The Nova Motor Controller is MRG’s motor control system utilizing micro-ROS. The Nova series of boards were created using Altium Designer.
Mini Nova was significantly revised for RoboSub. Notably, there is no radio receiver as remote operation is conducted over a tether. There is also more protection circuitry in this version.
Mini Nova was revised for RoboBoat 2024, with a secondary board for the remote control receiver, allowing it to be placed at a higher position for better radio connection.
Mini Nova was first developed for RoboBoat 2023, driving 6 Blue Robotics T200 motors in a holonomic H-drive configuration. This board saw the introduction of the Teensy 4.1 as the main microcontroller, replacing the Arduino Due. The reasoning for this is that the Teensy is Arduino-code compatible and has good micro-ROS support.
Super Nova was the first iteration of the motor control system, developed for the RobotX 2022 WAM-V system which utilized 4 12V trolling motors in a holonomic X-drive configuration. The interface to control the motors were 50A PWM modules from Amazon which were controlled via ICs emulating switches and potentiometers. In retrospect, it would have been simpler to utilize Talon SRX controllers.
The microcontroller was an Arduino DUE running micro-ROS and the PCB was milled FR1 board.
The box did, in fact, make it through TSA.