Creative uses for the USB Port
 

Years of requests finally pays off. We now have USB control imput, which sent a collective nerdgasm across the world today.

But, what do you want to do with it? There's has got to be some crazy cool ideas you thought of at the announcement. Here, we disregard programming skill or other factors; let the ideas flow like water. Anything works.

My first idea was when David announced the ability to target 5 targets with the camera. Before the game was reveiled, I thought it would be sick to be able to create a ball turret that could hit in 5 different places, controlled by the PS2 (or upcoming Xbox 360) Guitar Hero controllers. Wouldn't exactly work for Rack 'n' Roll, thou. =P

Anyone else?

Re: Creative uses for the USB Port
 

i think it would be awesome to use an xbox 360 controller to control the robot
their would be so many possibilities and you may only need 1 driver/operator
i like the new part and hope my team will consider using it to add some excitement to the usually boringa controls

Re: Creative uses for the USB Port
 

hook it up to a laptop... and the possibilities are endless.

maybe a video camera too, and then use mini game pieces to control it.

Re: Creative uses for the USB Port
 

First thought that came to my mind...

Dance Dance Revolution!

Show off your killer robot and your mad dancing skills all at once! Keep the rhythm in your feet as your robot flies 'round the field, danc'n to da beat!

Break it doooown!

Re: Creative uses for the USB Port
 

NICE! now i feel boring... i was just imagining joysticks and xbox controllers, i like the suggestion of a laptop. is it allowed?

Re: Creative uses for the USB Port
 

No, since the laptop is battery powered.

Besides, the Chicklet is a USB host. Laptops are also hosts. Two hosts cannot simply talk to each other (without special hardware and software in between).

Re: Creative uses for the USB Port
 

Per <R83>, no.
I'm still not sure what the reasoning is behind this, but there it is. Sorry.

JBot

EDIT: Well, someone beat me to it. Oh well.

Re: Creative uses for the USB Port
 

nintendo wii... that would be so much fun!

Re: Creative uses for the USB Port
 

Now that would be funny!

If that is the case, is there anything helpful we could use the second driver for? It was probably left in the rules in case someone did want to use old system, but maybe there could be a potential advantage to be gained...

Re: Creative uses for the USB Port
 

USB Chicklet User's Guide on IFIrobotics.com

There is a supported devices list - the XBOX360 controller is one such device.

Here is the thread that discusses this device in more detail.

Re: Creative uses for the USB Port
 

A GUITAR HERO CONTROLLER!! come on how cool would that be.

To move the robot you play Smoke on the Water and to operate the arm you play the riff from Crazy Train.

The whammy bar can be the claw grabber.

And to make the robot spontaneously combust you play any Dragonforce solo.

:ahh:

Re: Creative uses for the USB Port
 

The second driver can pass tubes to the human player if you find that that helps. Probably because you can only hold one tube on the robot at once, the human player won't really be rushed. The second driver could also help to coach the main driver, or help communicate from your drive team to the other drive teams on your alliance

Re: Creative uses for the USB Port
 

I was talking about that with my sister. lol.

And a couple of years ago we had a bunch of joke ways to control the robot. Like guitar, keyboard, beatboxing, and my favorite, turn tables.

That's right. You scratch records to drive your robot. Haha. So good. :D

Re: Creative uses for the USB Port
 

Keep in mind that you are still limited in as to how many buttons are available to you even though you are plugging into usb it is really still limited by gamport capabilities.

Re: Creative uses for the USB Port
 

A PS3 controller would be nice! It has USB!