[Bkeeneykid]

Originally Posted by Foster

I've used this Adafruit Bluefruit EZ-Key - 12 Input Bluetooth HID Keyboard Controller at about $20.

You wire up switches to the board. It connects to the laptop via Bluetooth. You can program the board to be a sudo keyboard with any key chord combination you want. (ie a,A, ctl-A, Alt-A, ctl-shift-alt-A, etc. )

You can use any kind of switch. There are places you can get joysticks with switches on the axis.

Not sure what the FRC rules are around bluetooth keyboards.

I've used these to make a wall button setup that talks to a home control computer, fun box for the grandmuchin, and working on a Kerbal Space Command console.

Bluetooth is illegal within the arena. See this rule:

Originally Posted by R95

Other than the system provided by the ARENA, no other form of wireless communications shall be used to communicate to, from, or within the OPERATOR CONSOLE.

Examples of prohibited wireless systems include, but are not limited to, active wireless network cards and Bluetooth devices. For the case of FIRST Robotics Competition, a motion sensing input device (e.g. Microsoft Kinect) is not considered wireless communication and is allowed.