So I'm working on a project that will have sensors on the wrist of a painter, the sensors being 3axis accel and 3axis gyros. Weight/size/wireless are all important so I'm thinking of using a combo board like the ArduIMU+ to handle the sensor/arduino part, then an XBee to handle the wireless part.
Would I need an Xbee shield or can I just hook up the Xbee directly to the Arduimu (as in power and serial connection).
And/Or
Is there a more all in one solution, that has arduino, accel, gyro AND wireless in one board?
It's not the easiest thing on this forum as the 'insert link' just throws a url/ tag around everything instead of letting you paste in the link you want to link to (like most other forums I've been to).
I was thinking, in order to minimize space/size, to wire the pins directly and not use a header for the Xbee (and trimming its legs).
Wait until you pass the 50 mark. You won't be thinking this is so easy. The pins are close together and pretty short. But, don't let me discourage you.
I would need something like this to program it correct?
I've used these. Plug and play.
Make sure you get the right kind of XBees - Series 1 for point-to-point.
You use that explorer to program the Arduino attached to the Xbee, or is the explorer the 'receive' side of the chain? (So ArduIMU+Xbee on the artist, then Xbee+Explorer hooked up to the computer (no Arduino to receive))?
I use that explorer to program the XBee while it is NOT attached to the Arduino.
I also use it to receive data directly to the PC. No Arduino is required on the receiver end.
That's convenient (no Arduino needed).
Does the Xbee need programming out of the box? (in order to act as a wireless connection only)
I've read that the Xbee can do onboard ADC, but I couldn't find more info on that. It would be, obviously, amazing if I could skip the Arduino on the sensor side out of the equation too and just have the xbee and an acce/gyro board like this:
Does the Xbee need programming out of the box? (in order to act as a wireless connection only)
Digi, the makers of the XBee, say no. Everyone I've bought DID require programming. An XBee needs to know the DH/DL value of the other XBee to talk to. That requires some configuring. Out of the box. So, Digi's statement is BS.
It would be, obviously, amazing if I could skip the Arduino on the sensor side out of the equation too and just have the xbee and an acce/gyro board like this:
You probably could. Don't forget that batteries are going to be required, and represent a significant weight compared to the electronic stuff.
Right, I didn't know the Xbee's all needed programming. Is it difficult to do? (relative to Arduino programming)
(looks like they provide a windows config tools)
The battery is something that would have to be there either way, but cutting the Arduino out of the equation would cut back on size/weight/power consumption.
Using the config tool is it possible to program the Xbee to pass values like that (straight from a sensor board) or would that require a custom firmwire).
Right, I didn't know the Xbee's all needed programming. Is it difficult to do?
They need configuring, not programming. It is easy. As you say, they provide a tool.
The battery is something that would have to be there either way, but cutting the Arduino out of the equation would cut back on size/weight/power consumption.
Size - a little. Weight - not noticeably. Power consumption - not noticeably. Price - significantly.
Using the config tool is it possible to program the Xbee to pass values like that (straight from a sensor board) or would that require a custom firmwire).
Custom firmware would need to come from digi.com. Not likely.
However, it appears as though the XBee has one significant limitation for your purpose. It has only 4 analog pins. You would need 6 of them to directly connect the 6 output from the IMU board.
That stinks. I guess there's always a catch. The ArduIMU seems a nice compromise either way, in terms of size/functionality. And it beats the snot out of my first plan (using an arduino mini variant, the IMU board, and an xbee+shield).