Michel Trahan's Content

#11169 Anyone have a Windows Phone already?

Posted by Michel Trahan on 22 March 2011 - 01:45 AM in General Discussion

Imagine this setup : - a FPV quadcopter equiped with long range radio transmitter/receiver - a ground station with follow the drone equipment (up to 15km) - receiving video signal and telemetry - recording both - sending video signal and telemetry to windows phone - receive control information from phone - Transmit control information to drone - a windows phone to view the FPV video from the drone and control it ! You might need a couple microprocessor in the drone and a bigger system in the base station (multimedia based) First, get the quadcopter built ...

#11300 Using Forward Star structure and algorithm in autonomous robots

Posted by Michel Trahan on 26 March 2011 - 04:15 AM in General Discussion

As anyone thought of using the Forward Star data structure and algorithm (to find the shortest path) for autonomous robots ? I have implemented a VB version many years ago (1995) and I could rewrite it for C# to use in autonomous robots ... Everything in .Net MF ... any interest in such an algorithm ? very very efficient data structure (minimalistic, one node per node and one link per link, no wasted structure) and it is a very very fast algorithm. Example of usage : in a defined environment resembling a network of connecting nodes, allow a robot to find the fastest way to get there (emergency, security (using cameras on a quadcopter), etc). You can recalculate new paths when encountering closed paths ... could probably be used to repath power just like in Terminator movie lol Mike discovering quadcopters and netduino ! p.s.: I'll also work on a Kalman Filter using a complete set of sensor data as well as user commands. Everything in .Net MF

#11320 Using Forward Star structure and algorithm in autonomous robots

Posted by Michel Trahan on 26 March 2011 - 01:14 PM in General Discussion

I'd be interested in the code as well.

I just started to learn .Net (I know so many languages ... and yeah, I know, late learning) so give me time.

My project is to build a complete quadcopter from scratch and include in it the Kalman filter (KF). Once done, I'll work on it being autonomous ... and add the Forward Star (FS) data structure and the label setting shortest path algorithm.

If someone already has an autonomous quadcopter (or anything autonomous that would need such a fonctionnality) and would like to add the FS data structure, please contact me and I'll rewrite it sooner. If only newbies like me, then I'll take the time to learn first

If I wait long enough, we probably could have it in VB.Net on .Net MF lol (I'm a VB fanatic, so easy to program) but I'll try it in C# ...

Mike surprised about your fast reply !

#11354 Using Forward Star structure and algorithm in autonomous robots

Posted by Michel Trahan on 27 March 2011 - 01:48 AM in General Discussion

- make sure you develop the code in a .NETMF (Netduino) project and not a regular .NET project.

Don't worry, I also program for the windows phone 7 in silverlight (vb and c#) and I always get confused LOL

I tested my old vb program and it works like a charm ... 1995 code ! wow !

I tried to convert using Artinsoft Visual Basic Upgrade Companion (free for msdn member) but only the c# translation worked ... so I'm ok for the netduino

I have to test the class a bit before posting the code

Keep you posted ... now is time to get out and play pool !

#11407 Using Forward Star structure and algorithm in autonomous robots

Posted by Michel Trahan on 28 March 2011 - 09:50 PM in General Discussion

Small Update :

- The code was transfered to VB.Net like a charm
- Now trying to translate to C# (Full .Net first, then .Net MF ... but with the N+ since there is file access)

Question : how do we write/read files in C# ?

Here is the code using the Microsoft.VisualBasic assembly that I want to remove the dependency ... to write the Nodes and Links to files and loading them from files

filenum = FileSystem.FreeFile();
FileSystem.FileOpen(filenum, s, OpenMode.Input, OpenAccess.Read, OpenShare.LockWrite, -1);
FileSystem.Input(filenum, ref k);
FileSystem.FileClose(filenum);

int filenum = FileSystem.FreeFile();
FileSystem.FileOpen(filenum, s, OpenMode.Output, OpenAccess.Write, OpenShare.LockReadWrite, -1);
// Write the number of nodes and links.
FileSystem.WriteLine(filenum, bGraphicalInfoAttached, iNumNodes, iNumLinks);
FileSystem.WriteLine(filenum, Nodes[i].Name, Nodes[i].FirstLink, 0, 0);

And I have to verify why I am using this ...

s = Strings.Left(s, s.Length - 2);

And this ...

Conversion.ErrorToString()

I Think I can replace the last one with a catch (Exception e) in a try catch and using e.Message ... I am right ?

Keep you posted.

#11415 Using Forward Star structure and algorithm in autonomous robots

Posted by Michel Trahan on 29 March 2011 - 03:06 AM in General Discussion

The only word of warning would be that the read buffer in the above code could overflow on a platform with limited memory such as the Netduino. The code really needs to check the file size before allocating the buffer and then chunk the data if necessary.

Thanks ! I'll check that in april ... work load too heavy but wow ! Thanks !

And I am right in assuming that the FLASH memory access is automatic ? or do we need to do some special access to read/write to it ?

Mike away from the computer for the next few days ...

#11498 .NET Gadgeteer availibility

Posted by Michel Trahan on 31 March 2011 - 02:13 AM in General Discussion

there are some exciting tidbits in there that will be fun surprises.

I'm anxious to play with it ! I'll keep a budget for that !

#11521 Recommend a scope or PC card for working with Netduino?

Posted by Michel Trahan on 31 March 2011 - 01:11 PM in General Discussion

Hesitating between these two : Saleae or DSO 2090 USB PC USB Oscilloscope 40MHz 100MSa/s 2CH Picoscope are way out of my budget (which is between 150 and 250, tax and shipping included)

#11527 Quad.Net Quadrocopter for .NETMF

Posted by Michel Trahan on 31 March 2011 - 05:20 PM in Project Showcase

https://code.google.com/p/quadnet/

Where is the code ? How do we get access to it ? I like the plug and play framework philosophy and want to build a netduino quadcopter with kalman filters for stability ... I want to contribute too but you guys are way ahead of me ... I just started !

So how can I get the code ?

#11528 Driverless PC<->Netduino communication using USB

Posted by Michel Trahan on 31 March 2011 - 05:36 PM in Beta Firmware and Drivers

It made me think ... could it be used to connect multiple netduinos and perform heartbeat check on each other for redundancy ? Mike.

#11550 Kalman Filters

Posted by Michel Trahan on 01 April 2011 - 01:56 AM in Netduino 2 (and Netduino 1)

Has anybody implemented a Kalman filter on the Netduino that runs with good performance?

Planning to ... but just started !

Mike.

#11587 Anybody interested in a cheap IMU?

Posted by Michel Trahan on 02 April 2011 - 04:47 PM in General Discussion

Any left ? Mike.

#11597 Anybody interested in a cheap IMU?

Posted by Michel Trahan on 02 April 2011 - 08:00 PM in General Discussion

Still new at all this but thinking of buying a couple of sensors to play with to understand what is at stake ... I liked the idea of having a 9dof sensor

I'll add a GPS, Temperature and Barometer. Any good altimeter around ? And a few proximity sensors (for autonomous flying) ... Still need paypal prepayment of 40$ ? PM me ! Mike.

#11598 Using Forward Star structure and algorithm in autonomous robots

Posted by Michel Trahan on 02 April 2011 - 08:25 PM in General Discussion

Thinking of modifying the saving to file functionality to write xml file instead of an old coma seperated values (didn't find a way to read it and store it in variables yet ...). I prefer XML files ... anyone argue ? Anyone know of a XML Spy equivalent on the open source community ?

#11632 Selected Sensors for a Quadcopter project

Posted by Michel Trahan on 04 April 2011 - 01:46 PM in General Discussion

Hi Everyone, I want to post here all the sensors that I will select for my quadcopter project. I want suggestions for the following : - 3D Gyros : ITG-3200 - Accelerometer (tripple axis) : ADXL345 or BMA180 - Compass (tripple axis) : HMC5843 - GPS : LS20031 or Skytraq or ??? - Altimeter - Battery Monitor - Barometric Pressure : BMP085 - Temperature (oups, it looks like the Gyro has it included ...) : LM335A - Range finders (for autonomous flight, anti collision) Anything missing ? Mike.

#11642 Selected Sensors for a Quadcopter project

Posted by Michel Trahan on 04 April 2011 - 04:22 PM in General Discussion

- 3D Gyro : ITG-3200
- Accelerometer (tripple axis):ADXL345 or BMA180
- Compass (tripple axis) : HMC5843
- Temperature Sensor : LM335A

Thinking of using this for GPS : LS20031

#11660 Selected Sensors for a Quadcopter project

Posted by Michel Trahan on 04 April 2011 - 09:19 PM in General Discussion

LOL Well if you want to make it really special add a Kinect like these guys at MIT:

I have to find the link again but I saw something using laser doing the same lol I like the Kinect idea but first lets make it fly

(read hover) then we'll add mode (follow path, return home, land from here, etc...)

#11670 Using Forward Star structure and algorithm in autonomous robots

Posted by Michel Trahan on 05 April 2011 - 02:24 AM in General Discussion

Haven't used it myself, so I have no idea if it will suit your needs but there's the free version of the Serna XML editor at http://www.syntext.c...cts/serna-free/

My Prefered tool for XML / XSD (Schema definition) is XML Spy but it is not given ... I'll buy (when budget permits) the professionnal version ... I used to do a lot of XSD and XML with it, very efficient.

#11741 Using Forward Star structure and algorithm in autonomous robots

Posted by Michel Trahan on 06 April 2011 - 09:17 PM in General Discussion

There will be 6 versions - one main class with no file access - one with one type of file access (suggestions on csv or else?) - one with xml files (defining my own schema for it ... suggestions ? I'll post it here when defined OK ?) In two programming languages VB.net and C# The VB.net version with XML access is for my needs and will take priority. Any takers for that version ? Who wants to have a C# version ? With file acces or not ? If so, which one, XML (might not be appropriate for .net mf) ? Mike.

#11786 Simple multi-threaded web server

Posted by Michel Trahan on 08 April 2011 - 01:19 AM in Project Showcase

For instance, if you would program your Netduino to be a thermostat, you would call
http://192.168.1.100/settemp/livingroom/21
to set the temperature in the living room to 21 degrees.

Imagine a series of netduino mini (as thermostat) using XBee to communicate with a router, then imagine a base station (or multiple with touch screens) that can send command to all the other "sensors" through the router ... you could have all the thermostats in the house connected to a router and a series of control panels also connected to the router and have the computer send preprogrammed sequence to all ... you could even change settings from the office using the internet

Very good work Jasper ! Thanks !

#11788 Using Forward Star structure and algorithm in autonomous robots

Posted by Michel Trahan on 08 April 2011 - 01:40 AM in General Discussion

Wanted to give you a peak at an XML Schema for the Forward Star Network file representation but I can't upload an XSD file ... why ? (Tried XPS too to no avail ...) In the XSD file I separated the graphical info from the rest since if it only run in code, no graphical information is attached (only used when designing the directed network through a specialised editor). I ask for comments from those interested. How do I show this type of file here ? XSD, or XPS Here is a look at what a file would look like ...

Attached Files

FSNetworkTest20110406.xml 4.38KB 0 downloads

It would be nice if there was a beginners tutorial on using I2C with the Netduino. Not just the code but connecting multiple devices to the bus. I know your suppose to use pull up resistors but I can't find any information on when to use them what type or how often. But a short and sweet tutorial would be great to answer these type of question us beginners have. And it would have the added benefit of being easily found.

I agree ! Beginners Tutorial Please

#11970 Honeywell HMC5843 3-Axis Digital Compass

Posted by Michel Trahan on 11 April 2011 - 10:54 PM in Project Showcase

            I2CBus i2cBus = I2CBus.Instance;

Which I2CBus implementation are you using ... it refuses to compile due to missing ".Instance" ...