Obstacle Avoid

Let Pico-4wd do a challenging task: automatic obstacle avoidance! Instead of simply stepping back when an obstacle is detected, the radar scans the surrounding area to find the widest road.

You can build a goal of the right size and watch it find the right place and slowly cross it.

How it Works

Code

Note

• Open the obstacle_avoid.py file under the path of pico_4wd_car\examples or copy this code into Thonny, then click “Run Current Script” or simply press F5 to run it.

• Don’t forget to click on the “MicroPython (Raspberry Pi Pico)” interpreter in the bottom right corner.

• For detailed tutorials, please refer to Open and Run Code Directly.

import pico_4wd as car
import time

car.RADAR_REFERENCE = 20
car.RADAR_STEP_ANGLE = 10
MOTOR_FORWARD_POWER = 30
MOTOR_TURNING_POWER = 50

FORWARD_SCAN_ANGLE = 50

car.set_radar_scan_angle(FORWARD_SCAN_ANGLE)
status = "Danger"

def get_dir(radar_data):
    # get scan status of 0, 1
    # print(radar_data)
    radar_data = [str(i) for i in radar_data]
    radar_data = "".join(radar_data)
    # Split 0, leaves the free path
    paths = radar_data.split("0")
    # print(paths)
    # print("paths: %s" % paths)
    length_list = []
    # Calculate where is the widest
    for path in paths:
        length_list.append(len(path))
    if max(length_list) < 4:
        return "left"
    # Calculate the direction of the widest
    i = length_list.index(max(length_list))
    pos = radar_data.index(paths[i])
    pos += (len(paths[i]) - 1) / 2
    delta = len(radar_data) / 3

    if pos < delta:
        return "right"
    elif pos > 2 * delta:
        return "left"
    else:
        return "forward"

def main():
    # General
    while True:
        radar_data = car.radar_scan()
        # print("radar_data: %s" % radar_data)
        # If radar data return a int, means scan not finished, and the int is current angle status
        if isinstance(radar_data, int):
            if radar_data == 0 and status != "Danger":
                print("Danger!")
                status = "Danger"
                car.move("stop")
                car.set_radar_scan_angle(180)
            continue
        else:
            status = "Save"

        direction = get_dir(radar_data)

        if direction == "left":
            print("turn left")
            distance = car.get_radar_distance_at(FORWARD_SCAN_ANGLE/2)
            time.sleep(0.5)
            car.move("left", MOTOR_TURNING_POWER)
            while True:
                distance = car.get_radar_distance_at(FORWARD_SCAN_ANGLE/2)
                status = car.get_radar_status(distance)
                if status == 1:
                    break
            car.move("stop")
            car.set_radar_scan_angle(FORWARD_SCAN_ANGLE)
        elif direction == "right":
            print("turn right")
            distance = car.get_radar_distance_at(-FORWARD_SCAN_ANGLE/2)
            time.sleep(0.5)
            car.move("right", MOTOR_TURNING_POWER)
            while True:
                distance = car.get_radar_distance_at(-FORWARD_SCAN_ANGLE/2)
                status = car.get_radar_status(distance)
                if status == 1:
                    break
            car.move("stop")
            car.set_radar_scan_angle(FORWARD_SCAN_ANGLE)
        else:
            print("forward")
            car.set_radar_scan_angle(FORWARD_SCAN_ANGLE)
            car.move("forward", MOTOR_FORWARD_POWER)

try:
    main()
finally:
    car.move("stop")
    car.set_light_off()