I decided to make a teach pendant for the arms. It will be a simple tactile switch matrix on a small enclosure with a PC board to convert to USB. Does anyone have any experience with companies that do this sort of thing. I’m looking for a state side solution that will not cost an arm and a leg.
Some of the small enclosure companies, PacTec, for example make small enclosures and matching keypads.
For the USB, the “USB Bit Whacker” could easily get you a PCB. Code, and the free MicroChip compiler are available. Even the schematic and board layout are provided, and I believe they encourage copying! Actually, it’s just a reference design anyway.
sparkfun.com/commerce/product_info.php?products_id=762
Alan KM6VV
There is no need for a display or even led’s. I’m liking the following enclosures from Pactec. I won’t order white though… decent pricing at 1000 and 2500! 
http://www.pactecenclosures.com/images/PP.jpg
http://www.pactecenclosures.com/images/SH.jpg
The control board will be easy.
You can save money by ordering sets of 2 in samples, just pay shipping. 2 samples per order. Just something to keep in mind.
I’m always looking for ways to save money.
Nah, he can get free samples!
Alan KM6VV
Here is what I came up with over the weekend.
The top are 3 F buttons with nothing specific at the moment. May use them for changing which arm is being controlled. The next 6 buttons take care of the main 3DOF arm movements. Z is up and down, X is side to side, represented as base rotate, and Y is in and out.
The next 6 buttons take care of opening and closing the gripper, rotating the wrist, and changing the wrist angle relative to the ground plane.
The next 6 buttons are for program editing. Step back, stop, step forward, X step delete, + add a step, and = means to overwrite a step. The Go is servo enable, the R is rapid movement, and the Stop sign is Emergency Stop.
We will wrap these buttons into our control program. When we are happy with them we will make the actual hardware. 8)
That’s awesome, but how are you going to connect the buttons? Will it just be those soft buttons that feel like bubbled plastic over some connectors?
Or are these going to be protruding buttons, like on an old phone or keypad?
Edit: W-, depressed/sleeping pacman.
Not sure yet, they will either be the membrane switches (no click) or the tactile switches (clicks).
Looks good to control an arm. Could it also control a rover? Maybe be an adjunct to the control panel program w/ the WiFi?
Of course I’m old school, and like REAL buttons! But good tactile membrane switches could work, and would probably be a better choice.
Alan KM6VV
Maybe you want to consider something like a touchscreen display from 4D, µLCD-32PT(SGC) (4dsystems.com.au/prod.php?id=113). Have an integrated microcontroller, developement is easy and with the serial output, you can just connect it to an xbee and have a full remote control able to talk 2ways for telemetry, etc. Have several analog/digital inputs so you can connect few analog joysticks and buttons if you want to extend the capabilities. Posibilities are unlimited 
Good idea, but that would surely break the budget for this project. This is going to be a very inexpensive thing. Like less than $30.00. So I will pass on the $80.00 touch screen display. 
That would make a cool remote, but the end product would be overkill for this purpose.
In this case is really too expensive even if you’ll manage to convince them to give you a good discount
Well, one option is either to go with the classic sandwitch keyboard (bubles) but that is not too sensitive, or to build your own keyboard. Some buttons like the one in the attached pic may work fine and is like 20 cents a piece (or cheaper if you buy in bulk). Come in various shapes (round, square, short, long, etc) and colors. Then add an Atmel8/168/328/etc (2-4$ a piece maybe), few resistors and a small piece of software and you can “squeeze” a full serial keyboard in your budget.
http://nasulica.homelinux.org/wp-content/gallery/robots/buttons.jpg
futurlec.com/SwTactile.shtml
Top list TACT006, and bottom list, red, white, or blue.
http://futurlec.com/Pictures/TAC006.jpghttp://futurlec.com/Pictures/TACTRED.jpg
You can print off your button designs, cut them out and put the little bits of paper between the clear cover and the red/white/blue button heads.
This way your buttons would look exactly like your designs, within reason.
Futurlec may not be the best site to order from, as their shipping takes like 2 weeks. But that button type would be a good choice.
Yes, that looks better
This is the way we did a control panel for a lathe (Electronic Lead Screw) project I was involved in.
Also check out the blog on putting the ELS in a Hammond box.
autoartisans.com/ELS/packaging_the_els.htm
No THAT’S a control panel!
Alan KM6VV