I'd like to build robot around my RPi 3. The outputs would be a couple of basic electric motors and a pan-tilt unit. Inputs will be three line followers and an ultrasonic rangefinder. From what I've read it would be best not to control the motors and servos from the Pi for various reasons and so I'm looking for a controller that can run all my inputs and outputs and be controlled from the Pi.
I'm aware of the RasPiRobot but it doesn't seem to handle all the inputs and outputs I want.
The Gopigo seems a closer fit and is available with a convenient kit.
The DAGU Mini Arduino Motor Driver Control Board looks like it has everything but I have never used Arduino. Presumably it can be programmed and controlled by the Pi? Does anyone have any experience with this board?
Are there any other options I should consider? Please could you let me know what you think I should buy and any other advice for a first time hacker.
Thank you!
lots of options
Since the Pi runs Linux, it can run the Arduino tools.
There are more stratagies for using Pi’s and Arduino’s for robotics than there are identified planets in the heavens and the numberf or both seem to be going up monthly.
I haven’t connected my Pi with any of my Arduinos yet, but I’ve done it with a Beaglebone and Odroid XU4. I prefer using the serial ports for communications between the two. I’ve found USB commmunication between an embedded linux system and an Arduino to fail every now and then. It mostly seems to be related to which device powers up when. It seems to throw off the USB enuneration.
My best advice; if you want to connect up to an Arduino, get one first, play around with it and the IDE. You might even consider trying to build a basic robot with just an Arduino.
Note: If your planning to put a Pi3 on your robot, consider using the largest platform you can afford. Even if you’re just adding a few sensors, the Pi3 is relativly power hungry (batteries and maybe a regulator). and you might want to give yourself some headroom for adding other features in the future like speakers, a camera, mic etc.
Which platform
Thanks for the great advice. Which platform(s) do you recommend? I was thinking of getting a Pi2Go which is quite small because the Pi2Go board seems to support everything I need.
I want to us a Pi because I’m planning on using OpenCV and the Pi camera but I don’t want the Pi to run the motors and servos.
Any thoughts?
