Basic project using Bluno and USB host shield

OK my project is very basic, take a USB HID keyboard and turn it into a Bluetooth HID keyboard. The reason I am doing this is because I am in the process of completing and Android tablet dash install into my car, replacing my cars stereo with an Android tablet. To retain the function of the steering wheel controls I purchased a device that converts my cars steering wheel controlls into a USB HID Keyboard. The device I bought is here rcjoycon.com/base_3/menu_10.php?com_board_basic=read_form&menu=10&com_board_idx=27 its the CarPC Joycon EXC. I want the install to be completely wireless. As of right now I have to physically plug that board into my android tablet via USB cable. I guess my question is will I be able to accomplish this with the Bluno and a USB shield? Would it be plug and play? The Bluno I bought from the site already has Bluetooth HID and the USB Host shield I purchased from the site also supports USB HID Keyboards.

Hi and welcome to our forums. Yes, what you describe should be possible. We found the following example that shows how to do the HID with the USB Host shield, and it looks really easy to modify:

We didn’t however find any examples for doing the Bluetooth HID with the Bluno. If you can find it either, we would recommend contacting DFRobot to ask them for one: [email protected]

Hope this helps and let us know how it goes!

Hi jarcand, thanks for the reply. I received my Bluno board and USB Host sheild today from RobotShop. I went to the DFRobot site and posted about my project but no one ever responded. I looked through the Bluno wiki hunt.net.nz/users/darran/weblog/ … rough.html. I am new to arduino and this is my first experience with arduino. I downloaded the arduino IDE which allowed me to setup the bluno using the serial monitor. My android tablet sees the bluno and pairs with it but does not recognize the keyboard while its connected to the USB host shield. I really don’t know where to begin with implementing the USB Keyboard passthrough tutorial using the bluno. Im not even sure if I have to program that USB host shield some how. I’m afraid im going to erase the Blunos software/memory if I follow the directions for the USB keyboard passthrough, it says its for the Arduino UNO. I also purchase an Arduino Uno R3 and another USB host sheild to play with. Again i am so new to arduino I’m still figuring out how it works. I want to accomplish the USB HID keyboard passthrough but with Bluetooth HID, thanks for the help.

How’s your project going? If you’re still at this step, I would recommend starting by getting the Bluno to communicate with your tablet using the keyboard bluetooth HID protocol. What you would need to do is make a program that sends some predefined keystrokes, such as doing ‘A’, ‘B’, ‘C’, and ‘D’. Once you get this working, it would be easy to integrate the existing sample code for the USB host shield to make it send the keys for the buttons that are actually pressed.

Unfortunately, we didn’t find the information to do the HID this with the Bluno. We would recommend contacting [email protected] and asking them for sample code that does Bluetooth HID, as described in the Specifications section of their wiki. We hope this helps.