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controlling the BOE-Bot with a Nintendo DS — Parallax Forums

controlling the BOE-Bot with a Nintendo DS

HavoKaneHavoKane Posts: 109
edited 2006-08-02 16:50 in Robotics
has anybody done it? is it possible? cost efficient?

i dont know a whole lot about the DS. but i think it would be cool to control my boe-bot with it.
having the top screen for the camera on the bot and the bottom screen for whatever. i know the DS has wifi, but what about IR or bluetooth? would i need the modchip or linuxDS os a custim program writeen on the DS?
i dunno, thought about getting one, people seem to be expanding that thing pretty well. are there any good apps to use it as a PDA? in know internet is coming to it soon, so, ya. jusat interested

Comments

  • pgrunwaldpgrunwald Posts: 1
    edited 2006-06-20 02:23
    I'm also interested in this.

    I'm new to BOE-bot but not robotics (see http://www.the-gadgeteer.com/review/palm_pilot_robot_kit_pprk_review). I just purchased the BOE-bot serial kit over the weekend (http://www.geeks.com - $71 with code TECHBARGAINS) . I had planned to fool with a Roomba but the BOE-bot seems so much more flexible and support resources are fantastic!!!

    I plan to work through the course included with the kit and then to interface a Palm to BOE-bot using a high level language on the Palm to interface and control the robot. I have a Palm V and Palm TT (w/ bluetooth, USB) but the WiFi in the DS Lite is very attractive as is the microphone/voice recognition, speakers, and touchscreen/dual screen.

    I have found the the following projects on the the internet:

    http://www.dsrobot.com/ - not much information

    http://natrium42.com/projects/serial.html - seems real but some assembly required

    I also have a Sharp GP2D12 leftover from the PPRK and that will be an extra sensor add. The Hitachi compass and wheel encoders are planned.


    Questions:

    Anybody gotten a DS working with the BOE-bot? There seems to be a fair amount of open-source development tools listed at http://forum.gbadev.org/viewforum.php?f=18 and seems like it might be nice controller.

    Are there any good resources that suggest how to partition the functionality?
    What I'm thinking about is low level functions on the BOE-bot like "Wheel On" and "Read Sensor" to abstract the hardware from the code. High level functions like mapping and navigation, etc. would be handled on the Palm. I don't want to re-invent the wheel if this has be done on the BOE-bot. Any pointers or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

    Paul
  • Kenny LevinsenKenny Levinsen Posts: 19
    edited 2006-07-03 10:27
    the PassMe is real - i got one (well... not natriums, i got it from neoflash) - and assembly isn't required.
    a DS Robot.... hmm... you could wait for natrium42 to finish his DSerial, else you could get som species on the GBA slot, and build a interface.
    the PassMe got one serial port (you have to reflash it), but thats not much...


    Serial interface for passme: http://natrium42.com/projects/serial.html
    passme 1[noparse]:http:[/noparse]//www.dspassme.com/oscommerce/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=51

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    The school nerd

    Post Edited (Kenny Levinsen) : 7/4/2006 10:55:49 PM GMT
  • CLG/BLTCLG/BLT Posts: 32
    edited 2006-07-11 05:07
    It sounds possible. You could probably build a bluetooth radio transmitter and a blue tooth reciever, but you may need to find out if the DS has USB or any accessory port security. The DS may read the format if it is digital. Then you may need a debug software that can make a software and some how cram it into the transmitter or the DS or a cartridge. You may have to license it from Nintendo.
  • Kenny LevinsenKenny Levinsen Posts: 19
    edited 2006-07-21 21:13
    it doesnt have any ports, a game device thats used to boot homebrew does a have a serial port, and you can use it as you like.
    It does have WiFi and NiFi if that would help.
    Nintendo won't mind, just dont use the PassMe device to REAL game roms.

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    The school nerd
  • allanlane5allanlane5 Posts: 3,815
    edited 2006-07-27 15:02
    Fascinating. Thanks for the links, I had no idea the GBA and N_DS could be such powerful programming platforms.

    Remote control of a BOE-BOT through Nintendo's propretary WiFi might be a problem. The PassMe cartridge with an RS-232 cable or other I/O device (IR? RF?) might work.

    I don't think the BOE-BOT could support the OP's idea of video on the top and control on the bottom -- but it's a nice idea. Some mix of BOE-Bot, PC, and DS hardware might make it possible. It's nice to see the programming information made available. Note this is NOT a project for newbies, there's lots of low-level ARM7 and ARM9 programming involved. There's 'C' compilers for it, fortunately.
  • DiablodeMorteDiablodeMorte Posts: 238
    edited 2006-07-30 00:44
    No, You don't need any fancy serial cartridges! Why can't you just use a router(wifi) that is hacked to have a serial port and then use a custom prog on the DS to connect to the router and telenet the data to the router?

    (Yes, I am working on this)
  • Kenny LevinsenKenny Levinsen Posts: 19
    edited 2006-08-01 16:37
    The DS is capable of using both Wi-Fi and Ni-Fi(nintendo), so that should be possible.
    allanlane5: PC? why that?
    Im working on this aswell, but i know what todo.
    Im gonna use the passme's serial interface to communicate with the BS2, and then use my DS Lite to communicate with the DS with BS2.
    The Lite will then transfer the commands from the DS lite (through Ni-Fi or Wi-Fi) to the DS (fat) and that would then send them to the BS2.
    The BS2 would then perform the command and send data from some sensors to the DS (fat) and that would then send them to the lite, where i can read them.

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    The school nerd
  • DiablodeMorteDiablodeMorte Posts: 238
    edited 2006-08-02 02:31
    I don't own a ds. how does it connect? Can it connect to a Wifi acess point(Like a wireless router). And yes I'm sure the next pt can be found on somehacking site but spare me. What does one have to do to make the DS do something that you want it to do(Ie, how hard is it to design one's own game cartridge that can use the DS's features?)
  • Kenny LevinsenKenny Levinsen Posts: 19
    edited 2006-08-02 16:50
    hmm... i dont know much about the hardware engineering yet so...
    but the DS got 2 slots, one for DS games and one for old fashion GBA games.
    The DS slot is where we put the passme with serial interface.
    The gba slot is where we put a GBA game with the software on (DS slot is RSA encrypted).
    Yes it can connect to a WiFi access point, as it both got Wi-Fi B and Ni-Fi.
    And what to do... do you mean programming?
    then it's just C and C++.

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    The school nerd
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