Controlling Robobuilder with the Mobile Phone

[robosavvy]

Hi

Robobuilder will be making available an app for Android OS that enables you to control your Robobuilder using your mobile.

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As far as we can tell it uses technology already disclosed: you install the Bluetooth Comunication module on the robot and the software uses the Bluetooth chip on the mobile to search for the Robot and send commands to it using the Remocon format.

The idea however seems to have some potential: if you get a cheap phone with Android you can theoretically use the imense porcessing power on the mobile to do full control of the robot.
You'd need to write your own code on Android but the RBC controller already exposes the necessary protocols to read sensor/status data and send commands.

--Robosavvy

[MOHIT JINDAL]

[limor]

:arrow: do you know how to control Bioloid with Nokia 5230 having bluetooth ?
mohitjindal_niit@yahoo.co.in

I looked at the specs of the 5230. it only has 2 bluetooth "profiles" unfortunately they don't include the bluetooth serial port profile or any other profile needed to communicate with bluesmirf. form bluesmirf's (roving network) documentation: "Embedded Bluetooth stack profiles included (requires no host stack): GAP, SDP, RFCOMM and L2CAP protocols, with SPP and DUN profile support."

[l3v3rz]

For those without the latest in phone technology there is hope!

I have my http://www.htc.com/uk/product/s620/overview.html S620 HTC "smartphone" circa 2007 talking via BlueTooth using RobobuilderLib.

The code should work with any Windows Mobile 6 phone. The source requires Visual Studio 2005 professional edition to build. [The free express editions won't work as they don't support mobile devices (why MS why ?)]

I'll up load it in the next few days if theres any interest. Its very straight forward to code as the phone OS maps the BT to a serial port when it connects and hence the code simply uses the library to read and write to COM port 6.

Incidentally when the phone connects to the Robobuilder the first time its asks for a PIN - after some digging I found its set to 1234. Worth knowing!

l3v3rz

[l3v3rz]

The Windows Mobile App is now available for download

http://robobuildervc.googlecode.com/fil ... boApps.exe

Download onto your Smartphone (Win Mob 6.0 or better) and place in a folder - then use file explorer to run it. Make sure you have bluetooth on and connected to COM port 6

Features:
Default mode - Works with standard firmware. Select either Connect or quit menu options. On connect it will display serial number and firmare version if successful and a graphic of a game controller appears. Pressing numbers 0-9 will cause the robot to perform the appropriate motion/action. This mode use PCRemote built against compact .Net framework and send binary protocol to the robot.

If you press 'b' before connecting it switches to basic mode, and the controller simply send the corresponding IR character value directly to the robot. Again no use for standard firmware - but this can be used in custom application firmware(or basic programs)

If you press 't' before connecting it will switch into Terminal mode - and then you can get a very basic VT100 terminal emulator so you can interact with your robot. This won't work with standard firmware - but is great if you're running Basic for instance.

photos/screen shots at http://code.google.com/p/robobuildervc/ ... bileClient

Robosavvy - : How do you resize images ??

[img width="100" height="100"]http://robobuildervc.googlecode.com/files/IMG_1388t.jpg[/img]
[img=100x100]http://robobuildervc.googlecode.com/files/IMG_1387t.jpg[/img]

[mobiper]

Thanks for very good info onControlling Robobuilder with the Mobile Phone that will be so valuable.

[l3v3rz]

Thanks. Incidentally I've also now up loaded the source code / project files - see wiki for details http://code.google.com/p/robobuildervc/ ... bileClient

I had a quick look on ebay and these old phones are going incredibly cheaply - as in 30-35 GBP. Incredible value! http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/HTC-S620-Smartpho ... bilePhones (this one is currently only £7)

For that your getting a 200Mhz ARM CPU plus Windows CE 5.0, 1.3 M webcam etc ... Since it can talk directly to the RBC using BT, it means you can use it as a 2nd processor which can either be mounted on the robot or just sits near it!

I wonder if it was stripped down if it would fit insider the RBC box ?? After all no need for screen and keyboard really (not going try it with my phone )

[l3v3rz]

Hi

Robobuilder will be making available an app for Android OS that enables you to control your Robobuilder using your mobile.

Well I've not seen it - so I've written my own!!! See wiki for a few download details: http://code.google.com/p/robobuildervc/ ... roidClient

It connects via Bluetooth. It supports standard firmware and also BASIC and DCMP. With DCMP it can do continuous walking (still in test) and also control the gripper (if you have one). It also supports a virtual joystick in standard modes - which is fun!

The code is a Java port of my robobuilderlib code with Android GUI. The core files are pcRemote.java and wckMotion.java. Its still pretty basic but of course it all open source so you can mod to your owns needs if you want, its also a bit buggy so I'll be posting updates - check site for details. And use at your own risk!!. If it looks popular I may add to Android MarketPlace but for now download and set your phone -> settings ->applications to allow "unknown sources". Its all built with eclipse, so if you want to SVN extract and build yourself you can.

l3v3rz

PS. The smartphone I'm using is a T-mobile Pulse Mini - its very cheap but seems to work well (£30 on PAYG) - http://www.t-mobile.co.uk/shop/pay-as-y ... mini-pink/

[PedroR]

Hi l3v3rz

Thank you very much for all your contribution.

I was actually preparing to email Robobuilder about the Android software they promised when I saw your post.

Great work!

And having both the WinMo and the Andreoid version. I was wondering if you could make a video of those?

Thank you very much!
Pedro.

[l3v3rz]

Video may take a while to get round to - may be in a few weeks, so for now here's a few photos:


<a> Yes the phone is pink </a> ! See the iR logo in top right of the phones screen. Note my lovely grippers, the ones on the left are available for purchase


After intro screen it looks for BT sources. The iR logo shows which one is your bot. (It looks for BT devices starting ESD200). You can also see it found my WinMo phone the HTC 620


Now we're connected in DCMP mode, you can see its found the latest version 3.12. Now just press "BASIC POSE" to get robot to stand up !


And here it is. Note the hands are in "Dance Hands" configuration. I also have HIP kit installed and a servo for the head. The PSD sensor is attached to the servo so I can scan from left to right.

cheers

[l3v3rz]

New version available of Android App - now with added accelerometer control

http://code.google.com/p/robobuildervc/ ... d_r256.apk

Also did people see this :

http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/10/spar ... box-to-ge/

Breakout box for your android phone. This could make building a phone controlled robot much easier, and get rid of the bluetooth lag.

[PedroR]

Hi l3v3rz

Sorry for the late reply but I only noticed the second part of your post today as I was preparing the Mailing List.

Indeed Limor has met with the guys who are designing the board. I'm not sure how much more detail I can share at this point but what I can say is that we're holding our breath to get our hands on one.

As far as we're told the board offers tons of IO and the huge processing power of Android devices (with the bonus of the nice interface).

Regards
Pedro.

[l3v3rz]

Finally got round to doing a short video of RoboAndroid.apk in action. This show it running on standard robobuilder (with Bluetooth) running standard firmware.

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See this thread for an example of it running in "Basic" mode as a terminal.
http://robosavvy.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=32048#32048

Latest version of the app is available here:
http://robobuildervc.googlecode.com/fil ... id_267.apk

[rustam]

Sorry somehow it doesn't work for me

[PedroR]

Hi Rustam

Firstly you need to make sure your Robobuilder is equipped with the Bluetooth module.

If you purchased a stock 5710K (or 5710K Plus - the previous version we were selling) they DON'T have the Bluetooth module and it needs to be acquired separately.


With regards to Remote Controlling, l3v3rz made his beautiful Android app (which we like a lot!) but there is also the Official version from Robobuilder which is available for Download from the Android Market (it's free).

Regards
Pedro