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[on:]

Hello,
I am making a rc semi autonomous tank. This tank/robot will be designed and built so that it will show me live stats of the robot.
What this robot will have to do is-
1) Can be controlled over wifi.
2)Will have a imu, which will create a 3d picture and show what the current orientation/position is of the tank/robot.(I have a 6DOF)

My idea is that; a picture of car/tank will turn/rotate according to the real/actual position of the tank/robot. Though I am not sure how this will be done(I NEED HELP)
3) It will have a webcam camera which will show live picture.
4)Future upgrade- will attach a toy gun which will be controlled through servo and will shoot targets that I will tell it to.
                         will have a GPS system and a virtual map will be created according to the area.(NOTSURE HOW THIS CAN BE DONE).


All I need help now is with the IMU idea {check the 2nd point}.
I am learning c# and will work with it only.

I will also appreciate new ideas. 

Regards,
Rahul

[Reply #1 on:]

I am learning c# and will work with it only.

Good luck getting C# code to load on the Arduino.

What this robot will have to do is-
1) Can be controlled over wifi.

Wired first. Wireless later when you know that the code works.

2)Will have a imu, which will create a 3d picture and show what the current orientation/position is of the tank/robot.(I have a 6DOF)

The Arduino can't create a 3D picture. Forget it. It can send accelerometer and gyroscope data to the PC for integration and use in manipulating a 3D image on the PC. But, don't expect the Arduino to define a 3D image, manipulate that image, and send that image to the PC.

Code:

3) It will have a webcam camera which will show live picture.

That the Arduino controlled robot will carry around a web cam is completely irrelevant. The Arduino won't be doing anything with the web camera data. You might as well tell us that the robot will have a beer can holder.

4)Future upgrade- will attach a toy gun which will be controlled through servo and will shoot targets that I will tell it to.

The Arduino will be able to command the servos and possibly trigger the gun. It won't track the target, decide on range, and position the gun appropriately.

will have a GPS system and a virtual map will be created according to the area.

Where will this "map" be created?

[Reply #2 on:]

Okay,

This 'map' will be like a google earth API in my C# program. the position will be decided by the data that the arduino will send to the computer.
Please help me understand this.
Also, it will be like Live position stats...do you get my idea?

I am not sure then about the camera. Can I use arduino to send the camera data to the pc? like in future as you said if I make a wireless robot; can xbee transmit camera signals?

Please first help me with IMU thing. What should I start with? Actually I bought some stuff but dont know how to use it. IMU is one of them.

[Reply #3 on:]

Can I use arduino to send the camera data to the pc?

No. Unless the camera size is uselessly small and very low frame rates are satisfactory. Neither of these conditions are likely to be true.

What should I start with?

Getting the IMU connected. Then, getting some data, whatever data comes out, from the IMU. Next would be understanding exactly what the IMU is telling you. What it is NOT telling you is how much the device has rotated about any given axis. What it IS telling you is the instantaneous rate of acceleration (change in velocity) is each time you ask it.

You then need to know how often you have asked it (and that must be very a very short interval). Then, you can integrate whose values over time, to get the angle information.

[Reply #4 on:]

Okay.
Do you have any tutorial for 6DOF IMU Sparkfun and interfacing it? Or understanding the IMU's output?(in what unit it gives all the output,etc)

[Reply #5 on:]

Do you have any tutorial for 6DOF IMU Sparkfun and interfacing it?

No, but Sparkfun does.

[Reply #6 on:]

How difficult do you think my idea is? To me it looks like a dream :/
Have you done a project like this before?

[Reply #7 on:]

Have you done a project like this before?

Not using an IMU. But, the sending of a quaternion to an application on a PC, and having it rotate/translate/zoom the scene, yes. In my case, OpenGL knows how to consume and use the quaternion. Hey, you know you can use OpenGL in C#?

[Reply #8 on:]

No, I am learning c# as I said. But there are libraries available, like this one-
http://www.codeproject.com/Articles/3144/SharpGL-a-C-OpenGL-class-library