Bluetooth

[TheWiz]

Hi I just was wondering if any of you people out there could help me I am trying to add bluetooth to a robot and I wanted to know where to get the right parts please help!
                                     Thanks,
                                                TheWiz

[Joker94]

After the research i have done, and the questions i have asked i would go for a bluesmirf module.

admin uses the blue smirf in many demo projects with the axon and it is easy to integrate into a robot.

Where you get it depends on your location. if you in or near america go with sparkfun. i use little bird electronics hear in Ausrtalia.

http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/product_info.php?products_id=582

[Gertlex]

Just make sure you realize that bluetooth is useful for Serial data transfer, but not large amounts of data (e.g. no video).

[TheWiz]

Thank you very much Joker94 but i have a few more questions for that bluetooth what is the range and do you need an antenna?? Also what USB dongle works with it and I forgot to mention I want to use it as a sort of remote control and my computer being the remote!
                                               Thanks,
                                                         TheWiz

[Joker94]

As for the range it is said to be app 100m as said in the specifications

As for the antenna, the 'gold' version, the one i posted it has a chip mounted antenna. so there is no need for an external antenna. if you get a standard bluesmirf module it will require an antenna, the antennas cost an exrtra $4-5. they both cost about same, but the antennaed module is only said to have adstance 6 m more than the chip antenna module.

and for connecting it to your computer you just need a bluetooth thing the same as you would use to connect a mobile phone. many laptops have them unbuilt these days.

http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/product_info.php?products_id=150

[Gertlex]

Bluetooth has 3 power classes: class 1 with range of 100 feet (30m), class 2 with range 10 feet (3 m), and class 3, which I've never seen.  You want class 1, and that's fairly common.

I've done what you want to do in the past.  Two links for you:
http://www-personal.umich.edu/~erelson/BluetoothCar.html - My guide probably not completely finished and ultimately not touched in years.
http://www.societyofrobots.com/robotforum/index.php?topic=1672.0 - Thread where I trouble-shot bluetooth problems.
http://alex.seewald.at/BlueCar/ - The original guide I found.  There are other hardware options than the MiniSSC servo controller, but this was my first electronics hack evar, so I was cautious.

Feel free to ask me questions (PMs will get my attention)

-Gert

(made a couple tiny revisions just now to my guide page, mainly discussing the bluetooth at the computer end)

[TheWiz]

Thank you so much both of you for all you help if there is anything else you can tell me about bluetooth please post me thank you very much!!
                             Thanks,
                                    TheWiz