Bluetooth USB and UART

[Jdog]

I want to make a robot that has computer vision. I plan to use a base computer to do all of the vision processing. I was wondering If I could connect a bluetooth thing like this: http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/product_info.php?products_id=8474
to a uart to usb adaptor
to a usb hub like this: http://www.amazon.com/Linksys-USBHUB4C-ProConnect-Compact-4-Port/dp/B0000658CH
to a web cam
and to a usb to uart adaptor
to my axon

Would this work?

[airman00]

why not this

USB Bluetooth Dongle connected to USB port of Computer
BlueSMIRF module connected to Axon

Any questions?

[Jdog]

I also want the Webcam to be able to be on the robot and communicate to the computer wirelessly.

[airman00]

I also want the Webcam to be able to be on the robot and communicate to the computer wirelessly.

hmmmm
just use a wireless web cam , wifi internet camera, or a  wireless USB hub.

[Ro-Bot-X]

A wireless USB hub might make things cheaper. At only $88.26 it is cheaper than BlueSmirf and USB Bluetooth Dongle, plus you can also plug a regular $20 Webcam and do remote processing on the PC, wireless programming to the Axon (or Roboduino), data logging on the fly and so on! This is SO COOL!!!

Here is a quote from the Iogear 4 port USB 2.0 Wireless Hub description:

The IOGEAR Wireless USB Hub & Adapter kit allows your desktop or laptop to wirelessly communicate with USB printers, scanners, cameras, game controllers, flash drives, external hard drives, and other USB devices. It complies with the Multi-band OFDM Ultra Wide Band (UWB) 1.0 specification, and provides users with transmission speeds of up to 480Mbps. At 480 Mbps the IOGEAR Wireless USB Hub is faster than all wireless technologies including 802.11n. Because it is Plug-and-Play, the IOGEAR Certified Wireless USB Hub takes almost no time to set up and get running. It is the perfect combination of convenient Plug-and-Play USB connectivity, blazing fast data transfers and the benefits of going wireless.

Here is the link to the lowest price I found (there might be places with even lower prices):
http://www.unistorage.com/unistorage/index.cfm?fuseaction=shop.dspSpecs&part=2204112

[Jdog]

The bluetooth thing I found was $30 plus the reciever which was $10 plus it had a range of 100 meters which is far more than a wireless usb hub. I'm just wondering if my original idea would work.

[Ro-Bot-X]

So your Bluetooth thing can be connected directly to a UART on your Axon. It can comunicate wirelessly with a USB Bluetooth Dongle that would be connected directly in the PC's USB port or through that USB hub you mention. The webcam can be connected directly to the PC's USB port or through the USB hub. Both devices, I mean the webcam and the Bluetooth Dongle, have to be connected to the PC and not to the Axon, since they need a USB host to function (PC is a USB host, microcontrollers aren't). In other words, your Bluetooth thing is good to have wireless communication with your Axon. To also have wireless vision, you eighter need a wireless cam or a wireless USB hub.

[Admin]

PC is a USB host, microcontrollers aren't

there are some microcontrollers that have built in USB host . . . unfortunately the Axon is not one of them . . . maybe a future version

A wireless USB hub might make things cheaper. At only $88.26 it is cheaper than BlueSmirf and USB Bluetooth Dongle, plus you can also plug a regular $20 Webcam and do remote processing on the PC, wireless programming to the Axon (or Roboduino), data logging on the fly and so on! This is SO COOL!!!

I suddenly have a strong desire to put my webcam on a small bot and use with RoboRealm . . .

[Jdog]

If blutooth is basically a wireless extension of the usb port, couldn't I plug the webcam into a bluetooth if I had a usb to uart adaptor. If I could then I could just plug a usb hub into the bluetooth and have the bluetooth connected to both the axon and the webcam.

[Admin]

That will only work if the camera or hub or bluetooth transmitter has a built in USB host. Likely none of them do.

[Jdog]

What's a usb host?

[Admin]

You forgot to google
http://www.google.com/search?q=%22usb+host

First result:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USB_On-The-Go

The standard USB uses a master/slave architecture; a USB 'Host' acts as the protocol master, and a USB 'Device' acts as the slave. Only the Host can schedule the configuration and data transfers over the link. The Devices cannot initiate data transfers, they only respond to requests given by a host.

[Jdog]

Ok, I understand, so my idea won't work. Now I can't make this robot because $80 is out of my price range. I guess I'll save it until wireless usb hubs are cheaper or I have $80 bucks to fork over.