Creative uses for the USB Port

[intellec7]

Originally Posted by JBotAlan

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.

I believe the reason is so that one may not offload the RC using, for example, a laptop on the OI side. By receiving sensor info via the dashboard port and sending PWM info and digital output info through the joystick ports, this would be possible.

[Ericgehrken]

How about a simplified computer keyboard?
How about a USB computer mouse?

[bear24rw]

What about a computer keyboard and a mouse, and you could use drive your omni drive bot FPS style..

[IA-Howitzer]

Thats the best idea ever! We could have mad dance offs and robotics in one!

[Matt H.]

The problem with using items such as an Xbox360 controller or a PS3 controller is that while you have a USB interface it is still limited by the amount of data transfer offered by the game port. An USB device will have its functions limited by this lack of transfer power. It will only be possible for a user to define several buttons and joy sticks as specified on the USB Chicklets website.

[Nawaid Ladak]

Originally Posted by bobotics319

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

exactly what i thought. the remote can be used for the arm and the numbchuck for the well... movement of the robot...

any ideas

but how hard would it be to do a ps3 or a wii controler, bc of the motion sencor

hey, what about vibrate when you come n contact with anouther robot.

now that would be fun

[Noah Kleinberg]

Originally Posted by FreedomForce

exactly what i thought. the remote can be used for the arm and the numbchuck for the well... movement of the robot...

any ideas

but how hard would it be to do a ps3 or a wii controler, bc of the motion sencor

hey, what about vibrate when you come n contact with anouther robot.

now that would be fun

The only thing is that the wii controller and probably the ps3 controller also requires batteries, and I think that this is not allowed. Also remember that you still are limited to 3(?) analog inputs per port.

[Mike Copioli]

The only thing is that the wii controller and probably the ps3 controller also requires batteries, and I think that this is not allowed.

Originally Posted by Noah Kleinberg

Also remember that you still are limited to 3(?) analog inputs per port.

This is not the case. The O/I ports have 4 analog and 4 digital. The analog usage is user selectable. There are 4 modes for all of the gamepads including the x-box/360. Mode 1, for example, uses two analog channels for the y axes on the left and right. The other two analog channels are alllocated for digital use. The Chicklet uses the upper nibble of each analog byte which gives you 4 extra digital per analog channel. So the total available digital slots in mode 1, is 12. I think 12 is enough. If it is not, then give some tasks to the other operator.

Thanks, Mike Copioli
CTRE

[KevinH]

Using a Guitar Hero controller is key. 7 buttons, 1 two way switch and of course, an analog input whammy bar.

There's also of course midi keyboards, but you could always get something like the DX1 input system and just build your operator controls with that. I'd love to see a laser keyboard too. Maybe a fragpedal... This was a smart move, opens a lot of possibilities to teams that wouldn't have the time or resources to build controllers themselves. I do hope that there's still plenty of custom controllers too though, PS2/PS3/Xbox controllers aren't the end all be all...

[Sidney San Martín]

Originally Posted by CBailey

their would be so many possibilities and you may only need 1 driver/operator

With creative control design, it's always been possible to have one driver. FIRST allows two so that they can share the task of controlling the robot, not operating it. Two minds are better.

[KevinH]

With creative control design, it's always been possible to have one driver. FIRST allows two so that they can share the task of controlling the robot, not operating it. Two minds are better.

/agree, especially given the complexity of this years scoring, keeping track of 5 robots beyond your own and general FoV issues, there's a lot to be lost in trying to have only one person responsible for controlling the robot.

[ZeetherKID77]

Nobody mentioned the Beatmania controller? Although you'd need a convertor for it...And the PS3 controller doesn't vibrate, only the Wii controller does.

When they were talking about the USB adaptor at kickoff they said that "you could use a Game Boy controller with it." What the @#@? were they thinking?

[Andrewpbhs]

i like the 3D extreme controller style...eliminates the need for a firing box >.>

Also...You could barely start a Dragonforce Solo anf every robot on the field would explode...

[Red Mage]

The PS2 Eye Toy, that'd be great.

[Zero-Bee]

Originally Posted by ZeetherKID77

When they were talking about the USB adaptor at kickoff they said that "you could use a Game Boy controller with it." What the @#@? were they thinking?

Well, you have to give Dave a Break. He can put a rover on Mars, but I'll bet he doesn't have much time for video games. =P

Or, he confused the PSP for the Game Boy (which isn't hard for most old people) . How cool would it be to use the PSP, with real time stats and data on the screen?