are there many types of Arduinos ?

what one to buy for simple projects like a robotic manipulator ?
and a speed control system ?

can i make python talk to it ? , this is the most important question ...


please help .

 

are there many types of Arduinos ?

what one to buy for simple projects like a robotic manipulator ?
and a speed control system ?

can i make python talk to it ? , this is the most important question ...


please help .

I have used the Arduino Duemilanove (Arduino 2009) and it worked very well. I am using it as the basis for a hexapod robot project. I quickly determined that it I was going to not be able to directly control all 18 servos (6 Legs times 3 servos per leg) without some sort of multiplexing scheme. I discovered that the Servo.h file was only able to instantiate 8 servo objects.

I am considering moving up to the Arduino Mega which has a number of additional IO than the Duemilanove version.

I have no experience with Python so I can't provide you with any insight there.

Maybe you can provide more details about your robotic manipulator.

What I liked about the Arduino was that I was up and running a servo within 10 minutes using the servo application that comes with the free Arduino software development tools and the Arduino boot loader.

I like that I was able to power the board from the USB port or an external power supply. The board auto-switches over to the external supply whenever it is connected.

hgmjr

 

I also own the Arduino Duemilanove. It does allow for very fast prototyping, and it has a very active community.

As hgmjr said, I also do not know about python intergration. I suppose if you can write your python output to the serial port, anything is possible.

I wouldnt be supprised if there were a Pythadino that uses the arduino bootloader for coding in python. Who knows.

Check http://www.arduino.cc

They have a playground and forum with tons of information and code, project ideas.

 

I prefer seeeduino (both mega and 328). Not only does it have the weird offset headers, it also has correctly-spaced headers so that you can use standard prototyping boards as shields.

 

I would say, get as much cpu power, and IO pins as you can afford. Also take a look here http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/ad...Bit+Whacker&search_section=products&x=20&y=18

 

I know you can make Perl talk to it

You can communicate with the Arduino (or clone) by sending and receiving
ASCII strings. You need to have a simple parser on each end.
I have an example program that demonstrates wireless communication at
http://wiblocks.luciani.org/docs/app-notes/zb1-lcd2-txrx.html
Since the radios are connected to the UART you can change the connection
to a wire.

There are many types of Arduino compatible boards. I make boards that integrate
an Arduino compatible design with various peripherals -- real-time clock, ZigBee
radios (XBee), DACs and uSD cards. The schematics, BOM, assembly instructions
and application notes are in the datasheet. There are also a variety of application
hints and software examples on the site. See http://www.wiblocks.com

(* jcl *)

 

if it can't talk to python then it will be useless to me ... why ?

because i want to make 3D applications with it like my last one
http://3dkernel.com/?p=433

so , can you help me determine wether python can talk to it or not ?

i will ask in arduino forums .

 

I did a search in google 'arduino and python'

The first response was:

Talking to Arduino over a serial interface is pretty trivial in Python

here is the link:
www.arduino.cc/playground/Interfacing/Python

 

As several people have suggested, the Arduino has a serial port and the Python output can be sent to the serial port of the computer, so they both can communicate. I have done it in the past for test initiation and data acquisition purposes.

My coding skills are pretty basic but I was able to get it running for my purposes fairly easily... I haven't played around with it recently but I'll see if I can find an example of the code I used, no guarantee though...

 

Any programming language that can communicate via serial port can communicate with any microcontroller... So it does not matter if it is a PIC or AVR or Arduino, it will still work with Python via Serial comms.... Here is a sample of Python communicating with RS's digital Multimeter via RS232 >>http://code.google.com/p/rs22812/

 

thanks people , i'm going to buy an arduino then !!

 

I started with the Arduino Duemilanove. It seems to be a cost-effective starting board. Once you have acquainted yourself with this board then you can graduate to the Arduino Mega.

hgmjr

 

I have done the same. It is a very easy way to get into the arduino IDE and understanding the powers and limitations of the style.

It is pretty powerful. And it is particularly easy to do very high-end stuff, because functions have been written for just about anything you need to do.

 

I agree, retched. Arduino is about the closest thing to instant gratification that can be obtained in microcontrollers.

hgmjr

 

btw : what about this ?
http://www.hackinglab.org/pinguino/index_pinguino.html

why not buy arduino mega from the first time ?

my university uses PICs most of the time , and no Arduinos ...
but i'm still able to use anything I want .

Arduino Duemilanove.

yeah , this will be compatible with python ...

 

btw : what about this ?
http://www.hackinglab.org/pinguino/index_pinguino.html

why not buy arduino mega from the first time ?

my university uses PICs most of the time , and no Arduinos ...
but i'm still able to use anything I want .

yeah , this will be compatible with python ...

I suggested the Duemilanove because it is about half the price of the Arduino Mega. If money is no concern then by all means go for the Arduino Mega.

As for the Pinguino, your post is the first time I have heard about it.

Perhaps there is an AAC member with first hand experience with the pinguino that can comment on it.

hgmjr

 

The Penguino looks like they lost interest in it. The last updates were around 2008.

The Arduino has thousands of fans and followers, many with great knowledge.

Actually....Go Arduino..whichever you can afford. Unless you want to pick up where the penguino guys left off

 

The Penguino looks like they lost interest in it. The last updates were around 2008.

That explains why I have not heard of it.

hgmjr