.NET robotics controller
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I was really hoping to get away from the range limitations imposed by direct radio control. Bluetooth would fit into this category. I know this sort of rules out 98% of the traditional hobbyist/model shop hardware on the market but there are a some consumer products like the Rovio that are starting to use the internet for control.
www.it-workplace.com
"If a man speaks in a forest where there is no woman to hear him, is he still wrong?"linking to a phone via bluebooth might be simpler than getting a phoneboard directly.
Did you ever see history portrayed as an old man with a wise brow and pulseless heart, waging all things in the balance of reason? Is not rather the genius of history like an eternal, imploring maiden, full of fire, with a burning heart and flaming soul, humanly warm and humanly beautiful? --Zachris Topelius
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I have a robotics project that I would like to have a go at with my son but I have no idea how to get started on sourcing hardware so I thought I would ask . Basically I would like to build a remote control vehicle BUT rather than use standard radio control I would like to use a mobile phone as the controller via the internet. The logic behind this is that it would be possible to control the robot from any location and not be limited by the range of an individual radio device - a bit like the Rovio robot. To do this I am going to need some kind of controller that can connect to the internet, preferably using mobile technology rather than wireless networking, and which can handle control of servos plus video streaming. Not being a hardware guy I am having trouble working out what to search for (assuming that such technology exists). My skill set is .NET so something that can be made to work via web services would be ideal. Obviously the further we get away from .NET the longer the learning curve is likely to be (my son is 14 so we need to be able to get results at a reasonable rate to keep his interest). So - does anyone out there in codeproject land have any thoughts on where to source hardware for this kind of project?
www.it-workplace.com
"If a man speaks in a forest where there is no woman to hear him, is he still wrong?"There are quite a few options out there for you, to varying degrees of difficulty for the first time user. If you are REALLY into using C# and Visual Studio for this, I would suggest checking out the Netduino[]. This is a simple micro controller that has the .NET Micro Framework in it. You can code and debug it directly from Visual Studio. Then you could hook it up to a WP7 device somehow. (Not terribly sure how you would do it, maybe hook up a bluetooth shield to the Netduino to communicate with the phone?) The other option (non C# option) would be to use the Arduino[] for the project. The language is C based, so not too far of a jump for you. You could then hook it up to an Android handest with something like Amarino[] (Android-meets-Arduino). This is using bluetooth to connect the devices. The benefit you are going to get from this solution is that there is a MUCH larger community out there for Arduino and Andriod projects than going the C# route. I'm sure as a first timer you would probably like some assistance in the future, and have this larger community would be a big help to you. (even if you do have to spend a bit more time learning the language). Both of these options are relatively cheap. The boards are in the under $40 range, a bluetooth shield would be similarly priced.
"It's like the sixties, but with less hope."
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There is a very cut-down version of .NET for embedded processors that gives you access to the chip's ports, but you could also look at vanilla Arduino, which has lots of shields (boards for different purposes) which might be more straightforward, and you can talk to it via USB out-of-the-box for PC comms.
I had a look at some of the Arduino material over the weekend but couldn't see anything that would handle the internet connection from the robot end of the job. Part of the problem may be that I am simply not familiar with the terminology used by the electronics community so I don't know what to search for. In other words am I looking for a "GSM/3G 5Ghz transcombobulator"
www.it-workplace.com
"If a man speaks in a forest where there is no woman to hear him, is he still wrong?" -
I had a look at some of the Arduino material over the weekend but couldn't see anything that would handle the internet connection from the robot end of the job. Part of the problem may be that I am simply not familiar with the terminology used by the electronics community so I don't know what to search for. In other words am I looking for a "GSM/3G 5Ghz transcombobulator"
www.it-workplace.com
"If a man speaks in a forest where there is no woman to hear him, is he still wrong?" -
There are quite a few options out there for you, to varying degrees of difficulty for the first time user. If you are REALLY into using C# and Visual Studio for this, I would suggest checking out the Netduino[]. This is a simple micro controller that has the .NET Micro Framework in it. You can code and debug it directly from Visual Studio. Then you could hook it up to a WP7 device somehow. (Not terribly sure how you would do it, maybe hook up a bluetooth shield to the Netduino to communicate with the phone?) The other option (non C# option) would be to use the Arduino[] for the project. The language is C based, so not too far of a jump for you. You could then hook it up to an Android handest with something like Amarino[] (Android-meets-Arduino). This is using bluetooth to connect the devices. The benefit you are going to get from this solution is that there is a MUCH larger community out there for Arduino and Andriod projects than going the C# route. I'm sure as a first timer you would probably like some assistance in the future, and have this larger community would be a big help to you. (even if you do have to spend a bit more time learning the language). Both of these options are relatively cheap. The boards are in the under $40 range, a bluetooth shield would be similarly priced.
"It's like the sixties, but with less hope."
I like the look of Netduino - thanks It looks like they have a pretty active community so maybe I will ask some questions there and see if they think I am mad....
www.it-workplace.com
"If a man speaks in a forest where there is no woman to hear him, is he still wrong?" -
I have a robotics project that I would like to have a go at with my son but I have no idea how to get started on sourcing hardware so I thought I would ask . Basically I would like to build a remote control vehicle BUT rather than use standard radio control I would like to use a mobile phone as the controller via the internet. The logic behind this is that it would be possible to control the robot from any location and not be limited by the range of an individual radio device - a bit like the Rovio robot. To do this I am going to need some kind of controller that can connect to the internet, preferably using mobile technology rather than wireless networking, and which can handle control of servos plus video streaming. Not being a hardware guy I am having trouble working out what to search for (assuming that such technology exists). My skill set is .NET so something that can be made to work via web services would be ideal. Obviously the further we get away from .NET the longer the learning curve is likely to be (my son is 14 so we need to be able to get results at a reasonable rate to keep his interest). So - does anyone out there in codeproject land have any thoughts on where to source hardware for this kind of project?
www.it-workplace.com
"If a man speaks in a forest where there is no woman to hear him, is he still wrong?"Good luck... I've always wanted to get into robotics, but I just don't have enough motivation to actually do it... I want to set up a tracked robot arm with a camera and image recognition to play board games with my friends and me... I mean ACTUAL board games on a table, not on a screen. Kind of like the Surface, but ten times as geeky.
Proud to have finally moved to the A-Ark. Which one are you in?
Author of the Guardians Saga (Sci-Fi/Fantasy novels) -
Yes, that looks like the sort of thing I am after. Funnily enough I came across the following description of a similar module to the core unit in your link. The person who wrote this description is using a different language that looks a bit like English but contains many new constructs and acronyms that I will no doubt have to learn....... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The GE865 is one of the smallest GSM/GPRS Ball-Grid-Array (BGA) GPRS modules in the market. The low profile and small size of the unique BGA package for the GE865-QUAD enables the design of teeny-weeny applications. Since connectors are eliminated, the solution cost is significantly reduced compared to conventional mounting. With its ultra-compact design and extended temperature range, the Telit GE865 product line is the perfect platform for high-volume M2M applications and mobile data devices. Additional features such as integrated TCP/IP protocol stack and serial multiplexer extend functionality of the application at no additional cost. State-of-the-art ADCs, DACs and GPIOs provide connectivity to external peripherals such as sensors and displays. This smaller SMD module requires an external SIM card socket and external Antenna Connection (50Ohm). This module interfaces through ******3V***** CMOS logic levels. You must not use 5V levels. We recommend a simple voltage divider or equivalent logic level translation circuit.
www.it-workplace.com
"If a man speaks in a forest where there is no woman to hear him, is he still wrong?" -
I have a robotics project that I would like to have a go at with my son but I have no idea how to get started on sourcing hardware so I thought I would ask . Basically I would like to build a remote control vehicle BUT rather than use standard radio control I would like to use a mobile phone as the controller via the internet. The logic behind this is that it would be possible to control the robot from any location and not be limited by the range of an individual radio device - a bit like the Rovio robot. To do this I am going to need some kind of controller that can connect to the internet, preferably using mobile technology rather than wireless networking, and which can handle control of servos plus video streaming. Not being a hardware guy I am having trouble working out what to search for (assuming that such technology exists). My skill set is .NET so something that can be made to work via web services would be ideal. Obviously the further we get away from .NET the longer the learning curve is likely to be (my son is 14 so we need to be able to get results at a reasonable rate to keep his interest). So - does anyone out there in codeproject land have any thoughts on where to source hardware for this kind of project?
www.it-workplace.com
"If a man speaks in a forest where there is no woman to hear him, is he still wrong?"Why not put together a simple barebone PC as controller for your robot? All it would need for the webservice is a UMTS stick. But what does the robot do when the connection is lost? Simply shut down? Try to reestablish the connection? And a webservice is a one way thing and must run on a server. How do you want to send commands to the robot? Another webservice? Do you really want to build something like a mobile server? The idea is good, but I would not use webservices. I would still use the internet connection, but with a simple bidirectional protocol using sockets. It would be less comfortable and you would have to program all serialization and deserialization code yourself, but at least you would not be bound to HTTP and its request/response protocol. Both the PC and the robot would be listening on one port and sending on a second one at the same time.
"Dark the dark side is. Very dark..." - Yoda ---
"Shut up, Yoda, and just make yourself another toast." - Obi Wan Kenobi -
I have a robotics project that I would like to have a go at with my son but I have no idea how to get started on sourcing hardware so I thought I would ask . Basically I would like to build a remote control vehicle BUT rather than use standard radio control I would like to use a mobile phone as the controller via the internet. The logic behind this is that it would be possible to control the robot from any location and not be limited by the range of an individual radio device - a bit like the Rovio robot. To do this I am going to need some kind of controller that can connect to the internet, preferably using mobile technology rather than wireless networking, and which can handle control of servos plus video streaming. Not being a hardware guy I am having trouble working out what to search for (assuming that such technology exists). My skill set is .NET so something that can be made to work via web services would be ideal. Obviously the further we get away from .NET the longer the learning curve is likely to be (my son is 14 so we need to be able to get results at a reasonable rate to keep his interest). So - does anyone out there in codeproject land have any thoughts on where to source hardware for this kind of project?
www.it-workplace.com
"If a man speaks in a forest where there is no woman to hear him, is he still wrong?"Have you thought about using two phones for this? You could get a cheap smartphone with 3G, disassemble it and use its board for the internet connectivity. Then you could create an application that uses the smartphone sensors and you could try to map the output generated by the sensors and use it to control the toy.
"To alcohol! The cause of, and solution to, all of life's problems" - Homer Simpson
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I have a robotics project that I would like to have a go at with my son but I have no idea how to get started on sourcing hardware so I thought I would ask . Basically I would like to build a remote control vehicle BUT rather than use standard radio control I would like to use a mobile phone as the controller via the internet. The logic behind this is that it would be possible to control the robot from any location and not be limited by the range of an individual radio device - a bit like the Rovio robot. To do this I am going to need some kind of controller that can connect to the internet, preferably using mobile technology rather than wireless networking, and which can handle control of servos plus video streaming. Not being a hardware guy I am having trouble working out what to search for (assuming that such technology exists). My skill set is .NET so something that can be made to work via web services would be ideal. Obviously the further we get away from .NET the longer the learning curve is likely to be (my son is 14 so we need to be able to get results at a reasonable rate to keep his interest). So - does anyone out there in codeproject land have any thoughts on where to source hardware for this kind of project?
www.it-workplace.com
"If a man speaks in a forest where there is no woman to hear him, is he still wrong?"I have worked with this for a little bit now and I think it will probably do everything you want at a reasonable price. http://www.ghielectronics.com/catalog/[^] The electronics work with the .NET Micro Framework which can be a little annoying to work with but it is very easy to get prototypes and projects up and running.
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I have a robotics project that I would like to have a go at with my son but I have no idea how to get started on sourcing hardware so I thought I would ask . Basically I would like to build a remote control vehicle BUT rather than use standard radio control I would like to use a mobile phone as the controller via the internet. The logic behind this is that it would be possible to control the robot from any location and not be limited by the range of an individual radio device - a bit like the Rovio robot. To do this I am going to need some kind of controller that can connect to the internet, preferably using mobile technology rather than wireless networking, and which can handle control of servos plus video streaming. Not being a hardware guy I am having trouble working out what to search for (assuming that such technology exists). My skill set is .NET so something that can be made to work via web services would be ideal. Obviously the further we get away from .NET the longer the learning curve is likely to be (my son is 14 so we need to be able to get results at a reasonable rate to keep his interest). So - does anyone out there in codeproject land have any thoughts on where to source hardware for this kind of project?
www.it-workplace.com
"If a man speaks in a forest where there is no woman to hear him, is he still wrong?"GHI also produces a variety of .Net Micro Framework boards. I've used their Domino board before. It did what I needed and they provide pretty good documentation. http://www.ghielectronics.com/catalog/compare/[^] You might also want to check out this book if you haven't worked with the Micro Framework before. http://www.amazon.com/Expert-Micro-Framework-Experts-Voice/dp/1430223871/[^]
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I have a robotics project that I would like to have a go at with my son but I have no idea how to get started on sourcing hardware so I thought I would ask . Basically I would like to build a remote control vehicle BUT rather than use standard radio control I would like to use a mobile phone as the controller via the internet. The logic behind this is that it would be possible to control the robot from any location and not be limited by the range of an individual radio device - a bit like the Rovio robot. To do this I am going to need some kind of controller that can connect to the internet, preferably using mobile technology rather than wireless networking, and which can handle control of servos plus video streaming. Not being a hardware guy I am having trouble working out what to search for (assuming that such technology exists). My skill set is .NET so something that can be made to work via web services would be ideal. Obviously the further we get away from .NET the longer the learning curve is likely to be (my son is 14 so we need to be able to get results at a reasonable rate to keep his interest). So - does anyone out there in codeproject land have any thoughts on where to source hardware for this kind of project?
www.it-workplace.com
"If a man speaks in a forest where there is no woman to hear him, is he still wrong?"Interesting. My son and I are working on a similar project. We are building a robot with a camera that can be controlled from the Internet. So, we can drive around and look inside our home while we aren't there. We started with this: http://www.ghielectronics.com/catalog/product/140[^] Have a look at that or consider .NET Gadgeteer which is brand new on the scene! http://www.ghielectronics.com/catalog/category/265/[^] http://netmf.com/gadgeteer/[^] My son (12 years old) is so excited about the project that he's been writing c# code on paper at school to program the robot and then when he gets home he cracks open the laptop, codes it with VS2010 and deploys it to the robot. Pretty cool.
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I have a robotics project that I would like to have a go at with my son but I have no idea how to get started on sourcing hardware so I thought I would ask . Basically I would like to build a remote control vehicle BUT rather than use standard radio control I would like to use a mobile phone as the controller via the internet. The logic behind this is that it would be possible to control the robot from any location and not be limited by the range of an individual radio device - a bit like the Rovio robot. To do this I am going to need some kind of controller that can connect to the internet, preferably using mobile technology rather than wireless networking, and which can handle control of servos plus video streaming. Not being a hardware guy I am having trouble working out what to search for (assuming that such technology exists). My skill set is .NET so something that can be made to work via web services would be ideal. Obviously the further we get away from .NET the longer the learning curve is likely to be (my son is 14 so we need to be able to get results at a reasonable rate to keep his interest). So - does anyone out there in codeproject land have any thoughts on where to source hardware for this kind of project?
www.it-workplace.com
"If a man speaks in a forest where there is no woman to hear him, is he still wrong?"I second the Netduino[^] option. I've built several projects with it. Very easy to use.
Adam Benoit Quality Assurance Analyst 1shoppingcart.com / Web.com
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Have you thought about using two phones for this? You could get a cheap smartphone with 3G, disassemble it and use its board for the internet connectivity. Then you could create an application that uses the smartphone sensors and you could try to map the output generated by the sensors and use it to control the toy.
"To alcohol! The cause of, and solution to, all of life's problems" - Homer Simpson
You have arrived at the same point that I reached earlier today. Having looked at many web sites selling accelerometers, GPS units, compasses etc it dawned on me that I already had all those things packaged up neatly in my HTC mobile. Plus there is the big advantage that I know how to program for Windows Mobile 7 (at least I have played around with a GPS application). I am now doing the research on how to drive the hardware (servos, motors etc.) from the phone. I may still need to use something like a netduino board for this but it should be a lot simpler than the monster I was looking at yesterday......
www.it-workplace.com
"If a man speaks in a forest where there is no woman to hear him, is he still wrong?" -
You have arrived at the same point that I reached earlier today. Having looked at many web sites selling accelerometers, GPS units, compasses etc it dawned on me that I already had all those things packaged up neatly in my HTC mobile. Plus there is the big advantage that I know how to program for Windows Mobile 7 (at least I have played around with a GPS application). I am now doing the research on how to drive the hardware (servos, motors etc.) from the phone. I may still need to use something like a netduino board for this but it should be a lot simpler than the monster I was looking at yesterday......
www.it-workplace.com
"If a man speaks in a forest where there is no woman to hear him, is he still wrong?"Andrew Wiles wrote:
I know how to program for Windows Mobile 7
Exactly
Andrew Wiles wrote:
I am now doing the research on how to drive the hardware (servos, motors etc.) from the phone.
That's probably gonna be fun, but the hardest part I think will be to connect the very small pins on the phone.
Andrew Wiles wrote:
I may still need to use something like a netduino board for this but it should be a lot simpler than the monster I was looking at yesterday......
It shouldn't be difficult if you have a little knowledge on microcontroles and some logic port notions.
"To alcohol! The cause of, and solution to, all of life's problems" - Homer Simpson
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Interesting. My son and I are working on a similar project. We are building a robot with a camera that can be controlled from the Internet. So, we can drive around and look inside our home while we aren't there. We started with this: http://www.ghielectronics.com/catalog/product/140[^] Have a look at that or consider .NET Gadgeteer which is brand new on the scene! http://www.ghielectronics.com/catalog/category/265/[^] http://netmf.com/gadgeteer/[^] My son (12 years old) is so excited about the project that he's been writing c# code on paper at school to program the robot and then when he gets home he cracks open the laptop, codes it with VS2010 and deploys it to the robot. Pretty cool.
Thanks Brent I am hoping that I can generate a similar level of enthusiasm in my son. There is always the danger that this sort of project becomes "dad's project" so I need to try and pitch the entry level and target carefully. I am sure we will both learn something!
www.it-workplace.com
"If a man speaks in a forest where there is no woman to hear him, is he still wrong?" -
Thanks Brent I am hoping that I can generate a similar level of enthusiasm in my son. There is always the danger that this sort of project becomes "dad's project" so I need to try and pitch the entry level and target carefully. I am sure we will both learn something!
www.it-workplace.com
"If a man speaks in a forest where there is no woman to hear him, is he still wrong?"Very true. It can easily become dad's project if you aren't careful. My son helped me build the robot but it became my task to update the firmware on it before we could deploy code to it. Looking back, I should have had him more involved with the firmware update too.
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I have a robotics project that I would like to have a go at with my son but I have no idea how to get started on sourcing hardware so I thought I would ask . Basically I would like to build a remote control vehicle BUT rather than use standard radio control I would like to use a mobile phone as the controller via the internet. The logic behind this is that it would be possible to control the robot from any location and not be limited by the range of an individual radio device - a bit like the Rovio robot. To do this I am going to need some kind of controller that can connect to the internet, preferably using mobile technology rather than wireless networking, and which can handle control of servos plus video streaming. Not being a hardware guy I am having trouble working out what to search for (assuming that such technology exists). My skill set is .NET so something that can be made to work via web services would be ideal. Obviously the further we get away from .NET the longer the learning curve is likely to be (my son is 14 so we need to be able to get results at a reasonable rate to keep his interest). So - does anyone out there in codeproject land have any thoughts on where to source hardware for this kind of project?
www.it-workplace.com
"If a man speaks in a forest where there is no woman to hear him, is he still wrong?"You might find the below links interesting (its basically Microsoft's answer to arduino): http://gadgeteer.codeplex.com/[^] http://www.netmf.com/gadgeteer/[^] http://www.ghielectronics.com/catalog/product/297[^]
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I have a robotics project that I would like to have a go at with my son but I have no idea how to get started on sourcing hardware so I thought I would ask . Basically I would like to build a remote control vehicle BUT rather than use standard radio control I would like to use a mobile phone as the controller via the internet. The logic behind this is that it would be possible to control the robot from any location and not be limited by the range of an individual radio device - a bit like the Rovio robot. To do this I am going to need some kind of controller that can connect to the internet, preferably using mobile technology rather than wireless networking, and which can handle control of servos plus video streaming. Not being a hardware guy I am having trouble working out what to search for (assuming that such technology exists). My skill set is .NET so something that can be made to work via web services would be ideal. Obviously the further we get away from .NET the longer the learning curve is likely to be (my son is 14 so we need to be able to get results at a reasonable rate to keep his interest). So - does anyone out there in codeproject land have any thoughts on where to source hardware for this kind of project?
www.it-workplace.com
"If a man speaks in a forest where there is no woman to hear him, is he still wrong?"check this out .net micro framework gadgeteer http://netmf.com/gadgeteer/[^]
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I have a robotics project that I would like to have a go at with my son but I have no idea how to get started on sourcing hardware so I thought I would ask . Basically I would like to build a remote control vehicle BUT rather than use standard radio control I would like to use a mobile phone as the controller via the internet. The logic behind this is that it would be possible to control the robot from any location and not be limited by the range of an individual radio device - a bit like the Rovio robot. To do this I am going to need some kind of controller that can connect to the internet, preferably using mobile technology rather than wireless networking, and which can handle control of servos plus video streaming. Not being a hardware guy I am having trouble working out what to search for (assuming that such technology exists). My skill set is .NET so something that can be made to work via web services would be ideal. Obviously the further we get away from .NET the longer the learning curve is likely to be (my son is 14 so we need to be able to get results at a reasonable rate to keep his interest). So - does anyone out there in codeproject land have any thoughts on where to source hardware for this kind of project?
www.it-workplace.com
"If a man speaks in a forest where there is no woman to hear him, is he still wrong?"