Society of Robots - Robot Forum
Electronics => Electronics => Topic started by: koolraj09 on April 05, 2014, 12:25:39 PM
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Hi all,
I bought a wired PS2 controller and I wanted to use it to control my 4 wheel, differential drive robot. Is there any way that i could do it, without using a micro-controller? Using a motor driver of some sort..etc? What other things I may need?
Actually i need the switches/buttons of the controller only...the simplicity and handling of PS2 for controlling a robot is what I need....
Thanks!
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Yes this can be done. Here's a good link from Google, which includes an Arduino library link: http://store.curiousinventor.com/guides/PS2/ (http://store.curiousinventor.com/guides/PS2/)
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You need to add/modify some configuration files. The link sent by jwatte can be helpful for you. Also check out for different conf files for the controllers.
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Actually, I realize that I didn't properly answer the question: You said "without using a microcontroller."
No, you cannot control a motor controller directly from a PS/2 controller without using a microcontroller in the middle. You need a microcontroller to read the SPI data from the PS/2 controller, and write proper control signals to the motor controllers.
The closest you may be able to come would be to use a motor controller with built-in microcontroller, like the Orangutan from Pololu. But you're probably better off just using a motor controller (or motor shield) and an Arduino Uno.