Digitalizing an Embedded Sensor Input System in a Gimbal. - A Multi-Node, Bus Solution.

Abstract

A working gimbal with an embedded system is given by FlowMotion Technologies AS. Despite that it works as expected, the implementations entail some weaknesses.

The embedded system in this gimbal uses analog lines to acquire data from sensors and inputs. This solution require more wires than necessary, as well as limiting scalability of the system. This thesis improves the system, and thereby reduce such limitations.

The resulting system implements a new platform using a communication bus to replace the analog lines in the original system. With the new platform, two communication solutions are presented. Protocols for each solution is designed and implemented. The new platform introduces new nodes that replaces the original systems analog inputs. These nodes are connected to the new communication bus.

The hardware required to implement these nodes are specified by the thesis, but the hardware implementation of the nodes is done by FlowMotion Technologies AS. Software for each of the nodes is designed and implemented. The resulting system is shown to work as good as the original system, if not better, while using less signal lines than the given system. Furthermore, the resulting system is more scalable than the original one, making future development less complex.