Taking another stab at webcontrol…
So after a long hiatus (partially due to picky Arduino drivers on my Ubuntu machine/partially due to the lack of new features being added to the Johnny5 Library) I’m taking another stab at controlling the rover from a web-based interface…
There are several recent developments in the realm of embedded linux that open up new possibilities for this project.
1. Beaglebone Black- BB has always been out there for those looking for more punch than an Arduino can provide. But at over $100 it was pretty much limited to experts and/or professionals willing to make the investment. With the BBB they are providing similar functionality to the original, but by bringing the price down to $45, they are now a legitimate competitor for the Raspberry Pi/MicroPC space. For my own project needs the BBB appeals through its combination of computing power (enough to run Ubuntu or Android) and the equivalent of two 32Bit Micrcontrollers. Most importantly is the fact that it runs on node.js by default so no more need for installing node on the Pi… The biggest drawback so far is the tiny developer community in comparison with Arduino or RPi. Hopefully this will change with time, but the manufacturers have to be more proactive in making it more accessible to the average Arduino/Pi user. As it stands now its very difficult to find other projects using the BBB in robotics, even though theres no shortage of articles claiming how perfectly suited it is.
2. pcDuino/other Android-based MiniPCs- Maker Blogs were all over these Chinese-made Allwinner A10-based Android sticks a year ago as “Raspberry Pi Killers”… Well… the RPi seems to be alive and well the last I checked, and the reason again comes down to RPi’s understanding of documentation and community building. The A10 MiniPCs on the other hand often come from generic manufacturers with no documentation whatsoever. A major exception can be found through sparkfun.com and is known as the pcDuino (http://www.pcduino.com/). The pcDuino is based on an A10 chip, but also includes a UART and headers to interface directly with Arduino shields. It ships with Ubuntu by default but can also boot Ubuntu or anything other Linux Distro. While probably not as sturdy as a BBB, I’ve found knowledge gained from using Arduino and the RPi translates well. Compared to the Pi, it works much better with Arduino which means users wouldnt have to learn an entirely new language like on the BBB. Major drawbacks are its reliance on a cheap Chinese chipset and buggy interface. Overall I’d put my money on the pcDuino for the short term and the BBB in the long term.
3. Arduino Yun- Despite vague promises of a release date in June, this board has yet to be released (as of 7/30/13). Nevertheless, it shows great promise! Not only is it a sub-$100 wifi shield for the Arduino, but it includes a Linux “system-on-a-chip” Who knows what the future will bring, but IMHO the YUN exemplifies all the qualities that made Arduino so dominant in the maker world in the first place. Rather than try to compete with the RPi and MiniPCs they come up with something that builds on their strengths while providing new capabilities. I’ll definitely be watching this one closely…
4. Ouya (?) - Admittedly an unconventional use case for a game console, but the Android platform is already playing double duty as a robotics client (see- http://www.bitcraze.se/2013/07/crazyflie-and-android/) and with the controller alone providing a potential wireless gamepad option (whereas proprietary controllers often require confusing bluetooth configurations…). Usage as a home automation dashboard is already well underway, so robotics applications should not be too much of a stretch…
5. Raspberry Pi Camera Module While not as much of a departure from the original project goal, the RPi Camera module nonetheless adds new capabilities by connecting through the CSI bridge directly to the RPi rather than through a USB port. This would allow room for a wifi dongle, and communication to Arduino directly through the USB instead of through the GPIO. Still the module has its limitations in the fragile nature of its thin connection band. This would probably prevent use of the servo turret…
