Using a
cellphone to
control a robot -- or a
pretty sweet helicopter -- isn't
exactly a new idea, but there's something about the combination of Android and
Lego Mindstorms that promises to break the possibilities wide open. Swedish tech company Enea Linköping is one of the first we've seen to directly link an Android app to the Mindstorms brain over Bluetooth -- they're using an HTC Hero to control two simple rover bots. Unfortunately, since Android 1.5 doesn't support the Bluetooth serial profile, there's a hack involved: the phone actually sends out commands over WiFi,which are passed through a WiFi-Bluetooth tunneling app on laptop before hitting the bots. That means there's a little lag involved, but now that Android 2.1 has serial Bluetooth support we're hoping things get a little more streamlined in the future. Video after the break.
posted Feb 8th 2010 12:01PM
....so what is special about Android that makes the possibilities mindblowing w.r.t. Mindstorms? :-? Even the linux part is not new - maemo has been used for that before.
Some insights from the article writer would make articles like these more interesting.
@naashak I'm really impressed that your comment was down ranked for the simple fact that you said something "negative" about Android. Every other person that has said something is down ranked and then replied to a hundred times about how Android is "the best cause its open" Thats all I see. I agree with you by the way!
Mindstorms rules, why can't every phone suppourt mindstorms
http://www.techroundup.webs.com
i did this a few years ago using windows mobile. What's the big deal?
@AnastasiosAntoniosToulkeridis
Did you have to route it through a laptop like they did here?
@thunderbollock nope
is it me or is this turning into the year of android? and i like it! :)
slap a camera on that and feed it into the phone, and holy shoe mirrors!
@Eugene Action Sry! I tried to vote +. danm this combination of fat fingers And tiny touch screen keys!!!
Better yet, tun it VR-style like layar
And how exactly does this point to android uprising, seeing as that Android 1.5 doesn't exactly support the Bluetooth serial profile as you point out in your article??
"the phone actually sends out commands over WiFi, which are passed through a WiFi-Bluetooth tunneling app on laptop before hitting the bots."
Pff... So you need a laptop in between? Sounds lame to me.
@digistar
I know!
I can remotely control cars using my '95 Nokia. I simply issue voice commands after dialling a special number (a taxi firm) and the car is driven to me house. Obviously as my Nokia does not have car control hardware I have to route the commands through a human being.
I can do similar things with pizzas and fire engines.
I like the post's title.
I'm currently using my Hero as a wireless keyboard and mouse (touchpad) for my W7 desktop and as a remote for WMP and WMC too.
Anyone can download the apps to do that for free from the Android market.
@Plexus
Do you like your Hero?
T-Mobile UK do them for free with unlimited data for £25 a month, and so do 3. I'm considering getting one to replace my original iPhone. I was just wondering whether you would recommend it really.
@Maxwell
The Hero is an exceptional phone, much better than the iPhone 3GS I gave up for it, I currently use an HTC HD2 too because unfortunately and incredibly it lacks a (working) voice dialing app which is necessary to me.
Anyway, , apart for this gaping hole which has been fixed in the latest versions of Android, the Hero is the best smartphone I have ever tried, and I tried nearly all of them.
Bond.. James Bond..
Sprint!!! Where is my hero android update!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
isnt this how the cylons came about?
There's 0 special about this. My extra-extra old Nokia 6630 can do this. Android is now on-par with very old versions of s60 when it comes to bluetooth (almost). So what?
Best EvR! Put a camera on that puppy and make it do that over WiFi/Internet and then I'll buy me the Nexus... then...then..
Oh ya, all those things, plus, the Heineken beer bot from yesterday. Then I'm SOLD.
This is old news. I made a wifi mindstorms bot with a heads up camera. In fact, I made it in my skivvies. Look up dorkasm dot com.
EPIC WIN!
DJ Roomba will have a friend now.
You can do anything with ANDROID. Now that was really cool their.