Wireless communication available on I/O board

[jgrizou]

Continuing the discussion from SD card available on I/O board:

@jgrizou

• How hard is it to implement?
• Does it require you to code advance software to communicate with it?
• Which port of the Atmega would it use (UART…)?

To my opinion, logging sensor values on a SD card is not that useful. You need to take the SD card in and out to get the data and you usually want the data while the robot is running. In general, it is used to store images or sounds to be played by the card. But currently sound and video is supposed to be handle by the Odroid Board.

A wireless communication (Xbee, RF, Bleutooth,…) would be more useful.

Is it really useful to add wireless communication to the I/O board?

The I/O board will include two main elements: an arduino like board (inspired from Arduino Due) and two USB2AX all connected on a USB hub.

• The arduino part is meant to collect data from sensors and control various actuators (servos, leds…). Such functionality are often useful only when poppy is activated and moving.

• For the robot to move, somehow, a USB cable should be plugged to the board to send and receive data from USB2AX. Which also connect the arduino side to the USB bus.

Hence, whenever the robot is moving, the arduino part can send and receive data from the computer controlling it. Adding wireless to the board could help if:

• the amount of data going through the USB is too high.
• we want to add sensors or actuators that communicate wirelessly with the board.

My opinion: Adding a Xbee ready socket on the board. As more and more devices use the same footprint (Xbee, Wifi and Bleutooth) people could use what they prefer or not use it at all.

[Fdepraetre]

I think the problem with the XBEE module is the place taken. If you want to include an XBEE module on I/O board, we need to found a place into Poppy but it seems difficult and not really interresting. I think it could be more interresting to have a USB port on face, where we can plug a wireless module connected to ODROID board.

[jgrizou]

The use of XBEE/Bleutooth/Wifly on the I/O board would have a different function than a direct communication (wireless or not) with the ODROID. See my [previous post][1].

Concerning the place taken on the board, if we go for a 10x5cm it should be fine. Such module look quite big but they stand above the PCB so you can route and put other components under. It takes the place of two rows of pin headers and maybe small components aside. Plus we can route on both side, having the ATmega, accelerometer, gyro, … on one side and the remianing pins and XBEE socket on the other. Maybe I am a bit optimitic

The main question remains: is it useful to have such communication available?
I listed two pros on my [previous post][1], let me add one con:

• People may tend to use this communication in a ‘‘bad’’ way, i.e. sending message to I/O board to control the motors. By sending a meesage to I/O that sends command to the ODROID (through the USB) which control motors (through the same USB). It goes against the first pro argument stating that it should be use to relieve the traffic on USB. For such cases, there is a wifi/bleutooh dongle on the ODROID board (or the ethernet cable).
  [1]: Wireless communication available on I/O board

[aurelien]

A complete plan of poppy connections should be great to visualize possibilities.
Anythings like this exist at this time? link?

[poppy_esaii]

I agree that a wireless communication would be a nice addition. It will also give the opportunity to interact with the head screen and speakers through another bluetooth devices, such as mobile phones (who’s the optimist now @jgrizou ).

I am sure you will be able to fit a board such as xbee inside the head. And the communication, based on my experience with a BlueSMiRF is pretty straightforward.

[Matthieu]

For the current version of Poppy humanoid you will have the wifi and you can add a bluetooth dongle if you want to.