ANNOUNCING: navX MXP Robotics Navigation Sensor

[slibert]

Originally Posted by craigboez

Thanks Joe. That would explain the lack of PWM outputs.

The navX does support PWM/Quad Encoders as well as standard GPIO. These pins are direct pass-throughs from the MXP Connector, so whatever RoboRIO drives out those pins is routed to the navx MXP Digital I/O connectors.

Any announcement regarding legality as an active device can only come from FIRST, who has indicated that all approved devices will be listed in this year's game manual, to be released tomorrow.

[craigboez]

Are there any restrictions or recommendations on how to mount the roboRIO? Is vertical ok?

[Greg Needel]

Originally Posted by craigboez

Are there any restrictions or recommendations on how to mount the roboRIO? Is vertical ok?

I can't speak for the orientation requirements of this board, but you could always use a cable to relocated it off of the roborio.

http://www.andymark.com/product-p/am-2997.htm

[Ben Wolsieffer]

Originally Posted by Greg Needel

I can't speak for the orientation requirements of this board, but you could always use a cable to relocated it off of the roborio.

http://www.andymark.com/product-p/am-2997.htm

It also looks like it can be connected over USB, which would make it even easier to mount it away from the roboRIO.

[slibert]

Originally Posted by lopsided98

It also looks like it can be connected over USB, which would make it even easier to mount it away from the roboRIO.

Connection over USB is definitely doable; but do note that the navX MXP RoboRIO I/O expansion capability is only accessible when navX MXP is connected via the MXP connector.

One interesting side note is that navX MXP can be connected *simultaneously* by both MXP connector AND USB. So you can access the navX MXP over the MXP Connector from your robot software and simultaneously monitor the navX MXP over the USB connector. There's a PC-based application called the navXMXPUI, more info on the Wiki (https://code.google.com/p/navx-mxp/wiki/navXMXPUI).

The navXMXPUI is really helpful to understand the full breadth of what the navX MXP can do, and should also help debug as you integrate the navX MXP into your robot.

[JB987]

Our alpha and beta testing of the rRIO included vertical mounting and we had no problems with it's orientation.

[Ben Wolsieffer]

Originally Posted by JB987

Our alpha and beta testing of the rRIO included vertical mounting and we had no problems with it's orientation.

Are you talking about the navX, or simply the roboRIO by itself.

[slibert]

Originally Posted by craigboez

Are there any restrictions or recommendations on how to mount the roboRIO? Is vertical ok?

I'd definitely recommend horizontal alignment with the chassis.

We've put a decent bit of thought, though, into alternate mounting strategies.

Please take a look at the following wiki page and hopefully it provides enough detail regarding these alternate solutions:

https://code.google.com/p/navx-mxp/w...InstallOptions

You might want to consider the "One-wire connect via Floppy-disk Extension Cable" option and the "One-wire connect via USB Cable" options.

We were able to order some of the "Floppy-disk Extension Cables" on Ebay, and another poster just indicated that AndyMark is carrying them, as well.

[JesseK]

2 questions:
How much testing has this board undergone with the RoboRIO, outside of a Great like Joe Johnson?
The website shows 11 available. Is that true? Seems a bit low.

[slibert]

Originally Posted by JesseK

2 questions:
How much testing has this board undergone with the RoboRIO, outside of a Great like Joe Johnson?
The website shows 11 available. Is that true? Seems a bit low.

First, regarding the availability. As you noted, Kauai Labs has 11 remaining, but AndyMark will initially have 100 units for sale, I expect within a week or so.

As to the Roborio Testing: Like many others, Kauai Labs has been hampered because the RoboRIO firmware has not been made available to non-beta teams. So internally we do our firmware validation by running functional and stress-test code on Arduinos (connected to MXP connector) and PCs over USB. And electrical validation was performed on a new RoboRIO.

As to the Roborio-side libraries, one extremely helpful beta team tester got the nav6 working on the RoboRio in both LabView and Java, with small modifications to the libraries on the CRio. This proves out the WPI Library Serial Port support, as well as the Kauai Labs Serial Port-based nav6 libraries for Java and Labview. Since the navX MXP is backwards compatible w/the nav6, this means the navX MXP will work on the RoboRio.

As soon as the RoboRio firmware and WPI libraries are released (Jan. 3, 2015), Kauai Labs will be working overtime to first get the RoboRio libraries fully tested w/the navX MXP on LabView, Java and C++ platforms. Based on the work by the beta tester, and the maturity of the nav6 libraries, this should proceed quickly. Once that's solid, we'll next work to add extensions to the Serial Port-based Roborio-side libraries, which will make the new navX features (9-axis heading and Magnetic Disturbance Detection) accessible, too.

We're also finishing up documentation on the I2C/SPI protocols - should be posted on the wiki any day now - and after the Serial Port-based libraries are completed, we'll be creating some Roborio-side libraries for accessing navX MXP via these protocols too.

Given the constraints, that's the best strategy we could come up with - but we're open to input as to priorities as we make navx MXP available to FIRST teams.