Hi
I am currently working on a task set to me. We have 3 spider bots controlled by the mini-ABB board. I have been tasked to replace the wireless playstation controller with a laptop.
Obviously i have looked into diff ideas, as i am new to this i wondered if there is an obv way??
I thought of using the rs232 to a usb into laptop.
How do i get tech specs on what i need to wire,program etc
Any help/advice/suggestions be greatly appreciated
Tim
are you looking for a wired or wireless solution between the laptop and the bot?
Are the bots programmed with code generated with PowerPod? If so you just need to change the settings in PowerPod to the serial control method instead of the PS2 version. Then you can use a bluetooth or zigbee modem to get communication from the PC to the Bot Board. PowerPod has a manual that covers this pretty well. There is also a C++ demo program for the PC with source code. PowerPod is a free download from the website. Hope this helps…
My mini dell laptop has been requested to sit on the bot itself so using the info above and my own beginner research, i can use the serial connection window with a serial to usb lead into the laptop sat on the bot??
Sounds good to me?
I obv use the serial interface to control the robot as it look to me like the playstation controller is just replicated in this pc window?
Next part of task is to connect a webcam to laptop and do some traingulation/navigation using image processin but we will save that till another day 
If i didnt want to use the serial window as it has been suggested i write my own controller program in matlab, is that relatively easy?
Thanks for the posts
Tim
The sample program includes the source code so you can see what is required to send commands to the robot. I have no experience with matlab, but there are other posts here from people who have used it. Good luck with your project.
Im not liking the matlab idea anymore! Any suggestions as to what the best (Easiest) software would be if i wanted to create my own GUI, i.e not Powerpod
PowerPod is not a GUI. It’s what creates the program for the Atom chip. You have already been told about the program that emulates the PS2 controller. The source code is even provided. I don’t know of an easier way to develop a custom way to control the robot (GUI). Does anyone working on the project have C programming experience?
If the dell mini laptop is going to be on the bot itself, then remote control from another computer should be fairly easy using wifi. As to a GUI, a web based GUI could be used, or various forms of remote desktop sharing (VNC and similar programs) could be used to control the standard bot software on the mini laptop. Early development could be done just connecting the mini laptop to the bot with thin wires. The mini laptops are down to $299 now, so they may make a nice control interface for the larger bots.
Hi guys
I have been offered a Velleman-kit K8055 board to connect my dell laptop to the bot. This seems a complicated way around the connection when a simple usb to serial lead will do.
Anyone had any experience with this kit?
Thanks
For the k8055 board, you will have to be able to utilize dll programming to communicate with the board. What do you want to use the board for on the bot? The ssc-32 servo controller is fairly flexable for doing other things besides controlling servos.
He is hinting that i should use this as my interface between usb on my laptop and serial on the bot. Surely the usb to serial lead is easier??
Why would you want to do it the easy way when you can get sucked into spending 100x the amount of time doing something like writing device drivers for big, kludgy, experiment boards instead of just plugging it in and working with the robot(s)? It’s always much more fun to work on the minutia of an abstract detail that’s been an off the shelf super in-expensive item for nearly a decade now then to drop $20 and work with hardware that not only just works but allows you do higher level thought process design with highly tangible and demonstrable results that lay persons can appreciate. 
I quite agree!!
lynxmotion.com/images/html/build125.htm
Using this link i am going to purchase a bluetooth board for my Hexapod.
Choose one of these modules:
Bluetooth Modem BlueSMiRF (Int. ceramic ant.) (WRL-00582)
Bluetooth Modem BlueSMiRF RP-SMA (Ext. ant.) (WRL-00158)
2.4GHz Duck Antenna RP-SMA (WRL-00145).
Is there any difference between the products?
I think im just going to purchase the WRL-00582, this will act as a bluetooth medium between my robot and the bluetooth installed on my mini laptop?
Thanks
My Guess is electronically they are the same, but the one with the external Antenna will have a slightly longer range.
Kurt
Hi guys
I have ordered my bluetotth module as above. I am trying to order the cables to connect it at $2 each. (Power and data)
Just went through order process and they quoted $78 delivery for 2x$2 cables!!
Does anyone know of a uk supplier??
Thanks
Fantastic
Cheers
hey guys
Ive been trawling the forums for help.
I got my KEYSPAN USB-SERIAL lead today so i removed the ps2 wireless controller and clagged up. tried powerpod and it doesnt work. Im not naive enough to think it was a simple swap and click so can anyone point me in right direction?
Green light is solid on the hexapod
Green light blinks on Keyspan lead
Cheers
