Using non joystick controls with Operator Interface (Hacking Various Controllers)

[Astronouth7303]

Question: Has any atempted to use a non-joystick to control the robot? (Data must go through OI!) It doesn't have to compete or work, you just need to tell us about it.

Examples: Mice (Serial, PS/2, or USB), Game Controllers (XBox, PS2, Dreamcast, N64, GameCube, Super NES , ...), or anything else NOT designed for a gameport.

Stories, descriptions, and links are apreciated!

Those of you feeling ambitious can write a White Paper or a How-to.

[Joshua May]

Originally Posted by Astronouth7303

Question: Has any atempted to use a non-joystick to control the robot? (Data must go through OI!)

Examples: Mice (Serial, PS/2, or USB), Game Controllers (XBox, PS2, Dreamcast, N64, GameCube, Super NES , ...), or anything else NOT designed for a gameport.

Stories, descriptions, and links are apreciated!

Those of you feeling ambitious can write a White Paper or a How-to.

I've actually seen a steering wheel (I think it was 587 or 578) and I'm also planning to create a gas pedal system. I also thought about a GameCube controller, but I don't think their data packets are the same. Really, with the GameCube (or any other controller) though, and I'm thinking of doing this for my team, you could just strip the contoller of it's electronics and wire your own stuff for the serial ports, with simple buttons and such, but I'm not sure you how to do the joysticks, however.

[phrontist]

Originally Posted by Astronouth7303

Those of you feeling ambitious can write a White Paper or a How-to.

Hey, maybe even a FIRSTwiki entry?

[Astronouth7303]

I was thinking maybe you can use the EDU for serial to Ana/Dig conversion. Is this legal? And does it work?

[greencactus3]

for my lego creations, ive hand made all of my controls.
i just get a bunch of resistors and arrange them so a switch or button runs a current with different voltage. (the lego RCX senses different voltages) and can use that as input. resistors you can find in any kind of old electronic device so its cheap. actually, free. just go aound saying youll take anything electrical that they dont need. youll be suprised how much junk people have..

and also not that its really probable for awhile, but controlling a robot with a touch screen would be COOL!!!.
have a field on the screen and touch a point on the screen and the robot moves to there. crab drive might be useful for this. omnis too.
oh the possibilities!

[Astronouth7303]

it is portable. Haven't you heard of a tablet PC?

[Billfred]

Originally Posted by Astronouth7303

I was thinking maybe you can use the EDU for serial to Ana/Dig conversion. Is this legal? And does it work?

Is it legal? If the 2k4 rules hold, then yes. It's pretty much open range for controls, as long as you don't break any other rules in the process.

Would it work? That's the part I dunno...but it seems within the realm of possibility.

[bheller]

A few years ago I interfaced a Playstation dualshock controller to a Basic Stamp 2. Wasn't too bad - it uses SPI, but the documentation on the net for the vibration motors was too sketchy to figure out analog control for them.

-Brandon Heller

Gateway Team 931
Blair Robot Project 449 Alum

[Elgin Clock]

Ok, so I'm not gonna yell at you to search before you post, cause you are asking for different applications but...

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/showthread.php?t=22845&highlight=Sega+Genesis+Cont roller

[Ryan Albright]

yes this has been discussed but just like to add a team in the newton divison called ET not certain of there number but they used a actually phone to control there arm it was really cool like 2 was up 5 was grab or something like that it was really cool and the kid was really good at it they were picked for a alliance but i dont know how far they went

[Astronouth7303]

Originally Posted by Elgin Clock

Ok, so I'm not gonna yell at you to search before you post, cause you are asking for different applications but...

It was a general question. I just listed what I thought of. To get an idea just how ambitious people are about controls.

[Nastay]

i was actually considering using a PS1 duel shock that i have left over because it seems that joysticks aren't very intuitive anymore, but everyone has used a PS2 or Xbox or gamecube controller and would more than likely be more efficient with one. The reason i didn't is because someone told me that you could only use the joysticks, so the controller would have just been confusing and illegal... But please i would still like to do it if you could go to a competition with a PS2 controller and use it, if this person misspoke when i was talking to them.

[Billfred]

The person misspoke.

AFAIK, you can pretty much whatever you want with the OI and control system, as long as it's safe, doesn't block anyone's view, and doesn't break any rule in the manual de l'année. That's how you get teams with switches in their controls, or who-knows-what-else. (I will give a Krispy Kreme-shaped trophy to anyone who uses a wearable control system in 2005 with any degree of success. I guess the big challenge there would be to put in a quick-connect of some sort so you can still stand behind the line. Oh, and make it actually do something worthwhile.)

[Joshua May]

Originally Posted by Billfred

I will give a Krispy Kreme-shaped trophy to anyone who uses a wearable control system in 2005 with any degree of success. I guess the big challenge there would be to put in a quick-connect of some sort so you can still stand behind the line. Oh, and make it actually do something worthwhile.

I know there are a couple of teams that have created a wearble control system for previous competitions: We did gloves FIRST?

[Tom Bottiglieri]

Not sure if this will work, but it may be of some relevance...

http://pcworld.pricegrabber.com/sear...asterid=433440