Keyboard Remote Control

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This project shows how you can control the truck with your keyboard.

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How it works

Your MicroPython programs can produce output using the print command, but it can also read input. You can learn more about this in this tutorial.

The remote control program

This program combines the keyboard example linked above with the basic driving program. This allows you to control the truck using the numeric keys on your keyboard. If your keyboard does not have separate numeric keys, just adapt the program to use other keys.

from pybricks.pupdevices import Motor, ColorDistanceSensor
from pybricks.parameters import Port, Direction, Stop
from pybricks.tools import wait

from usys import stdin
from uselect import poll

# Register the standard input so we can read keyboard presses.
keyboard = poll()
keyboard.register(stdin)

# Initialize the motors.
steer = Motor(Port.C)

# Initialize the motors with increased smoothness profile.
front = Motor(Port.A, Direction.COUNTERCLOCKWISE, profile=360)
rear = Motor(Port.B, Direction.COUNTERCLOCKWISE, profile=360)

# Lower the acceleration so the car starts and stops realistically.
front.control.limits(acceleration=1000)
rear.control.limits(acceleration=1000)

# Find the steering endpoint on the left and right. The difference
# between them is the total angle it takes to go from left to right.
# The middle is in between.
left_end = steer.run_until_stalled(-200, then=Stop.HOLD)
right_end = steer.run_until_stalled(200, then=Stop.HOLD)

# We are now at the right. Reset this angle to be half the difference.
# That puts zero in the middle. From now on, running to 0 means to
# the middle.
steer.reset_angle((right_end - left_end) / 2)
steer.run_target(speed=200, target_angle=0, then=Stop.COAST)

# Now keep setting steering and driving based on keypad key:
#
#     <     ^     >
#      \    |    /
#       7   8   9
#
#  <--  4   5   6  -->
#
#       1   2   3
#      /    |    \
#     <     v     >

while True:

    # If there's no new character, skip the rest of the loop
    if not keyboard.poll(0):
        continue

    # Read the key.
    key = stdin.read(1)
    print("You pressed:", key)

    # If the keys 1, 4, or 7 are pressed, steer left
    # If the keys 3, 6, or 9 are pressed, steer right
    # Otherwise steer to the middle
    if key in ('1', '4', '7'):
        steer_angle = -90
    elif key in ('3', '6', '9'):
        steer_angle = 90
    else:
        steer_angle = 0

    steer.run_target(200, steer_angle, wait=False, then=Stop.COAST)

    # If the keys 7, 8, or 9 are pressed, go forward
    # If the keys 1, 2, or 3 are pressed, go backward
    # Otherwise stop driving
    if key in ('7', '8', '9'):
        sign = 1
    elif key in ('1', '2', '3'):
        sign = -1
    else:
        sign = 0

    front.run(sign * 800)
    rear.run(sign * 800)

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This project was submitted by The Pybricks Team.