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General Misc => Misc => Topic started by: macbook on July 19, 2009, 11:44:20 PM

Title: Connecting comp to micrcontroller
Post by: macbook on July 19, 2009, 11:44:20 PM

Hi,
I am planning to do some image processing using a webcam, processing the images thru MATLAB on a laptop and then send signals to a microcontroller to drive motors accordingly.
I want to ask how do I send signals to my arduino from a laptop? Which port to use?
Plz help.
Thank you.

Title: Re: Connecting comp to micrcontroller
Post by: SmAsH on July 19, 2009, 11:59:50 PM

i take it you want to use the usb on the arduino?

Title: Re: Connecting comp to micrcontroller
Post by: macbook on July 20, 2009, 01:15:14 AM

Umm, yes I use USB on the arduino to program it. I want to know how do I send signals to arduino, for eg, a signal to run a particular motor.
I hope u understand my query, I am a newbie and maybe not able to phrase my query properly.

Title: Re: Connecting comp to micrcontroller
Post by: SmAsH on July 20, 2009, 01:24:52 AM

im not the best programmer on this site, but in arduino you can send a signal through hyperterminal and have the arduino do something when it receives that signal. but there are problems with this, number one is you have to type it.

on a side note, have you looked into boards called phidgets?
they seem to be a good interface with actuators from a laptop.

Title: Re: Connecting comp to micrcontroller
Post by: macbook on July 20, 2009, 01:32:24 AM

What is this hyperterminal?
A friend of mine told me that it can be done using a parallel port. Whats is a parallel port and how is it used?

Title: Re: Connecting comp to micrcontroller
Post by: SmAsH on July 20, 2009, 01:47:02 AM

hyperterminal is a popular program used to "talk" to and receive info from serial ports on your pc.
a parallel port is a serial port similar to usb and serial ports on your pc... Wikipedia knows more than me...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parallel_port

Title: Re: Connecting comp to micrcontroller
Post by: macbook on July 20, 2009, 03:25:26 AM

Ok, I know about parallel ports. My friend used DC motors, used simple motor driver ICs to drive them, used a webcam to take image, processed it using MATLAB and sent the signal to the IC using parallel port to run a particular motor.
How to send the signal using parallel port? And can this be done with an arduino also?

Title: Re: Connecting comp to micrcontroller
Post by: SmAsH on July 20, 2009, 04:45:07 AM

look at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parallel_port#Pinouts
the data pins (2-9) can be used to turn things on, in this case a motor driver.
this is mainly done in code. check out http://www.instructables.com/id/10_Smart_Home_System/?ALLSTEPS for some basic stuff.