Breakthrough

This evening I managed to get a breakthrough while I was working on the wordclock. The clock kept showing a completely wrong time now and then, followed by the correct time a minute later.

So I loaded the test program for the DCF receiver again and monitored the output on the serial console over a longer time (one or two hours or so). I noticed that the receiver actually gave incomplete information once in a while. To rectify this I did two things: Continue reading Breakthrough

Smartphone controlled boat at TU Delft

Looks like I’m not the first to have that idea.

Since it currently seems to be impossible to embed a YouTube video without it loading tracking scripts the video can only be viewed directly on YouTube.

I couldn’t find more information on that project, but it looks as if they are controlling the boat directly over a bluetooth link. I’m really curious how the range extension via XBee will work out.

Anyway, I’d love to have such a tank for testing … I guess my fishes will mind if I try it in their tank.

First tests for Android remote control

Over the last couple of days I worked on the basics to use my Android powered mobile phone as a remote control for my R/C boat. The first test covers reading the motion sensors of the phone (accelerometer specifically) and visualizing it. The result can be seen in this video:

Since it currently seems to be impossible to embed a YouTube video without it loading tracking scripts the video can only be viewed directly on YouTube.

I plan to steer the boat as one would control a vehicle in a game on the phone.

Some kind soul already mixed up an XBee module and a bluetooth module for Arduino to create a nice little module that can be used to control an Arduino from an Android device.

In other news, I ordered an motor control from Adafruit I want to use to control the motors of the boat. Can’t wait to start playing with it.