Test OpenSprints Electronics

Follow these instructions if the software doesn't seem to be responding when the people pedal. This step by-passes the software to see if the hardware is sending data to the computer.

Connect all the hardware together: the sensors connected to the interface board with ethernet cables, the programmed Arduino mounted on the interface board, and the Arduino connected to the computer with a USB cable.

Make sure the sensor blinks when the magnet passes by. If it doesn't that means the magnet is too far away from the sensor or it isn't facing the right way (AKA Polarity: North and South Poles). Fix that first.

Setup for testing under MacOS
  1. Run terminal
  2. Arduino Uno: Type "screen /dev/cu.usbmodemXXXXXXXX 115200" replace XXXXXXXX for the value shown in the Arduino IDE
Setup for testing under Linux
  1. Run gtkterm
  2. Configure the port (Configuration -> Port) and select the following values:
    • Port: /dev/ttyUSB0
    • Speed: 115200
    • Parity: none
    • Bits: 8
    • Stopbits: 1
    • Flow Control: none
    • End of line delay: 0
Setup for testing under Windows
  1. Install and run PuTTY.
  2. With the Arduino connect to the PC, go to Hardware Manager and determine which COM port the Arduino is connected to.
  3. Configure the port:
    • Click on the Serial radio button.
    • COM?, as determined in previous step.
Running a fake race

Once the chosen terminal is configured as per the previous step, you should see a cursor with nothing going on. Type the letter 'g' on the keyboard. Nothing should happen for a few seconds (during the countdown - "4, 3, 2, 1, 0, go!"). Then you should see a stream of numbers and letters filling the screen.

This is an example of what you might see in the terminal at an instant:


1: 0
2: 0
3: 0
4: 0
t: 15311

Test the hardware by waving a magnet in front of the hall effect sensor. (Turn the magnet around until the tick LED flashes. That will be the correct orientation of the magnet.)

Every time you wave a magnet in front of the hall effect sensor you will see the number following the corresponding sensor increment. So if you caused a tick on sensor 2, the following report will look like this:

1: 0
2: 1
3: 0
4: 0
t: 15562

At this point, if all the sensors are behaving as expected, and if you were troubleshooting an issue -- the problem is with the software configuration.

Complete Testing Process
  1. Program the arduino with firmware.
  2. Test each RJ45 port on each sensor as it's completed to make sure the White LED lights up when the magnet passes by the HE. The default Arduino [[firmware]] will light up both the Green and Red LEDs when it has power, the OpenSprints [[firmware]] will only light up the Red LED.
  3. Full system integration test
    • Connect all 4 sensors to the interface board.
    • Run a serial monitor program (Arduino environment, putty, gtkterm, etc.)
    • Run the magnet by each of the sensors and make sure messages sent from interface board correspond to the ticks that you are creating on the HE's.
    • Verify the Stop/Go LEDs. (or you could verify the stop/go lights in step 2 if you want).