You do not need to know visual basic to program an XMOS chip. You need to know C and/or XC (very similar to C but with extra stuff for things like parallel processing etc).
You can check out some very simple tutorials to learn how to flash an LED using an XMOS chip using XC on our website. Once you know how to do that you can take over the world as you now know how to send data out from the pins of the chip. Then your next step is to learn how to receive data over the pins and then you have 2 way communication to do whatever you want with and hook it up to whatever device you want!
SUPER EASY Tutorial:
Here is how to flash an LED on the XC1 card (although other cards will be very similar just with different port names):
The following program illuminates a single button-LED on your XC-1:
#include <platform.h>
out port bled = PORT_BUTTONLED; <-- this line defines a variable that allows us to output data on the right pin (the one which the LED is connected to).
int main() { <-- main() is the function that is called first when any program begins execution
bled <: 0x10; <-- this special operator "<:" simply means output the value on the right to the port on the left (which we defined above). The reason it is 0x10 instead of a logical 1 is because the demo LEDs that are already connected on the XC1 card are connected by an 8 bit port. thus 0x10 is hexidecimal for 00010000. so if you imagine 8 wires connected to that, the 5th wire from the right would be set high (which in this case is the one connected to the LED on the XMOS board).This is not the most technical description, but I do not know your experience level so hopefully that makes sense.
while(1);<-- this is simply an infinate loop so the program never ends, thus keeping the LED alight forever.
return 0; <-- standard function return false as nothing went wrong.
Well there is only so much you can do with flow charts…
Well, there is only so much you can do with flow charts. Sure it might be a good starting point if you are totally new to the electronics area to understand "program flow" - I think I remember using this way back when I was doing Electronics for GCSE at school! My gosh, the memories!
Anyhow, as you rightly pointed out, you can do so much more with a real language - not to mention it is a lot more manageable when you have large programs!
I remember having to scroll up for miles just to connect the end of what was basically a WHILE loop to the top of the flow chart! It soon becomes unmanageable for any real meaty application from my experience at least (which was a few years ago now).
Still, with our friendly community and such you should have no trouble picking up XC or C and then you can take over the world!
If you have any questions please feel free to ask.
This challenge is similar to the one you came up with before about posting your best crazy robot ideas, such that no physical robot is needed to be made to "win" the challenge. The challenge is to come up with a good (realistic) robot IDEA that could benefit from the power available in these chips.
When the new dev board is done, Xmosさん will choose which are the best ideas and you may get your hands on one of the boards. If you do win a board, hopefully you will follow through on the idea and post a log for all the world to see.
Oh ok, you were just asking if the challenge was going to last a couple of years. Last I heard we were talking months before the new hardware was going to be ready.
**Ive got ** I have bluetooth through the arduino im using and then i have an RF module that im using to recieve commands. Im waiting on a 2.4Ghz rf module atm.
I am sure that will go down well with all the Star Wars fans! I am sure that will go down well with all the Star Wars fans! I did think a ferret might be a bit complex tbh. This seems pretty cool, however, what novel features does it have apart from the ability to walk on 4 legs? Will it have any sensors on it to help it out? Wireless control maybe via an ipod or something? Just thinking of ideas.
What exactly do they do? I am confused as to what these balls do? How would it differ from say a motor let loose inside the ball so it runs around like a hamster randomly? Or have I missed the point?
the arduino would get signals from the XMos dev board, via radio. it would tell 2 servos how to move, suspended from the servos would be two weights. as the weights move, via the servos, the bal l will be off-balance and rotate to be re-balanced. the ball would roll. the servos would continue to off-balance the weights, and the ball would continue. to stop, it would tilt them in the opposite direction. it would have a sensor, so it would know if it was gonna hit a wall, and it would turn.
the xmos would send out numbers, which the ard. mini would interpret and tell the servos what to do. i’d have 5 or 6 of 'em out at a time, all controlled by the central Xmos. once i build the prototype, in a week or 2, ill post a link
What wireless medium are you using? Bluetooth? Wifi? Radio? 3G?!