Society of Robots - Robot Forum
Software => Software => Topic started by: jacksteel on February 15, 2010, 09:29:50 PM
-
How can I have a laptop send commands and recieve input data from an irobot create, with a command module, via a USB cable with a C program?
-
With a command module? That's gonna be difficult, as all the command module consists of is an AVR Atmega 168 micro-controller, and it's one Uart (serial port) is used to interface with the Create itself. When you plug the USB cable into the command module, it disconnects the Uart from the Create to allow flashing over the Uart.
So either the Command module is communicating with the Create, or it's communicating with the computer over USB, but not both at the same time.
I recommend using another micro-controller, like the Axon, that has multiple Uarts to replace the command module. That's what i did here. : http://www.billporter.info/?p=160 (http://www.billporter.info/?p=160)
I can provide you a rough wiring diagram if you like.
Then you can communicate to the Create on one Uart, and with a computer over wireless like bluetooth or Xbee using another Uart.
They only other way, if you are tied to using the command module, is to try to implement a 'software serial uart' on the Command module's IO pins. Google around for ways to do that, but it's going to be complicated to program.
-
Thanks for your really speedy reply. Would it be possible to hook an RS 232 cable from the iRobot Create to my laptop and control it that way, without the command module?
-
Your Create should have come with a Irobot serial cable, that has a RS-232 connector on one end, and a 6 or 8 pin (I forget) pin DIN on the other. You can use this to connect your create to a laptop and send it commands. Then it just comes down to what program on your laptop to use to send the Create commands.
I don't know what you are trying to do with your create, but i know this guy has a windows GUI just to send it simple commands.
http://www.dprg.org/projects/2009-07a/ (http://www.dprg.org/projects/2009-07a/)
-
Thanks again. I downloaded that program which had a link to but it couldn't connect to my create. I think my problem is i don't have open interface installed and i'm not sure where i can download it.