At worlds this year (2013) I saw a video of a girl that built a robot that is controlled by brain waves the interface between the vex brain and the thought detector being a laptop. I’m wondering, how can I interface a vex brain with a computer using a program (possibly in processing) or something like an Arduino? Can the vex brain communicate through serial and if so, how?
Three choices, all based on serial communications.
- Use one of the two built in serial ports.
- Use the same method that EasyC or ROBOTC uses to communicate with the PC, still serial communications.
- Use the partner port on the joystick.
There’s a long thread here where one student was connecting an arduino to the serial port.
https://vexforum.com/t/custom-controller/21836/1
Here’s some info on the system uart.
https://vexforum.com/showpost.php?p=319321&postcount=125
and some info on the partner port.
https://vexforum.com/t/interfacing-a-ps3-controller-to-the-joystick-partner-port/21829/1
Do a forum search, there are many other threads.
That was for the PIC, but it should be the same. I am now actually going to add wifi to my PIC. Attack3/PS Controller > Computer > Wifi > Router on robot > Arduino w/ Ethernet Shield > PIC, and it would be through UDP. I have it all working except for the PIC part.
I am using the PIC to control the motors because it can provide the correct voltage and what not to the motors, and I can switch between wifi and the classic controller.
That’s great. I have been using Xbees and an Arduino to control my PIC and Cortex as an alternative to VexNet or the RC controller for the PIC Which I may have misplaced.
I bought a Rovino networks chip which is XBee shield compatible, but haven’t done much with it yet. I got involved with making a smart or at least enhanced remote control. Based upon the Arduino Mega 2560, it has 2 joystick pads, 4 leds for feedback, a 2 line LCD display, a speech module for yelling at me… oh I mean verbal feedback, and a couple breadboards for prototyping other items. I’ve got it all mounted in an old 5.25 inch floppy disk plastic case (never new they would come in so handy) and it runs off a small rechargeable battery. The software for the controller alone is a big project and is taking far longer ‘calendar time’ as I have so few free moments to really work on it and I really have a lot to learn.
Let us know how your wi-fi works. What are you using to connect to the PIC?
Cheers - Kb