I’ve gotten a few people posting comments on the “register” page that are mostly general questions. This prompted me to add an “Ask Bill” page to provide a more appropriate place for you to ask me questions.
If you have a question about a certain library or project of mine, I’d rather you ask the question in the comments of the related post. If it’s a general advice question, I’d rather you use a public forum like Society Of Robots or the EEWeb Forum
Otherwise, feel free to drop any questions on the comments here. You do have to provide an email address, but this is only to fight spam. I can’t promise speedy replies though.
Bill
62 Comments.
I’m a firefighter instructor that is interested in developing a training tool that basically transmits manually controlled LED numbers from an instructor device to a student “read only device”. In our hazmat training, we currently have to follow students and shout out what simulated gas readings they are encountering, the student’s actions to follow dependent on the readings provided. My vision is that we have two gas meters (without the actual gas sensors) with, for simplicity in this discussion, LCD display and some alarms (visual, audible and vibratory). The instructor meter will have a control switch which will allow he/she to select one of four gases from the LCD display and vary the displayed gas readings dependent on the training scenario. These readings would be transmitted wireless to the “read only” LCD display on the student meter. When the readings reach any of the four pre-programmed set-points/alarm levels, the student meter will alarm. When the readings fall below or above the gas alarm range, the meter will return to silent mode. Basically, these are 4-gas meters with actual sensors readings being replaced by instructor controlled readings, with both meters displaying simultaneous readings.
I am thinking of using Arduino Uno microcontrollers with a 128 X 64 LCD and Bluetooth modems for transmitting and receiving signals (readings) between the Instructor and Student meters. A crude prototype it may be, but a tool that would definitely enhance our training. I am hoping that someone reading this Forum may have experience and an interest in this project. Perhaps you have suggestions for the proposed hardware. If interested or have any suggestions, please email me at abbyrandy@gmail.com or call me at 414-369-2154. Any and all suggestions are greatly appreciated!
Hi Bill,
I am 14 years old (only worked with robotics for 2 years now) and I’m building a search and rescue robot. I’m having trouble figuring out how to control the robot with my laptop from a mile away. I’m using an axon mote and I need to transmit live video feed. I’ve been recommended a drone cell, but that can’t transfer video. I’ve been considering a router, but I’m not sure how that will work. Could you help clear this up and maybe recommend a product?
Thanks,
Jason
Never mind I figured out my problem
Perhaps I have not done enough research, but it seems very difficult to find a complete tutorial on EXACTLY how to control two servos with one thumbstick. I found your video VERY interesting, but it’s not exactly right for what I want.
Basically, I want to make my own rc set up with the arduino. I’d like to be able to simply add thumbsticks and servos as needed.
I’m guessing that the XBee is transmiting to another arduino in your robot, right? And while I’m thinking about it, wouldn’t it save a lot of ‘tinkering’ (although be more expensive) to use one of the PS3 wireless controllers? ….probably a ‘range’ question? Any help or direction you could point me in would be appreciated. Love your work.
Hi Keith,
My robot is very complicated. It has no Arduino’s in it, just other custom AVR ATMega boards and one called an Axon. So it would not make a good subject for an end-to-end tutorial.
But you could build a robot as you suggested, with an Arduino on either end communicating via a wireless link like Xbees. I wrote the EasyTransfer library to help people send values between Arduinos just like you suggested. Or you could use a wireless PS2 (not PS3) controller and just have the receiver on the robot like this guy did. Either way would work.
I’m not big on writing tutorials, but enough people have asked me for this I might have to give in.
Bill
Question, I have been dealing with resistors for a while, but never figured out what the color(not the bands), of the resistors mean. I mean the teal ones are what? the tan are what? the big gray ones… then there are the cylander looking ones same thing teal(sea foam green), tan, and gray. What do they all mean anyone(even bill) have a website that can tell me all the resistor knowledge of different colors? Cause even 1-10% resistance aint dependant on colors of the resistors themselves, cause I have seen and done 5 band resistors that are 1% in tan, and 4 band resistor in teal for 5%-10% so the color aint anything. I want to know what the colors of the resisors mean… And since I forget alot I really would appreciate a website with pictures that I can refer to for future refrence. If anyone can help.
OK well… this doesnt have to be Bill who answers… 3 days roughly no answer? Even a ‘I dont know’ would be nice at least to tell me that somone is looking at this. I have asked everywhere, and tried to ggoel it, and noone will answer me at all… Yes I even went to the above sites Bill with no Luck at all. It is like everyone is ignoring me.
All I want is where to be pointed just give me websites, multiple if needed… all I want is help. Can Anyone help at all?!?
Quin,
As far as I’m aware, the color of the body of the resistor doesn’t mean anything, other then an indication of what the resistor is made of or how they sealed it up. Regular beige resistors are sealed in a ceramic or similar material.
Hi Bill,
I’ve been working on a xbee RC transmitter and receiver. Its working very well with your library easy transfer. But now I am stuck trying to add a LS20031 GPS 10Hz on my receiver. I am trying to get all the information from de gps on the transmitters display . The gps is already working and is connected to the RX pin from de arduino reciever. Do you have any suggestions ?
Wesley,
I’ve started a thread here to help you: http://www.societyofrobots.com/robotforum/index.php?topic=14623.0
Please visit the link and we can help you out.
Thanks for your quick reply , I will upload my sketch to the forum as soon as my login is approved .
hello bill. i would like to ask about the PS2 coding. i need help to use the coding on my robot project. i use this 360 degree rotation servo. this servo is a continuous rotation ones. if could , can you help me to add up the coding for servo in the PS2 coding.?
I am interested in your information of interfaceing a wireless PS2 to an arduino. I could not find the schmatic or all information.
Pete, there’s a schematic on the library page.
Hey Bill,
You’ve got some truly fantastic work on here. Do you have an email address I can grab you on I have a few questios to ask.
Thanks
Ryan
Thanks Ryan. You will find my email address is in the footer of every page.
Hey Bill,
I see that you’re now writing for Adafruit’s blog — congrats man! I look forward to reading your latest articles.
I also see that you’re interested in robotics… I happen to run one of the web’s most popular robotics websites for academics and professionals: http://www.Hizook.com
All of our articles are super-unique, and they often diffuse across the blogosphere. I’d be totally stoked to have you (occasionally) share the articles with your new audience.
I come across lots of other Adafruit-type content, and I’d really like to send some tips your way. Anyway, ping me back by email?
Cheers.
I got to your website through Hack A Day. I wanted to ask you about the SeaPerch program and what you thought of it. I am currently putting together an FLL program for our elementary school (starting in January) and thought I might try the SeaPerch program for our local high schoolers (although the local high school already fields an FTC team).
How do you manage both groups, or is it one group that does both programs?
I LOVE the Seaperch program. I actually got hands on training at the Naval Academy to teach SeaPerch classes. I haven’t put together a program yet, but I am working on a class for next summer. SeaPerch is a 1 to 2 week activity while things like FLL are longer. I have mentored a FTC team but have not been involved with an FLL team yet. I’m not going to be much help for advice on organizing both things as I haven’t tried both at the same time. My only advice is to try to get as much help as you can.
Thanks for the info. I was thinking that I could run an FLL program in the late spring/fall and then take a break from Legos and do a quick SeaPerch program. It sounds like it might work well that way. The teachers at our local school are totally on board with FLL and like the looks of SeaPerch.
If you get enough people to help you with SeaPerch, you can setup ‘stations’ for each step of assembly and have the students go from station to station. It has it’s advantages over having a class go together, as it’s less tools required and usually goes faster.
PS2 Controller, Comparing Stick values – I am trying to move my bot when the stick values are higher or lower than 128 defaut position. I must be doing something wrong because what is being printed to the serial monitor is all good, but when I try to use the values to compare such as:
if ((ps2x.Analog(PSS_LY), DEC) > 128) { Do Someting}
The value is never > 128. Thanks for you help.
Matt,
send me your code to the email at the bottom of the page and I’ll take a look and see if I can spot the problem in the next few days.
Hello,
i’m failling to upload the example sketch to a arduino uno r3.This happens:
In file included from sketch_feb09a.cpp:1:
C:\programma\Arduino\arduino-1.0\libraries\PS2X_lib/PS2X_lib.h:44:22: error: WProgram.h: No such file or directory
Can u tell me what i’m doing wrong ?
You do not have the PS2 libary installed. Make sure to copy it to the libary directory of your installed Arduino software.
Also, not sure if Bill has updated it for Arduino 1.0, so try using it with version 22 or 23 if you have it.
The library is 1.0 compatible, but it looks like you have an old version of the library that is not. Download and install it again.
Thank you Bill and Matt fo your quick reply.
I probely made a mistake by also acstracting the readme file in my library.Del the file and it runs fine.Great library i’m looking forward to use it on ROV project.
hi bill.. I’m trying to do a project called ps2x, found on your website. But I do not understand how to connect the joypad to arduino. can you please send me a photo or something similar for the connection. and the program that I found on your website will not work on my pc, it gives me many errors, what it might be?
Eddy, make sure you go through the troubleshooting guide for the library first.
oke i would like to thank you for your ps2 library
and i would like to question you about something
the controller input must be pwm ??
all of them ??
or ??