Transmitting real time data live from V5 brain

[skate17]

Just wanted to know if it’s possible to collect real-time data from the V5 brain and trasmit it live to a computer or other device. Any thoughts?

[Railgunawesome]

Maybe in the future, when bluetooth is useable, then yes, you could, probably.
You just cant use it to make decisions during the match, although that may change

[Sylvie]

You have 2 options:

1. Print the varables you need to the brain screen

2. Use PROS and print the variables you need to the terminal

Let me know which one you want to do, and I can help with that.

[technik3k]

First of all, transmitting real-time data from your robot is not competition legal, you are limited to only sending it to the joystick screen.

However, nothing prevents you from collecting data while developing outside of the competition.

Unfortunately, printing data to PROS terminal on your computer, like @Sylvie suggested, only works while V5 brain is connected to the computer via USB cable. Last time I heard wireless terminal was under development.

In theory, V5 could send output over the wireless VEXNet connection to the joystick, which in turn will send it to the computer via USB cable and then it will be displayed in the terminal window. However, very limited VEXNet bandwidth makes this tricky to implement.

There are several alternatives. One of them is to get a wireless USB “cable” like this Wireless USB Dongle Set to connect V5 to computer without running actual long cable. I never used one myself and don’t know if it will even work with V5. From what I’ve heard those dongles are finicky and don’t work with every USB device.

Another alternative is for students who are not afraid to type on the Linux command prompt and feel comfortable configuring device drivers on Raspberry Pi.

@tabor473 recommends using a small computer like RPi, riding on your robot, that is connected to V5 micro USB port. It will read the data from V5 and could relay it to another system:

@tabor473

I actually suggest using the USB port between the Raspi and the v5. It’s a lot easier and gives some fringe benefits. USB is a more robust communication system than running some uart line into the Raspi and doesn’t require any extra module or electronics.

You now get wireless downloading. You now get wireless pros terminal.

In addition to that, you could run your data collection on the RaspberryPi itself and remote login into it over WiFi.

[CarCar]

Before I remember seeing a sort of data information centre for VCS, I’m not sure if something similar would come for Vexcode.