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What hardware should I start with..??

Former Member

I manufacture a small part in a garage on my property and have for many years.

I have made as many mechanical tools as is practical.

I now need to begin building digitally controlled robots.

My thought was the following...

I could build a very complex robotic system from two types of controlled motors.

Linear actuator with encoder ring or other sensor I do not know about

and a gear step motor also with position sensors.

 

I have python installed on my pc in a virtual OS and have been doing tutorials.

So far I am having no problems understanding code or the way in which a step motor is controlled.

 

Question:

Is raspberry pi starter kit with gert board the way to get my self acquainted with digital motor control and building working robots.?

Any one who is in the know I sure would appericate a little guidance.

Adam R.

  • 0

    Hi Adam,

    There are so many good answers to your question, it is hard to make a definitive recommendation.

    Generally Arduino solutions will be less expensive and less complicated, but also less powerful than Raspberry Pi solutions.

    A couple of solutions that are more powerful than Arduino but can still directly use low cost Arduino motor controllers are "PSoC4 Pioneer Kit" from Cypress Semiconductor and various models of "ChipKit" from Digilent.

    It may boil down to which programming language you prefer, for example Raspberry Pi is a good platform to run Python - with lots of available examples and support. If you have invested time in learning Python, then Raspberry Pi is a good choice. The Gert board is good for learning about interfacing motors, and depending on the size of motors you need it may be adequate.

    Doug

  • 0

    The main question here is, do you have a background knowledge of the Linux operative system ?

     

    If your answer is "yes" you can aim for the Raspberry for your projects.

     

    If your answer is "No" you have  to take into account that you will have a learning curve just to put the pieces in place as Raspberry runs a full Linux operative system on it.

     

    Arduinos, AVR, PIC and other microcontrollers, don't have an OS so you just need to learn programming the chip and that's it.

     

    I would not start with a Raspberry to get into microcontrollers really.

     

    Arduino is a better platfrom for novices.

     

    ITOH, there is another edge to this election. How "smart" does your robots need to be ?

     

    If it's simple movements reading sensor inputs Arduinos can do a great job.

     

    If it's more complex behavior like visual recognition, you choices are down to more powerful devices like the Raspberry.

  • 0 in reply to dougw

    I think my decision is in between raspberry pi or beagle bone black. I like the network interface I saw in the ben Heck show. It seems like it will be a good system to network.

  • 0 in reply to iagorubio

    Iago,

    I do not but have been taking the tutorials and find it quite exciting.

    Is it unreasonable to go from 0 to controlling motors with code in a few months?

    I think I can.

    I have now installed Debian Linux and python on my pc and have been doing base tutorials.

    Do you have any more advanced exercises to recommend?

    Any information that pushes me forward is appericated.

    Adam

  • 0

    If you want to get simple stuff done quickly, go MSP430, the jellybean-killer!

     

    If you want to get complicated, still, I would run my peripherals with MSP430, code them to think they were IIC chips, and connect them to the big box that way.  Von Neumann is not the only model for control!

  • 0 in reply to D_Hersey

    ?CCS?...is Python the same thing or do I need a different software set up.?

    I have installed Debian Linux using Python as a mirror of what PI is supposed to be. I think.

     

    the 430 tutorials start on CCS?

  • 0 in reply to Former Member

    430 uses a really good C++ compiler.  C++ can get kinda arcane on a big-computer.  On an MSP 430 what we are doing is typically fairly simple in software terms.  One typically doesn't load an rtos so in that sense it is closer to the iron.  The one thing that takes some getting used to is that most of the effort is in service routines and interrupt routines rather than a top-down draw.  Since this is the way, probably, we should code medium and larger apps anyway, I've resolved to make the adjustment.  They have good code examples, and it seems easy to get up and running.  Stuff that is easier, seems to me, is handicapping when I wanna do real stuff.  Documentation can be terse and wonkish.  Ti has a great fab, so there device has lotsa peripherals, including, sometimes a pretty good A/D w/ mux.  I'd recommend biting the bullet and just learn all of the I/O, they did a pretty nice job at making it balanced and canonical.  If you have any problems, you can e-mail me,  Ti answers their phone and are always willing to help, I've found.  Personally, I haven't hit them up for much anyway, 'cause I've always been able to answer my own questions by wading through the docs.

     

    There are some good introductory texts in electronics, I'd recommend Horowitz and Hill and ARRL pubs to start.  You should learn OpAmps and JellyBeans if only to be aware of some of your alternatives.

     

    Computers seem to cause people to rush.  One question to ask, before getting out the solder pen is:  Can this problem be solved by a protocol?  Is there an electro-mechanical solution?  How did people cope with this problem in past?

    Unless your project is for learning of an artistic nature, then you don't have a problem, per se.

  • 0 in reply to Former Member

    hi im harpreet singh... im doing one project in embedded system. Im using raspberry PI to interface device. Can u help in interfacing the RPi with GPS module

  • 0

    Complexity can intrude through chip hardware as well.  MSP430 has five clocks and five layers of sleep.  By contrast, STM32, another excellent controller chip, has seventeen clocks, Cheezsus!

    If you are doing something with digital hardware, you need to get fluent with state diagrams.  Then you have the problem mapped out for coders of whatever stripe to attack.

     

    By way of my friend Bobbert:

     

    xkcd: Automation

     

    --hover w/ mouse over illustration--