My robot

JimTheProgrammer

Here is picture of my robot with the PING))) sensor and VEX bumper sensors attached with custom brackets.
Radio Shack had a half off deal on the sensor so got them mainly because the whiskers could not be used due to the PING servo.

The camera is a 2.4g wireless that just shows the robots point of view. Its infrared and cost about 60 bucks at a local computer parts
store.

Next steps:

Create· large chassis base using sheet aluminum, tranfser all gear from this robot to new chassis, and add 2 extra wheels and servos to provide
more control and add stability. I just ordered the 16 servo controller from Parallax and will use that to maybe add more devices and clean up my wiring
a bit....yuck! I would like to add the RF Transmittier and reciever to control and receive telemetry from the robot to my computer. Has anyone done this before?

Jim

JimTheProgrammer

Here is the code that I currently use with this robot. Actually its a modification
of the RoamingWithPing by Parallax, Inc.

Feel free to share any idea's with me!

Jim

A.C. fishing

Awesome!
Where did you get that camera???
When the bot is roaming, can you see where it is going on your PC?

JimTheProgrammer

No. It just send a signal to a receiver hooked up my TV via NTSC.

I could route to my computer with a TV computer card though...hmmmm.....thanks for the idea! [noparse]:)[/noparse]

Jim

A.C. fishing

But what about the camera????????//
I MUST KNOW!!!!!!!!
WHAT STORE???

JimTheProgrammer

The camera was found in a privately owned computer shop. You should be able to search the web
for one.

Jim

Paul Baker

Brand name of the camera would help someone performing a web search, or was it a custom design for the company?

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1+1=10

JimTheProgrammer

I do not know the Brand name of the camera. It was in a unmarked box when I bought it.

Here is a link to eBay that have a bunch of similiar camera's. I searched on "2.4 wireless camera".

http://search.ebay.com/search/search.dll?cgiurl=http%3A%2F%2Fcgi.ebay.com%2Fws%2F&fkr=1&from=R8&satitle=2.4+wireless+camera&category0=

Jim

manxstamp

Ebay is definitely the place to go for tiny wireless cameras. I have bought several from Hong Kong based suppliers for very low prices. I attach a photo of one, with a one inch scale marker to show how tiny it is, that only has a 9 volt battery clip attached as I removed the original·inline phono socket for wired video. The UHF transmitter is inside the camera body and the antenna is the short wired coming out the top. These cameras come with a receiver module that outputs composite video to a TV AV input and is powered by a 9 volt battery or 12 volt transformer. These cameras weigh very little and are easy to attach to a bracket on the robot using a sticky pad or self-adhesive velcro. The range is reasonable·(I have used them up at over 30 feet) and they are fairly light sensitive for indoor use in artificial light.

Now that the Roboeye module is discontinued, this is an easy way to equip a Boe-Bot (or any robot - I have fitted one to a robosapiens!) with a simple video 'eye'. The RF control function that was on the Roboeye could be replaced by RF link modules. Image analysis would require a much more sophisticated set up.

John

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Manxstamp,
Isle of Man, British Isles

JimTheProgrammer

Cool...how long does the 9 volt last on this camera?

Jim

manxstamp

A 9 volt alkaline battery lasts for many hours. I have never formally measured the time or the current consumption but it doesn't seem to consume much current. The receiver can be transformer powered. Image quality is good at 380 TV lines with a light sensitivity down to 3 lux. There is no audio on this model.

These cameras usually come with an inline phono socket to connect as a wired camera if you don't want to use the built-in·wireless transmitter - rather pointless. I cut this off and insulated the wire ends as it wasn't easy to see how to safely unsolder it from the tiny pcb! The power line has an inline socket which can be cut off and replaced with a 9 volt battery clip soldered to the wires (and the joins protected by heat shrink). These modifications make it really small and light; I have even worn one as a lapel camera sending the video signal back to a VCR like in those hidden camera police surveillance programmes·

John

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Manxstamp,
Isle of Man, British Isles

lobo

how did you connect thoes bumpers to the boebot can you show a schematic? I ask because i have two of thoes and two whiskers made by hex aswell.

JimTheProgrammer

Its rather simple, follow the same schematic for the whiskers from Parallax and then reference the white and black wires

on the lead for the VEX bumper sensor. Ignore the red wire as it does nothing. I took apart the sensor and its simply a· momentary SPST switch.

This would replace the 3 prong post that the whisker would normally use.



Jim

JimTheProgrammer

I don't have a schematic for hooking up the VEX bumper sensors but I took a couple digitals snapshots.

Jim