Exercise - Using Simulation Macros

Simulation macros are a form of Component macros. Their purpose is to make simulation more realistic by adding physical components to the electronic devices.

When the Flowcode program is compiled and downloaded to a microcontroller, they are ignored - hence the name Simulation macros.

Even a cursory glance at the dialogue box used to configure them shows that they are very powerful devices, with a huge range of possible effects.

This exercise uses two of them to illustrate the use of a PIR (passive infra-red sensor) to operate an intruder sensor.

The scenario

The scene depicts the front of a house.

A PIR sensor is mounted on the wall of the house, above the path leading across the garden.

The data sheet for the PIR shows that it is sensitive to a range of 10 metres, within a cone of angle 100 degrees.

Its detection area is represented by the pale blue cone.

When an intruder enters the detection cone, a warning lamp lights up in the house.

The physical bits

With the System Panel visible, and viewed from above (the default position,)on it create:

• a brick wall, represented by adding a red cuboid and changing it to a rectangle, 15mm wide, 120mm high and 120mm deep,

located at coordinates x = 0, y = 0, z = 60,

with rotation settings X = 0, Y = 0, Z = 0;

• a path, represented by a grey rectangle, 240mm wide, 100mm high and 0mm deep,

located at coordinatesx = 125mm, y = 0mm, z = 0mm,

with rotation settings of X = 0, Y = 0, Z = 0;

• a cone, couloured light blue, representing the sensing region of the PIR, with width = 70mm, height = 250mm, depth 95mm,

located at coordinates x = 45mm, y = 0mm, z = 80mm,

with rotation settings of X = 0, Y = -55, Z = 0.

• Drag the mouse cursor over these three elements and group them together. This produces 'group 1'.

Give it:

dimensions - width = 265mm, height = 250mm, depth = 135mm;

coordinates - x = 128, y = 0, z = 68;

rotation - X = 0, Y = 0, Z = 0.

Also on the System Panel, create an intruder, by:

• adding four spheres, and configuruing the properties as follows:

sphere 1 (the head):

colour pink;

dimensions - width = 12mm, height = 13mm, depth = 15mm;

coordinates - x = -2.2, y = 0.7, z = 22;

rotation - X = 90, Y = 0, Z = 0.

sphere 2 (the body):

colour blue;

dimensions - width = 14mm, height = 26mm, depth = 24mm;

coordinates - x = -2.2, y = 0.5, z = 4;

rotation - X = 90, Y = 0, Z = -180.

sphere 3 (the legs):

colour dark green;

dimensions - width = 9mm, height = 23mm, depth = 15mm;

coordinates - x = -2.2, y = 1, z = -16;

rotation - X = 90, Y = 0, Z = -180.

sphere 4 (the feet):

colour black;

dimensions - width = 6mm, height = 15mm, depth = 25mm;

coordinates - x = -6, y = 0, z = -25;

rotation - X = 90, Y = 90, Z = 0.

• Drag the mouse cursor over the four spheres and group them together.This produces 'group 2'.

Give it:

dimensions - width = 18mm, height = 32mm, depth = 60mm;

coordinates - x = 165, y = 0, z = 28;

rotation - X = 0, Y = 0, Z = 0.

The System Panel should resemble the image shown above. (The image has been rotated to show all components. The table-top is coloured green.)

The Flowcode program

• Open Flowcode.

• On the Startup screen, click on 'New project' to create a new flowchart.

• Add the icons shown in the flowchart:

• a loop icon, configured as an infinite loop, and within it:

• two Simulation macro icons ;
• a decision icon with:

• a 'Yes' loop containing an output icon, followed by a delay icon and then a calculation icon;
• a 'No' loop containing an output icon, followed by a delay icon and then a calculation icon;

450px

• Configure the icons, by double clicking on each in turn, as follows:

• the top Simulation macro:

• click on the 'Panel' tab, and then on the 'Position' folder;
• click on the 'MoveAlong' macro and:

• choose 'group2'(the intruder)as the Handle;
• choose 'shape1'( the brick wall) as the Axis;
• click on the down arrow on the end of the 'X' row, and create a floating point variable called "xpos", with an initial value 5.0;
• click on OK.

300px

• the second Simulation macro:

• click on the 'Panel' tab, and then on the 'Collision' folder;
• click on the 'TestSingle' macro and:

• choose 'shape2'(the detection cone) for 'Pos' and 'shape5' (the intruder's head,) for 'Test';

• use the down arrow at the end of the 'Return Value' box to create a boolean variable caled "hit" and use it for the Return Value.

• click on OK.

350px

• Flowcode

• Experienced

• Students

Adding supplementary code

This feature

Definitions and function declarations:

This is

Function implementations: