. Running zLoggerNG again will start a new log file. If the pAntler process is not running in the background, no data will be logged with the zLoggerNG app.
Operating the Thruster
The thruster is currently setup to be operated with a radio controller. There are moos applications for computer control of the thruster and even autonomous control, but these have not yet been set up for la petite Orange.
There are matching pairs of crystals (which about .5cm square components with two contacts) for a radio controller and its receiver. The kayak receiver is located in the stern compartment in a waterproof box. The crystal in the receiver must match the crystal in the radio controller for radio control to work. The battery must be plugged in, but the computers need not be booted up to control the thruster.
Retrieving Data
The zlogtool application is used to convert the binary zlog files stored by the zLoggerNG command into ascii data. Running ./zlogtool -h will bring up a description of how to use the application and what options are available. By default, the output is printed to the terminal. To store the data in a text file, add >> fileName.txt at the end of the command.
The storeSensorData application (source code: storeSensorData.cpp) was written to conveniently store data from all zlog files in a directory called "zlogFiles" so that you don't have to manually run zlogtool. Running:
./storeSensorData
will save text files with data from compass and gps, dvl, and imu from any zlog files saved in a directory called "zlogFiles". The text files generated for compass and gps, and dvl can be directly read into matlab with the load function. The imuSave application (source code: imuSave.cpp) was written to further format the imu .txt files so that they can also be directly read into matlab with the load function. Running:
./imuSave
will save imu data from any imu text files output from the storeSensorData application in a directory called "imu" in space-delimited rows. The names of each file will be appended with "FORMATTED"
The data then needs to be transfered out of the kayak. This can be done by opening the computer box and using a usb drive, or with scp.
Other details
The kayak2.moos file includes the processes that are executed when the pAntler kayak2.moos command is run. As of July 2011, this file includes commands to collect data in the background from GPS, compass, DVL, and imu. If other processes are to be run in the background, they must be added to the kayak2.moos file.