Category Archives: Robots

MobBob, Robots

Serial Communication with the Bluno using Bluetooth LE

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When I first started working with the Bluno, I found the documentation didn’t really give me a clear idea how to talk to the Bluno.

DFRobot does provide example iOS and Android projects. However, as I was making my app with the Unity game engine. I could not use that directly.

So, I ended up going through the example Android and iOS project examples provided by DFRobot to “reverse engineer” information about the Bluno’s pass-though serial service/characteristic.

This post is a write up what I figure out (back when I first started working with the Bluno). This information should be useful for anyone who wants to connect to the Bluno by means other than a standard iOS/Android app.

(I’m writing this to answer Pablo’s question: http://www.cevinius.com/2015/09/19/detailed-mobbob-build-instructions/#comment-987. Let me know if this helps. I connecting using Bluetooth LE.)

Continue reading Serial Communication with the Bluno using Bluetooth LE →

MobBob, Musings, Robots

Updates to Apps and MobBob parts soon!

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Sorry I have not been posting much recently. I just moved to a new apartment and have only just recently setup my “lab” again. (The new space is much, much better!)

NewLab

Now that I’m settled into the new place, I’ll be doing app updates and designing new robots again. 😀

I have been working on some hardware updates to MobBob and I’ll post details (and STLs) soon!! Here’s a sneak peak of this update… This MobBob iteration has a Nexus 6 phone holder (Phablet!) and with a newly designed case for the Bluno Beetle to keep the wires hidden away and tidied up!

MobBob-Black1

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MobBob, Robots

Tip for Bluno Connection Issues

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I’ve just built a new MobBob, and I encountered some Bluno connection problems when testing/configuring this new MobBob.

What I found was that the app would sometimes have difficulty connecting to MobBob. And even after it manages to connect, the connection would be lost after one or two animations.

“Dana Hom” posted in the blog comments about a similar issue, so I thought I’d post how I solved it in case it’s helpful to other MobBob builders!

It turns out, the problems went away after I used the Bluno Beetle’s AT command “AT+SETTING=DEFAULT” (The DFRobot website has detailed instructions on how to do this: Link)

I’m guessing that either the Bluno Bluetooth settings were never initialised properly during manufacture, or they got corrupted at some point before reaching me. This command seemed to correctly reset the Bluno’s bluetooth configuration.

Using that command seemed to fix the issues I was having. After doing that I was able to connect and had MobBob walking around my desk for about 10-15 minutes straight without any connection problems.

So, if you are having connection problems, give this a try!

MobBob, Musings, Robots

MobBob and other bodies!

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This post is a discussion and thoughts on using MobBob with other bodies.

Cliff posted the following question in the comments section:

Dear Cervinus;

I am developing a robot based off of the poppy robot chassis. I am not using the expensive dynamixel motors and am beating my head against the wall trying to learn programing. Sort of cart before the horse issues mostly. I’m switching gears and going to build a simpler biped to learn more.

I like the autonomous aspects of your robot and the voice recognition, vision from camera and usage of smartphone sensors etc in your app. Granted this is an as I learn more question can the app be modified to add more leg servos and arms gripper? Is that all in the arduino code or the android app as well?

Awesome project can’t watch to get started and have my Samsung s4 dance around on the table.

Thanks

Cliff

I started writing a reply in the comments section… but it got fairly long and I started including some information that might be useful for other people who may be thinking about other bodies for MobBob. (E.g. Earlier in the week, I saw a MobBob remix on Thingiverse (created by user Zalophus) with arms!)

So, I decided to turn the answer into a post.

Continue reading MobBob and other bodies! →