Microsoft Robotics Studio and ZigBee RF4CE

Question

Is there some resources you can refer us to so we can use the Microsoft Robitics Studio to program ZigBee devices?

For example GreenPeak GP570 has accelrometers and gyroscope inputs - how can we use Robotics Studio to program these devices?

As another example, can you provide a sample routine or code for accurate movement control?  Any information would help.

Thanks.

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Marcus http://www.wormy.com

Answer 1

ZigBee devices usually look like virtual serial ports. I don't know about the RF4CE standard. There must be an interface for connecting to a PC and some library of code for accessing it. However, on a quick search of the web I could not find a suitable PC interface that handles RF4CE.

If it looks like a serial port, you can probably use the SerialCOM service. Even if it does not do exactly what you want, you at least have the source code to get you started.

I am not familiar with the GreenPeak device. You should probably look to them for some examples of movement control.

Trevor

Answer 2

Understood.  So could you provide any ZigBee example with Robotics Studio?

Thanks.

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Marcus Bronson @ www.wormy.com

Answer 3

We don't have plans to provide a specific examples for ZigBee devices.
Trevor mentioned the SerialComService which is provided in RDS4 and can be found in the samples\Platforms\ReferencePlatform2011 directory.

For an example of how it is used in a real robot you can download the Parallax "Eddie" services from http://www.parallax.com/eddie (http://www.parallax.com/Portals/0/Downloads/docs/prod/robo/eddie/ParallaxKit.zip)

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You asked a second question "privide a sample routine or code for accurate movement control". I'm not sure you are talking about joint movement as in an arm, or robot movement as in wheels/legs.  I don't know you level of background in robotics, but these are very complex problems about which books are written and careers made. For the problem of wheeled travel, two main issues I can think of are 1) how precise are the motors, and 2) how precise is your ability to detect what has happened when you use the motors. If you have very precise motors (stepper motors?) and extremely fine encoders, then I suppose your movement will be precice and when it is not, you can correct any error with fine precision...  that is often not the case however and so enters the complex field of feedback controlers etc. Sometimes it's not so much about "accuracy" as it is adaptability and tolerance to error.

I will suggest some references.  Let me know if they are helpful...

http://www.amazon.com/Principles-Robot-Motion-Implementations-Intelligent/dp/0262033275/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_b
http://www.societyofrobots.com/programming_robot.shtml
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PID_controller
http://www.societyofrobots.com/member_tutorials/book/export/html/314

The "Obstacle Avoidance" service sample does implement and use a PID controller.  You can look at that as an example as well.

Good Luck!