Hey guys,
Would it be too much to ask for some sort of bluetooth capability? I mean, maybe this should be on the new SSC-24 you guys were talking about, but I mean it would be so freaking cool if we could control servos wirelessly from our computer or palm pc’s or cell phones rather than purchasing remote controls.
gawd, linxmotion would be a god if that was possible, more than they are now 
.
All the Bot Board is for is to support the microcontroller. Bluetooth can very easily be added using external modules available from Sparkfun, and there are tutorials here and at Sparkfun for how to do it.
I think the design of the new bot board is pretty much set in stone already. I am still hoping Jim will design a super bot board that will have some different and added functions on it sometime in the future.
This upcoming new bot board needs to remain stackable with the SSC-32 so not much could be added, although some things could have been changed to make more space. The DB-9 connector could have been moved to a cable attached to a single or double row PCB connector for serial connections instead of mounting the DB-9 direct to the board. It can be difficult to get to the DB-9 sometimes, and having it on a cable would have allowed positioning it where it would be easier to get to.
I’d love to see a bot board that would provide stacking connectors to allow adding stackable modules such as for prototyping and solderless breadboards. The stacking connectors would provide all the MCU and related signals for the stacked modules, including custom boards. I know it’s a pain finding places to mount all the little modules we might want to add to our robots, and a stack friendly bot board could make this much easier. 
Right now, I am wishing for a bot board type board that would support the various Renesas H8S and SX microcontrollers and all their expanded features.
8-Dale
yeah you’re right, as long as bluetooth can be easily added from sparkfun, im okay. i just dont want to spend hundreds on a remote controlling transmitter/reciever package when i know the cellphone in my hand is a perfect remote control.
ill ask around about this later.
oh and does anyone know when the new botboard + ssc-24 is releasing? i had planned to purchase the current botboard + scc-32 but id rather ugprade if its releasing in a few months.
Will it be possible to have the option of TTL or RS223 levels on the main serial port (S_IN/S_OUT)?? We already have this option on the current SSC-32 and it would be exceptionally nice to have it on the new bot board as well, so something like a ZigBee or Bluetooth module (i.e. BlueSmirf) could be added and robots could be programmed and debugged completely untethered.
I have found it very difficult at times to debug a control program for WALTER when I can’t see what it is doing while it is running. It’s hard to tell what it would be doing when the robot is tethered up on the bench.
8-Dale
And the BA IDE needs your robot to be connected and powered on to compile the program.
I would second LinuxGuy’s request except I am not sure if it is possible. Looking at the schematic my gut tells me the MAX232 or the equivilent to convert from TTL to RS232 is on the Atoms and BAs. It appears like the signals go directly from the socket to the DB9 connection. If it were possible, it would probably be a little more difficult than the SSC32 as it requires the RTS/CTS signals to come through.
I have tried to paly around with the Sparkfun Blue Dongle connected up to a ABB but have not had much luck yet. Will try again. Need to hack up a mini USB cable to provide power to the dongle…
Spacejunk - I believe that the current versions of Atom and Pro IDEs allow you to compile without having your robot connected to it. You need to select which chip you are using instead of relying on Auto detection…
Yes, it does. The Bluetooth link would simply replace the tethered serial cable. The robot would still be connected via Bluetooth wireless to the PC with the IDE running.
8-Dale
I checked the schematic also. but it did not occur to me that the level shifters might be on the Atom modules themselves. If this is the case, then it might not be workable to have the option of TTL or RS232 levels on the new bot board.
8-Dale
Not since IDE version 5.3 came out.
add programmibilty with java!
I don’t know how far along you are, but a built in LED like pin 13 on the Arduino would make all of your setup support user much easier to handle.
The shield concept of the Arduino also makes a lot of sense (think SSC-32 shield, serial port shield, USB port shield, bluetooth shield, {phidgets?})
Migs
Sorry you missed the boat.
The Bot Board II has been out for a while. 
Yeah, I kind of figured that from the dates of the posts, but there will always be a Bot Board III
Keep up the good work! -Migs