Bluetooth for Homebrew Robots?

MacGod asks: "As an extra-curricular for my university, I am working some other engineers to try and design a RoboSoccer Project (please don't wipe out our server if possible), with the hopes of entering the RoboCup tournament in the near future. We are currently using some low-frequency Abacom RF communication modules, but would like to able to go to BlueTooth if possible. However, I have found it nearly impossible to locate any suitable BlueTooth modules. We'd really like something that could be put onto a breadboard, and that would come with sufficiently detailed instructions that we'd be able to implement it without being BlueTooth experts. Any suggestion on homebrew BlueTooth solutions, Slashdot?"

Comments

Bluetooth modules for use with mobile robots

[CaptainDrewle]

Bluetooth modules for use with mobile robots

Re:Bluetooth modules for use with mobile robots

[deglr6328]

Most of the links on that page seem to be usb bluetooh or bare modules. If you're looking for turnkey RS-232 bluetooth units (as I was for a project at work), may I highly disrecommend Free2Move's serial port plug. I've been trying to get them to work for weeks and you'd think for nearly $400 for the pair they would at least answer ONE of my emails or pick up the phone for their "tech support" line. STAY AWAY!! I do know what you mean about these things being rare and rediculously expensive though. Maybe I'll try Brainboxes serial converter next.

usenet

[RobertTaylor]

comp.robotics.misc has a few useful posts.

this post's author could be someone to ask?

Try froogle next time...

[loucura!]

Google's froogle feature is pretty cool, I found board-mountable bluetooth modules in less than 10 seconds (I had to resort by price).

Here's a Site that sells the modules.

Bluetooth?

[Anonymous Coward]

We are currently using some low-frequency Abacom RF communication modules, but would like to able to go to BlueTooth if possible.

Why Bluetooth? A better question would have been, "We are currently using some low-frequency Abacom RF communication modules, but would like increased range, bandwidth, and fidelity. Does anyone have any recommendations for a wireless technology which will meet these needs?"

Let the problem dictate the solution. It sounds like you're just itching to make use of Bluetooth because it's buzz-compliant.

Bluetooth lego robot

[code_echelon]

Here an interesting project that uses Bluetooth. Lego Robot.
Also here is a good overview of Bluetooth. Overview.

why bluetooth?

[duber007]

If you're having trouble finding something to use, maybe it's not the way to go......like other posts state, the range and BW are limited.....I'm using a nice little device from Honeywell - ROC09352XMS which is a radio-on-a-chip device for my thesis... All you need is a microcontroller with an SCI interface (i.e. just about any PIC or 68HC11 device, which most people have some knowledge of), a power supply and an antennae - everything else is self contained - and it can range from 300-900Mhz, up to 19.2kBps.....at $26US a piece, not very expensive either.....

Re:why bluetooth?

[nuntius]

Here's the data sheets.

Bluetooth Modules

[c_oflynn]

Hello,

There do exsist small bluetooth modules, but not for what you want really. Bluetooth is fairly complex, and for small robots you'd be far better off designing your own protocol. And its more fun that way ;-)

But if you are dying for bluetooth, Google is your friend:

http://www.national.com/appinfo/wireless/LMX9820 .h tml

http://www.wirelessfutures.co.uk/products/prod_p ro _wlsc.html

I think there are others out there - I've heard of them before.

Cornell Big Red

[vectra14]

we, believe it or not, tried bluetooth for our vision->robot communication. my advice: try something simpler to just get your basic system running.

for example, we used Radiometrix RPC's for 4 straight years.. they are really limited but everyone uses them because their problems are well known in the league. all i can say is, good luck .. and drop us (site) an email if you have specific problems..

-sergei (cornell robocup 2003,2004)

(sigh... /me watches this comment be ignored.)

CSR and Siemens

[foog]

I'm doing some work with Bluetooth, using the CSR modules, "Casira" programmer, and the Bluecore programming tools. For simple stuff like headsets and RS232 links, you can run all the necessary code on the module.

For stuff based on CSR silicon, if I were doing things over, I'd go with the Siemens dev kit for their Siemo or Siemo2 modules. Same tools, more or less, but you're working with modules right away that you can spec into a final product. I didn't find them until I was looking for prequalified modules based on CSR's chipset...

Be honest

[KU_Fletch]

Raise you're hand if you're one of those people who clicked the link to see whether the server had been swamped yet.... come on, be honest... that's what i thought.

Mitsumi WML-C09

[ccvqc]

We just started using some development kits for FPGA design from Celoxica Ltd. They came fitted with the Mitsumi module given in the subject. The interface to the FPGA consists of just 5 pins, Rx, Tx, RTS, CTS, and Reset. Celoxica provided a Handel-C demo that transmits info between the parallel port and the bluetooth module, but we haven't had a chance to experiment with it ourselves yet. Tune in later this semester! The Celoxica docs for the board refer users to the Mitsumi web site for details.

I have some pictures of the board on the coure web site. The bluetooth module is just above the "Rev B" sticker in the first picture.

Re:bluetooth distance

[Locutus]

just having a few products doesn't mean much. Try doing a little research and you'll find the Bluetooth spec support 3 classes/ranges:

Class 1 = 100m
Class 2 = 10m
Class 3 = 2m

with corresponding power demands. All of which are still close to 1/4 the power of 802.11 devices.

LoB

Check out Zeevo

[QuasiEvil]

http://www.zeevo.com/

They make a cool Bluetooth SoC that includes not only the RF chunks and necessarily Bluetooth hardware, but also an embedded ARM7TDMI processor core and flash, all on the same chip.

The only problem is getting them to talk to you. I'm an EE for a $20 billion/year Fortune 500 that's currently working on a Bluetooth experiment, and the damned rep won't even return an email to myself or one of my fellow engineers. So all I have to play with is a module I "harvested" from another prototype device from another group. Arg!