Connecting Raspberry Pi to RoboRio

[BSV]

We’re fortunate to have several people interested in programming this year (finally!) and some of them are wanting to try to get vision working on a Raspberry Pi. We’ve found several references that indicate that it is possible and legal, but it is not clear how the Pi is physically connected to the Roborio.

Is it as simple as adding a spare wired router to the robot and plugging the radio, Roborio, and Pi into that? Or will that break something else (like the network address of the Rio?) Any suggestions?

[ARaulinaitis]

I’m pretty sure our programmers used a USB cable from the Pi to the RIO. I’ll bug them and try to get them to make CD accounts to reply.

[ARaulinaitis]

Turns out, I was wrong. Here’s what our programmers told me:

“The pi was connected to an Ethernet switch, to which the rio and radio were connected. We followed the directions from this guide: http://wpilib.screenstepslive.com/s/currentCS/m/vision/l/687863-off-board-vision-processing-in-java”

[BSV]

Thanks. We read the guide but didn’t see anything that clearly explained how to connect the two (it mentions USB and Ethernet, but not a specific router, preferred method, or anything that we saw on first read). I’ll let them know that a switch should work. I see one on FIRST Choice that I’ll add to our list.

[ARaulinaitis]

I think I remember them trying to use USB at first but were having some trouble. For ethernet, you won’t need a router, since as far as I know, you’re not allowed to have routers on your bot during competiton. You are allowed to have a switch on your bot, though.

Connecting the Pi and the RIO via the switch just means that you can keep your radio connected to the switch as well and be able to still have normal operation of your bot.

You can think of using a switch to connect the Pi and RIO functionally the same as directly connecting the two with an ethernet cable

[slibert]

@BSV

We’re fortunate to have several people interested in programming this year (finally!) and some of them are wanting to try to get vision working on a Raspberry Pi. We’ve found several references that indicate that it is possible and legal, but it is not clear how the Pi is physically connected to the Roborio.

Is it as simple as adding a spare wired router to the robot and plugging the radio, Roborio, and Pi into that? Or will that break something else (like the network address of the Rio?) Any suggestions?

If you haven’t already, take a look at the VMX-pi on FIRST Choice, Round. Among many other things, it provides an easy way to power a Raspberry Pi.

[BSV]

@slibert

If you haven’t already, take a look at the VMX-pi on FIRST Choice, Round. Among many other things, it provides an easy way to power a Raspberry Pi.

Thanks, that one was already at the top of our list!

[BSV]

@ARaulinaitis

I think I remember them trying to use USB at first but were having some trouble. For ethernet, you won’t need a router, since as far as I know, you’re not allowed to have routers on your bot during competiton. You are allowed to have a switch on your bot, though.

Connecting the Pi and the RIO via the switch just means that you can keep your radio connected to the switch as well and be able to still have normal operation of your bot.

You can think of using a switch to connect the Pi and RIO functionally the same as directly connecting the two with an ethernet cable

Sorry, I’m not a networking person, so I was misusing “router.” I get what you are saying, though. Thanks!