Axon, Webbotlib, Project Designer; An Easy Way To Get Started With It All
Posted in Tutorials by Bill
17 Sep 2010
Arduino’s are easy, but they have very limited IO and don’t support much hardware off the bat. Great for beginners, but when your ready for the big boy league, the Axon is the way to go. A ton of IO, Uarts and ADC, all in a very small easy to use package. Does your project have a bunch of servos? Building a hexapod? You need the Axon. No shields required.
And there’s an equally awesome library to match. It’s called WebbotLib, and man is it powerful. Support for a ton of hardware, an easy to use Gait Designer for all your hexapod dance moves, and an even easier Project Designer to get you started. Have a look for yourself, I created a video tutorial on how it all works.
The combination of the Axon and Webbotlib allow the possibility for some really cool robots. My SAGAR robot runs using both, as well as some other cool projects. Ready to start your next big project?
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6 Comments.
Is Axon an open source hardware too?
No, unfortunately it is not open source Hardware, but it is a nice micro controller.
Good evening, did you write the webbot program? Excellent !
I have not seen a more useful piece of software for Hobbiest, I have recently bought an Axon MCU for a project and not a strong “C” programmer. I find the code it generates useful and the “Drag and Drop” set-up time saving. For once I have found a project that I actually would not mind supporting with a few dollars, I would like more information on the software and where it is headed.
I did not, but I am an avid user.
The author is a guy that goes by Webbot and you can send him a donation for his work here.
The library is headed in some exciting directions, and you can follow the progress on the forums at http://www.societyofrobots.com.
Bill,
I ran across your tutorial on the Axon microcontroller, and read it with great interest. I am relatively new to hobby robotics and microcontroller programming. I have been attempting to learn arduino programming (self taught)but not making any headway. So I read about the Axon with great interest. My first question is this. How much C programming would be required to use the Axon? Using the Project Designer and AVR Studio is there enough code generated to operate a simple robot without writing any additional code? In your opinion is C programming easier to learn then arduino?
I am currently using a microcontroller called an EZ B (www.Ezrobot.com) that requires no programming. However, I would like to learn how to use other controllers. As a side note. I am 64 years old, and I have had a minor stroke a while back; so learning doesn’t come as easy as it once did. Hence my interest in the Axon. I’d like to thank you in advance for considering my questions.
Lloyd
Lloyd,
Stick with Arduino for now. Both are C language and have their own API (pre-written code that makes it easier for you to use) but the Arduino API is much easier to learn from and understand as a new user. The Axon library (Webbotlib) is much more complex and powerful, but that also means harder to follow and figure out on your own. Project designer just gets you started, it doesn’t write your whole program for you.
If your having trouble getting started, try playing around with a visual editor. Arduino blog had an article on a few here.