Remote viewing and wireless control for Boe Bot

Bluetooth, XBee, RF......

Remote viewing and wireless control for Boe Bot

Postby robot64 » Thu Feb 10, 2011 12:56 am

Dear Sir,

I have purchased recently a Boe Bot from Parallax.com. This robot kit is USB based port.

I'm still novice in electronics and robotics, but have great interest in this field, since reading article about robot rover on PLanet Mars controlled by NASA from planet Earth in internet in 2004. :D

Okay back to my Boe Bot. Actually I wish to control my Boe Bot using wireless method, has small IP camera attached to the robot and camera control view from my laptop using certain software eg. Labview (as seen in YouTube).

I hope if Cytron experts can recommend/advice me the exact products or items needed (e.g Xbee and software camera remote viewing ) as per my interest.

If yes, I wish to purchase soon, from Cytron, as my interest is growing, if not on PLanet Mars, I can view my garden using my Boe Bot from my room. :)

Your expertise and help is highly appreciated.

Thanks.

robot64.
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Re: Remote viewing and wireless control for Boe Bot

Postby robosang » Thu Feb 10, 2011 8:05 pm

I am not expert from Cytron, just some hobbyist giving suggestion :D .

Not really familiar with Boe Bot, but the USB seem to be very confusing sometime. When you say USB, what is the purpose of that USB? To download program? To interface with USB webcam? To connect to computer? There is big gab between these functions though they are all USB 8-)

Wireless control, depends on your requirement, low cost, you can use the RF module method, Cytron did share several article and DIY on this. They have even create a balancing robot which can be control RF module from computer. Though is 1 way, it suite for some applications. Better range and bi-directional? XBee, Wifi, Bluetooth... a lot of options :lol:
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Re: Remote viewing and wireless control for Boe Bot

Postby robot64 » Fri Feb 11, 2011 12:51 pm

Thanks robosang for your info.

Boe Bot is quite popular among students worldwide. Refer to www.parallax.com and on YouTube.

I mention USB is just an option besides serial port. Basically it's for communication with a pc or laptop for programming and control purpose.

Since this hard wired type of communication is limit to the length of the USB cable, so I opt to purchase wireless communication products to be more flexible in my project. :D

That's why I (novice user) want to get help from Cytron experts/sales to advice me the exact wireless products for my Boe Bot and an purchased loally here in Malaysia.

Thanks.
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Re: Remote viewing and wireless control for Boe Bot

Postby shiyan » Fri Feb 11, 2011 9:28 pm

1st, same as robosang, I am not Cytron expert too, just another busy body giving 3 cents :mrgreen:

Yes, Boe Bot is quite popular mobile robot, using Basic Stamp right?

Basically the USB on Boe Bot is for loading program and UART communication with PC. Therefore you can control it if you use COM port.

Agree with robosang on 1 thing, you need to state the requirement of wireless applications, 1 way? 2 way? secure? easy? cheap? There are too many options out there :o

Talking about the RF module, here is the link of balancing robot from Cytron, they did a great work on it, simple, low cost wireless solution.


Anyway, you may consider XBee, quite simple and powerful wireless transceiver, a lot of robotic project uses it.
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Re: Remote viewing and wireless control for Boe Bot

Postby robot64 » Tue Feb 15, 2011 12:52 am

Thank you shiyan. Thank you to all.

Yes. It's using Basic Stamp. Suitable starting from 14 years old and above. Very good as a starting point.

So...., if 2 way communication the better. :D

Maybe I try Xbee as a way of wireless communication. This is first part.

The second part is, I saw in youtube, they use Labview software and in the software there's a section of moving video images transmitted from the ip camera attached to the Boe Bot, for remote viewing. Is this software free or anybody have the idea of it or any other software we can get in Malaysia. Besides robot, the remote control aircraft/helicopter and some even attahed the small camera to the back of the eagles's body, to view from the display unit from the ground.

Hope can share.

Thank you again and have a nice day.
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Re: Remote viewing and wireless control for Boe Bot

Postby yonghui » Sun Feb 20, 2011 10:17 am

hi,
no so sure whether Xbee is fast enough for the video streaming.
try to check out.

regard,
yh
thanks&regards,
yh
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Re: Remote viewing and wireless control for Boe Bot

Postby shiyan » Sun Feb 20, 2011 11:54 am

If you want to use 2 way communication and send high density data, the RF module used by Cytron for the balancing robot is not suitable.

Labview is graphical software designed by National Instruments, very powerful yet expensive software. Seen it before, but not familiar. If you are using IP camera, it should be network connected through router, you might search Internet for the dll file. If you have dll file, Visual C#, Visual BASIC, Visual C++ should be able to get the data from it.

IP camera need to be connected to router or some device, distance is a concern. Those camera connected to helicopter and animal is not IP camera, is wireless CMOS camera, similar to those use for spy. It normally transmit data in analog signal.
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Re: Remote viewing and wireless control for Boe Bot

Postby robot64 » Sun Feb 20, 2011 6:00 pm

Thank you, thank to all.

I'm very happy as my knowledge increase as per your information and recommendation and I really appreciate it.

Just for your info. The boe bot in youtube with remote viewing.

1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OylPXJuDIug

2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-_qlkcu ... 0E7D2BE9CB

Thanks again.
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Re: Remote viewing and wireless control for Boe Bot

Postby robosang » Thu Feb 24, 2011 1:37 pm

Good video sharing there, but I think the camera is either wireless CCTV camera which the output is RCA or IP camera.

Anyway looking forward to see the video on your robot.
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