Support for AX-12

yvesB

Haven't found out by searching but are there libraries that support the new AX-12 actuator/servos from Dynamixel?

If not, would the UART VP be capable of somehow communicating with the AX-12 network which is half-duplex TTL (one line for both Tx and Rx)?

Here is the manual http://www.crustcrawler.com/products/bioloid/docs/AX-12.pdf

Thx

Peter Verkaik

Half duplex should be no problem.
The manual talks about a dropdown line
so you must supply a pullup resistor.
The following should work

·················· +5V
··················· |
················· [noparse][[/noparse]10k]
··················· |
javPin o----[noparse][[/noparse]1k]----+

---

o device datapin

Initialize the uart for receive.
Send a command using
myUart.setDirection(Uart.dirTransmit);
myUart.sendByte(command);
//send parameter bytes
myUart.setDirection(Uart.dirReceive);
//receive response bytes

The only problem could be the time required to change from
sending to receiving (you could miss the first response byte).
If that appears to be the case, use the following

················· +5V
·················· |
················ [noparse][[/noparse]10k]
·················· |
javTX o----[noparse][[/noparse]1k]--+-+

---

o device datapin
·················|
JavRX o

---

+

Note that in that case that anything you send is also received
(local echo) so you must remove the local echo bytes from
the receive buffer.

regards peter

yvesB

Thanks for that Peter. I like the local echo option and it won't be a big deal to strip out sent bytes.

Yves