Small Embedded Computer with 802.11 for RC Car?

Milo_Mindbender asks: "For some time now I've been wanting to build an RC car with an on-board computer and an 802.11 link back to the PC in my office for telepresence experiments (and just plain fun). As I'm planning on doing this on my own dime, the big problem has been finding a reasonablly cheap and low power embedded system board with 802.11 and the right 'ins' and 'outs' to handle controling the motors (a parallel port at minimum)." Many seriously cool devices could come from an embedded 802.11 system, and I'm sure computer controlled RC cars are just the beginning. Has the Embedded Computing camp hopped on the wireless networking bandwagon? If not, what's the delay?

"I'm interested in doing two versions of the gadget, one using a system with a less powerful CPU that could do simple preprogramed moves and a second one that would have a CPU with enough power to do low-res video and two-way audio. I figure it would be a riot to remote drive one of these things anyplace in the office complex that has 802.11, stick a high-gain antenna on it and you could probably send it down the elevators and out into the parking lot! Has anyone seen an embedded system with 802.11 of either power level that might fit the bill?"

Comments

802.11 and Telepresence...

[cr0sh]

Good idea, but I don't think you will be able to get everything down to the small size I am assuming you are planning on, and still have enough power to run everything (ie, the car, the computer, etc).

Honestly, if you wanted to do such a thing, I would look into using a 1/4 scale R/C car (read: big, noisy, and expensive), or possibly a go-cart (ie: network enabled Yerf-Dog). Either way, it won't be cheap, but you will gain the power needed to keep everything running for a while.

If you don't need to keep things running for a long time, or you don't need the range, then why do the 802.11?

Grab an FM or PCM radio control box, hook it up to the computer, and control the car. Use VHF/UHF for the camera feedback loop - if you want data feedback, you might try dropping a line of LEDs in the video frame (ie, 8 bits with a read out, digitize using a frame grabber at the remote PC), or look into dropping data into the VBI (potentially that would be more power consuming - ie, to find a VBI insertion module small enough that uses R/C car voltage levels). Or, use telemetry radio modules (Parallax sells them for the basic stamp series).

You would have all the telepresence experimentation room, but could keep the package small and relatively low cost...