Wifi/bluetooth robot help

VEX V5 General Discussion General Forum
#1

Hi I’m working on making a sort of spy bot of something, and I want it so be wireless. I need some suggestions. I thought about using a Linksys router or maybe a Spark Fun Blue SMIRF. I need alot of help, this is a branch out for me but I want to do it. I have been collaborating with Dylanjkj19, he has been giving me ideas and what not. So yeah please post! :confused:

#2

What kind of suggestion are you looking for? Mechanical (functions you want the robot to have the capability of doing) or do you need electrical help? To start, I would suggest not going with Bluetooth. That typically has a range of only 30 feet (in open space). With Wifi, you can get around 300 feet. But…
Sparkfun sells this transmitter and reciever pair:


http://www.sparkfun.com/products/8946
those are real cheap, and provide 500 feet of range. Only catch is, though, you can’t send as much information as quickly, because they operate at a lower frequency. If you are streaming video, sound, and sensor data, you need lots of bandwidth. I’m not sure if this Sparkfun transmitter and reciever set can handle that, but there must be another person on this forum that can tell you. What exactly is this bot doing? Is there a camera?

#3

Thanks! Yes I want there to be a camera. So I’m not sure if those will work. Also if I did get one of those how would I connect the Micro Controller (vex) to it? Will I have to go with something like an arduino? Thanks for the help! :smiley:

#4

http://www.sparkfun.com/products/8946
those are real cheap, and provide 500 feet of range. Only catch is, though, you can’t send as much information as quickly, because they operate at a lower frequency. If you are streaming video, sound, and sensor data, you need lots of bandwidth. I’m not sure if this Sparkfun transmitter and reciever set can handle that, but there must be another person on this forum that can tell you.

Those are really low-bandwidth and can’t handle a camera. They can handle about the same amount of data as it takes to drive a robot, or perhaps stream some sensor data back to a host.

Over the next few days, I’ll be talking about how to wire these to a Vex microcontroller over on [this thread.

Cheers,

#5

Thanks! But what do you think I should get, I need to know hwat is the best to buy?

#6

For a video link, it is hard to beat this for price and compatibility with the Vex system.

If you are just making a remote-controlled spy-bot, the video link above combined with the normal Vex remote control system is a good choice.

What other radio link needs to you have besides video and driving controls?

Cheers,

  • Dean
#7

I’m sorry but what video link, and all I want is a video feed and being able to controll it.

#8

Click on the word “this” in my post above - it is colored red because it is a link to the page for the Vex wireless video camera and receiver.

That camera and the standard Vex remote control (and of course a TV to view the video feed) will be all you need to build a spybot.

Cheers,

  • Dean
#9

Oh right, but what if I want to controll it from a computer?

#10

Remote control from a computer is what this thread is about, so you may want to join in that discussion.

Cheers,

  • Dean
#11