Arduino + Android

Hi community,

I'm a starter in this world of eletronic automation, so please, don't be rude if i ask something wrong here, alright? Well, my idea is connect a Android mini PC (link here) on a Arduino controller and use android as a processor unit and graphical interface of my automation project... as this piece have more hardware and possibilites.

My project is automate my air-conditioning, room lights, some led display... and using android as processor unit and graphical unit i can control it via wifi or ir controller.

My questions are simple :slight_smile:

1.) It will work as expected, and, this is correct?
2.) What Arduino should i buy?
3.) Whats your opinion of it?

Remember that is a educational project, i don't plan to make money on it, of course.

Practically you're idea will work, you will need relays to control home equipments...
I think, you should buy Arduino Uno, great and easy for beginners.
as for Android there's Amarino toolkit, its open source toohttp://www.amarino-toolkit.net/...
as for Amarino it uses Bluetooth connection, for WiFi, you will need a WiFi shield or an Ethernet shield connected to a router..
you can control your Arduino using a web interface, or socket connection( I don't know if socket works )...
I am new to Arduino too, just bought mine 1 month ago...

It's not possible to use Android Mini-PC with USB connection instead of wi-fi or bluetooth? Also, maybe you didn't understand that i don't want to use Android just to controll my arduino controller and other things, but also process the information, so the android will be the "automation processor" and not act just a remote controller.

Thanks for your infos.

I do all this stuff.

You can utilise the WiFi and Bluetooth stack with it but the easiest out there i would suggest is to use the Bluetooth because it has the very easy UART tp deal with and the intricacies of dealing with WiFi is pretty hard to cope because you have to deal with all that sort of things like TCP/IP Stack unless untill your device supports the WiFI direct which is android version + Hardware dependent.

You can use the USB also that is pretty powerful but then to use it as a accessory or host is something you need to consider if you want to not get in deep in android then use the accessory mode with IOIO board or ADK board or if you want to get deep down with Android use the Host in android which is also hard to find on all devices but its a pc so may be the hardware provides the possibility.

So my advice get a Arduino MEGA ADK or IOIO board to start with the development.

What kind of processing from the Android are you looking at? Just accepting input data and sending commands based on those information?

Taking inputs and sending outputs based on some variable environment... so all processing (automatic tasks to turn on lights, air-conditioning control, security reports to some web service, receiving commands from web and controlling sensors) will be done on this mini-pc.

Maybe i'm thinking wrong on make this? I think it can be done within arduino alone and some shields, but i think programming on a linux env is more easy and provides more power to do anything. As this android mini-pc have wi-fi, android, usb ports, hdmi, and its only 79usd.

Maybe i'm thinking wrong on make this? I think it can be done within arduino alone and some shields, but i think programming on a linux env is more easy and provides more power to do anything. As this android mini-pc have wi-fi, android, usb ports, hdmi, and its only 79usd.

Shields will Eat a LOT OF MONEY! and then you will need to programme everything from scratch! In android you just need to call the specific ACTIVITY to get the job done thats it for example if your app needs to take a camera click picture then you just need to supply a button and on its click event guide you to the Camera activity and then camera activity clicks (basically the camera app is open so that you can click the picture however this can be automated too!)the picture and gives the photo back to you!

now for controlling external things you need to hava SUPPORTED android device , a supported one is which supports Open Accessory protocol of the Android so you can attach a ADK arduino with it or perhaps a IOIO so get 2 things:

  1. AN ANDROID PHONE preferably a gingerbread 2.3.4 or ICS(or talk with these android mini pc people that whether this pc will support the open accessory protocol of the android)
  2. A ADK and IOIO (Search for sparkFun for these)

How are these devices connects to the mini computer? Are you running wires? Wireless communication.

NI$HANT:

Maybe i'm thinking wrong on make this? I think it can be done within arduino alone and some shields, but i think programming on a linux env is more easy and provides more power to do anything. As this android mini-pc have wi-fi, android, usb ports, hdmi, and its only 79usd.

Shields will Eat a LOT OF MONEY! and then you will need to programme everything from scratch! In android you just need to call the specific ACTIVITY to get the job done thats it for example if your app needs to take a camera click picture then you just need to supply a button and on its click event guide you to the Camera activity and then camera activity clicks (basically the camera app is open so that you can click the picture however this can be automated too!)the picture and gives the photo back to you!

now for controlling external things you need to hava SUPPORTED android device , a supported one is which supports Open Accessory protocol of the Android so you can attach a ADK arduino with it or perhaps a IOIO so get 2 things:

  1. AN ANDROID PHONE preferably a gingerbread 2.3.4 or ICS(or talk with these android mini pc people that whether this pc will support the open accessory protocol of the android)
  2. A ADK and IOIO (Search for sparkFun for these)

Thanks for more information, i'm getting ready to try something on this area... what you said about the activities and such is very true and it's the base information that i want to run the android along with arduino.

This Android Mini-PC have the Open Accessory Protocol (my friend have one and confirmed this).

Now i need to consider if i buy Arduino UNO or this MEGA ADK that you said on the other post, can you clarify the differences? I can't use the Google ADK with the UNO standard and some USB shield?

Arrch:
How are these devices connects to the mini computer? Are you running wires? Wireless communication.

Android will connect with arduino microcontroller with bluetooth or usb, as i'm talking with NI$HANT.

Sorry for much asking and my english, but i want to know the differences and why i'll use A, B or C.

Ok, but how is the Arduino connecting with the HVAC, lights, etc?

Can someone help me get access to the ADK2012 files. I installed Cygwin and curl, git and python multiple times according to: Android परिधीय और सहायक उपकरण  |  Android Open Source Project, but when I type: "$ curl https://dl-ssl.google.com/dl/googlesource/git-repo/repo > ~/bin/repo" I get the "error: command not found." Can anyone tell me why this error appears and is there an easier place to go to download these files?

Also, can the ADK2012 connect to an external USB camera.

Sorry for resurrect my own post, but i got some real life problems and missed this.

Should I buy this or this?

I'll use it with this mini pc and this will be connected on my TV.

My goals are:

  1. Turn my house lights on/off.
  2. Turn on/off my computers via WakeOnLan.
  3. Lock or unlock some doors
  4. Connect with my security cameras
  5. Make all of this in a programmable way that i can add more doors/lights/systems attached on my framework. Android MiniPC will be my "HomeThinkCenter" and they will send the actions and receive status from all of things.

Also, what shields are recommended to make this work?

Why don't you use a Raspberry Pi (http://www.raspberrypi.org/).

These are ideally suited to this type of application (and only cost ~$35) and have HDMI, ethernet and the I/O built onto the one board.

@arnolduino2:
If you still haven't gotten the ADK2012 download to work, just send me a PM, and I will email you the files.
The download was a bit troublesome for me too at first, especially if you're on Windows.

@alexslx:
Of those two choices, the IOIO has a far larger community behind it, and has a better track record, and in fact, the designer collaborated with Google on it. And last but not least, it allows Bluetooth communication with Android.

You might also like to look at the section on home automation using an Android Tablet talking to an Arduino using an audio link from my book 'Arduino + Android Projects for the Evil Genius' http://www.duinodroid.com

Disclosure: I am the author of this book.

alexslx:
Hi community,

I'm a starter in this world of eletronic automation, so please, don't be rude if i ask something wrong here, alright? Well, my idea is connect a Android mini PC (link here) on a Arduino controller and use android as a processor unit and graphical interface of my automation project... as this piece have more hardware and possibilites.

My project is automate my air-conditioning, room lights, some led display... and using android as processor unit and graphical unit i can control it via wifi or ir controller.

My questions are simple :slight_smile:

1.) It will work as expected, and, this is correct?
2.) What Arduino should i buy?
3.) Whats your opinion of it?

Remember that is a educational project, i don't plan to make money on it, of course.

You can use the browser from your Android phone to control the Arduino, but you must develop your own php code.
See my website eDIY - PHP Control Arduino with TP-Link TL-WR1043ND Router which the Arduino is connecting to the wireless router usb port.