Intake IR Sensor

Another common component of an intake is a sensor used to detect when game pieces enter it. Example code can be seen below:

Example Code

package frc.robot.subsystems.intake;
 
import edu.wpi.first.wpilibj.DigitalInput;
import frc.robot.constants.DIOConstants.*;
 
public class IntakeIRSensor extends SubsystemBase {
  /** Creates a new BreakBeamSensor. */
  private final DigitalInput receiverIntake;
 
  public IntakeIRSensor() {
    receiverIntake = new DigitalInput(SensorConstants.intakeBreakBeamReceiverPort);
 
    setupShuffleboard();
  }
 
  @Override
  public void setupShuffleboard() {
    tab.add("BreakBeam", receiverIntake);
  }
 
  @Override
  public void periodic() {
  }
 
  public boolean getBeamBroken() {
    return beamBrokenIntake.get();
  }
 
}

Code Explanation

This class represents a subsystem for an infrared (IR) break-beam sensor in the robot's intake system. It monitors whether the beam is broken, which helps detect if the intake has successfully captured a game piece.

Constructor (`IntakeIRSensor`):

Initializes the break-beam sensor (receiverIntake) using the port specified in SensorConstants.intakeBreakBeamReceiverPort.
Calls setupShuffleboard() to display the sensor status on the Shuffleboard.

💡

A typical IR break beam sensor is made of 2 parts: The Transmitter and the Reciever. The Transmitter does not have to be coded, as it only needs to be powered by the robot. On the other hand, the Reciever does need to be coded, as it is here.

Key Methods:

getBeamBroken():
- Purpose: This method checks whether the IR sensor's beam is broken (i.e., if an object has interrupted the beam).
- Implementation: It reads the sensor state through beamBrokenIntake.get(). If the beam is broken (an object is detected), it returns true; otherwise, it returns false.
setupShuffleboard():
- Purpose: This method sets up the sensor's data to be displayed on the robot's Shuffleboard.
- Implementation: It adds the IR sensor (receiverIntake) to the Shuffleboard under the label "BreakBeam", allowing anyone to see the sensor's status in real-time.

Conclusion

The above example code details a basic implementation of an IR break-beam sensor for our purpose of programming an intake subsystem. This part of the intake does not require a command, as we are simply reading the value from the sensor and nothing more.

Wrist Intake Wheels