Can be FEZ mini robot kit connected to wifi module?

Archive
1

Hi,
I would like to control my FEZ mini robot kit with wifi or bluetooth via a mobile phone. Is there an easy way to connect some module providing this functionality to FEZ mini? Can this http://www.ghielectronics.com/catalog/product/282 (WiFi RS21 Module) beconnected to fez mini?
Thanks!
Petr

2

The easiest way is by using bluetooth if your phone supports SPP (iPhone doesn’t) but wifi can be used as well.

You can use the bluetooth the module we offer (some wiring needed) but you can’t use the wifi we offer. You will need a wifi<->serial bridge. There are many of these on the market, including the ones from www.sparkfun.com

Welcome to the community.

3

Thanks, Gus, for the swift response!:wink:

4

One more question. The XBee module for FEZ is not available anymore? It would be OK for my app as well, but it looks like this item http://www.ghielectronics.com/catalog/product/158 is not available anymore. Can http://www.ghielectronics.com/catalog/product/314 this be used instead with FEZ mini?
Thanks!

5

Yes, if you solder wires on it to connect to the Fez Mini.

6

or use http://www.ghielectronics.com/catalog/product/286
it is out of stock so you can get this instead http://www.ghielectronics.com/catalog/product/329

7

Can someone tell me how to connect bluetooth http://www.ghielectronics.com/catalog/product/312 to fez mini robot kit, what kind of soldering and wiring is needed?

8

The easiest way would be to use an Extender or MakeBread module, that gives you access from a Gadgeteer socket like on the BT module over to a set of 0.1" headers. Then, you can simply wire the appropriate pins (the UART pins and the RESET pin and power/gnds) to/from the Mini

9

Which pin would go where and would i be able to use already made files like bluetooth.cs provided for that module?

10

The driver: yes.
The pins: sorry, here’s a chance to learn :slight_smile:
Here’s the hints: Look in the driver and see what PIN they use on a socket. The ones in use are the ones you need to use. Since it’s a UART connection (U socket) you will need at least a UART TX and a UART RX line, besides 3v3 and GND. Then you need to figure out where on the mini you’re going to connect it to. Again, you’ll need to pick which UART you’re going to use and what pins that UART is on; and then you need to connect it all up.

11

Hi, I connected fez mini and this bluetooth module http://www.saperel.com/Moduli/Bluetooth%20serijski%20modul this way:
BT VCC - Mini VCC
BT GND - Mini GND
BT RX - Mini Di8
BT TX - Mini Di7

And this is code that i used:

using System;
using System.Text;
using System.Threading;
using System.IO.Ports;
public class Program
{
public static void Main()
{

SerialPort bluetooth = new SerialPort("COM3", 9600, Parity.None, 8, StopBits.One);
bluetooth.Open();

byte[] helloBytes = Encoding.UTF8.GetBytes("Hello!");

while (true)
{
bluetooth.Write(helloBytes, 0, helloBytes.Length);
Thread.Sleep(1000);
}
}
}

And when I connect with my bluetooth app receives nothing.

Any suggestions?

12

Swap Di7 and Di8. I think you have them reversed.

13

I did pair devices, bluetooth app is the same I used to receive data from spider with spider and bluetooth, and arduino with bluetooth, so there is no way that the problem is on that end. If device is sending something via bluetooth I would picked up it up already.

14

I forgot to mention that the other device that runs bluetooth app is android phone, but I can’t see how would that be of much relevance.