Which GPS to use with Domino

Hello,

I received my Domino and want to add a GPS module to it. I’ve been looking around and not sure what solution will be the best for me. I’d like also if the GPS can give me the compass functionnality.This project will maybe end onboard a vehicule or a robot but since GPS are quite expensive, I’m not sure what to choose.

Thank you and don’t hesitate to ask clarification

IF you use the GPS we offer on this website then you leave the pins free for shields or any other use.

Since you are looking for a compass too, you can either buy both separate of get a IMU like a razor. I do not know how your application will look like, maybe a razor is overkill.

Tell us some more 8)

Does Razor refer to this: http://www.sparkfun.com/products/10010? It won’t give me the actual position as a GPS or a Compass feature (Maybe I’m wrong here). But this is an interesting component…

The project I’m currently looking for right now is for someone I know who is a major offroader/overlander (Overlanding - Wikipedia) and want a device capable of logging is journey: GPS Data, Compass, Inclination, G-Force, …

Having is data logged he would be able to replay is journey in a custom WPF application and the nicest part for him (and for me too) is that he his currently looking for a dash mount video system to record his adventures, which at some point his video and data would meet at a same. Being able to replay is adventures when he will get older.

I know I’m not close to that yet, but the WPF application is currently working with live/recorded data (I do not have my laptop, so no screenshot for now). Anything missing is the data recorder…

As for a GPS, see the Skytraq dev board from Sparkfun. It’s the most accurate GPS I have tested thus fr. As far as inertial measurement, either get a 9DoF Razor or one of SFE’s new 9DoFs.

The Razor 9DoF will NOT give position data as Foekie suggests.

EDIT, I also have a rather nice GPS driver that I use basically constantly now: http://files.chrisseto.com/1tK

That is the full source code to my NETMF robot, so you will need to peel it back to the “GeoInformationSystems” folder. It should give you plenty of usage examples.

Woops, my bad. I meant buying both seperate GPS and compass or GPS and razor :stuck_out_tongue:

Typing before coffee is such a bad idea. I’ve said it before, but still I do it sometimes :smiley:

Well. As we now know your application, a razor might be a good idea, as Chris suggests too.

Thanks Robert and sıɹɥɔ for all the info.

I think for my first electronics in years, I’ll scale down a little bit. Thoses components aren’t cheap, and having a reputation of making electronics burn at school I think I will play around with some robots components (leds, motors, sensors,…). That will practice my soldering skills too!

Thanks again, I may put this project aside, but its not dead.

This actually isn’t that difficult of a project.

You will want to be careful with the SFE Skytraq dev board, though. It’s got a LVTTL UART, and the voltage should not exceed 3.3V, IE, it will work just fine with the Domino, but don’t try to talk to it with a 5V TTL cable.

This is the kind of mistake I’m used to.

Yeah I guess, but I do not have the same experience with micro-electronics :wink:

GPS is about 5 lines of code with my library, and there is also a simple Razor 9DoF driver in there.

That’s maybe 50 kines of code with some post processing, then SD logging is hardly any more.

Yeah, it’s not the code portion that scares me, as I do C# development as a living. It’s the electronics side that I’m less familiar with, but I will change that in 2011!

The electronics should be very simple, it’s all basically point to point, not even so much as a resistor.

For sure I will complete this project, but budget and time-wise (classes, work and a conference to prepare) I will delayed this project to the end of winter or beginning of spring.

I’ll keep you guys posted for sure :slight_smile:

It’s not a GPS, but would something like this be helpful (as you mentioned G-force). The price seems reasonable; I’m about to order one myself :wink:

[url]http://www.pololu.com/catalog/product/1251[/url]

The electronics should not be a problem. It’s simple plug and play. (well… sort of :smiley: )

It should not be hard. Since everything is built up. You have a domino and a razor and a GPS. Add some wires and voila :smiley: