O:
Object Oriented: Programming technique where program is
made of of objects that perform certain tasks.
OOPic: Object Oriented Programmable Interrupt Controller. Inexpensive and
powerful microcontroller. See www.oopic.com
OEM: Original Equipment Manufacturer
Operand: "Data value that is processed by an instruction in some way."
Optoisolator: Allows isolation of different circuit by means of
transmitted light inside the chip. May be used to isolate logic from motors,
etc.
Ounce-inch: Common measurement for torque in servos and small motors.
P:
PC: Personal Computer
Photodiodes: Diodes that are specially made to detect light. See sensors.
Photointerrupter: Sometimes called a shaft encoder. Transmitted light
beam is broken by rotating disk on wheel. Logic determines speed based on light
pulses. See sensors.
Photoreflector: Same as above, but light beam is reflected by rotating
black and white striped disk.
Photoresistor: Resistor which changes its resistance based on the amount
of light striking the light sensitive surface. See sensors.
Phototransistors: Transistor in which the light sensitive base controls
the collector-emitter current flow. See sensors.
Piezoelectric film: "Piezoelectric film sensors produce voltage only when
subjected to changes in the sensed quantity."
PIR: Pyroelectric Infrared.
Potentiometer: Or Pot. Two variable resistors in one package. Composed of
a resistor (i.e. 10k) and a wiper. When one side of the wiper's resistance goes
up, the other side goes down.
PROM: Programmable Read Only Memory.
Proximity Detector: Sensors with produces a digital (on/off) based on an
obstacles distance from it.
Pulse-width Modulation: Means by which a digital processor (on/off)
produces an analog varying voltage. Processor produces very fast on/off pulses.
The average voltage from this is based on the pulse times.
Pyroelectric: Or PIR. Detects infrared radiation, in the form of body
heat.
Q:
R:
Radian: Measurement of
angle. 2 PI radians in a circle. To convert radians to degrees, replace PI with
180. To convert degrees to radians: degrees / 180 * PI.
RAM: Random Access Memory.
ROM: Read Only Memory.
Relay: Switch which
activates then power is applied over its terminals.
Resistor: Components which limits current flow. Measured in ohms.
S:
Semiconductor: Device which neither fully conducts, nor fully resists.
Servo: Non 360° rotating gear motor, which is positioned using a pulse
stream. Commonly used for RC applications. See Hacking A Servo.
Shaft encoder: See Photointerrupter, Photoreflector, Sensors.
Solenoid: Device which either pulls, pushes, or turns a metal rod based
on electromagnetic forces.
Sonar: Device which measures distance based on reflected sound waves.
See sensors.
Subsumption Architecture: Robot programming method developed by
Rodney Brooks at MIT. Emulates basic animal behavior by giving each behavior a
priority, so that higher priority events always will execute first.
T:
Torque: "Angular force that a motor can deliver at a certain distance
from the shaft."
Transistor: Switching, or amplifying device. 3 pins. Base, Collector, and
Emitter. Either PNP or NPN. Base drives the collector to emitter current.
U:
V:
Voltage: Measurement of
electrical force. I.E. Pressure behind the current. Measured in volts. Sometimes
known as EMF (Electromagnetic Force).
W:
Wall following: Technique used to solve mazes. Either left hand or right
hand. Follow wall always on that side.
Watt: Measurement of power. Power is the rate you use energy. Power =
voltage * current.
Wire-Wrap: Method used to prototype circuits. Wire-wrap tool is used to
tightly wrap wire around the components pins.
X:
Y:
Z:
