Hi all!
As part of a work project, I am required to make a 4 wheeled robot(based on an arduino) that can be controlled wirelessly over a reasonable distance. From my research, I gather the xbee module is the best way to do this.
However, I do not fully understand how the xbee works.
Is this the appropriate hardware needed? Or do I need to change something?
Do I need to drill a hole in the controller to allow the wire to pop through?(Sorry I have never used trancievers and recievers before, so I have no idea how this works.)
How do i configure the xbee to let it know whether it is recieving or transmitting? I want the controller to information to the arduino. Or is this something thats already automatically configured?
How do i configure the xbee to let it know whether it is recieving or transmitting?
It does both simultaneously. You control whether it is being used to send data (by writing to it) or to receive data (by reading from it).
Do I need to drill a hole in the controller to allow the wire to pop through?(Sorry I have never used trancievers and recievers before, so I have no idea how this works.)
If the manufacturer didn't provide for that, send the thing back!
How do I know what sort of antenna to buy?
The link you showed showed a device with an antenna installed.
over a reasonable distance.
How do you define "reasonable"? That influences the type of antenna you should use.
PaulS:
It does both simultaneously. You control whether it is being used to send data (by writing to it) or to receive data (by reading from it).
If the manufacturer didn't provide for that, send the thing back!
The link you showed showed a device with an antenna installed.
How do you define "reasonable"? That influences the type of antenna you should use.
Great, that makes things a lot easier! I rechecked the controller, and yes the manufactured provided a space for the wire.
I showed you two links, one xbee model with the wire(to be connected in the controller) and one with a gold adapter(RP-SMA) where it seems like you would plug an antenna in, to be used on the wireless shield.
This is to be used in the nuclear industry, so it needs atleast a couple hundred meters of reliable INDOOR communication with the mobile robot. Also, in the robot there will be another arduino controlling a sensor module,and will be sending information using another rf zulu module(this entire thing works btw, it was my first project). Will there be any problems with signal interfernce and such with this? The data sheet for the zulu module is http://www.rfsolutions.co.uk/acatalog/DS-ZULUARDUINO-1.pdf. According to it, it sends data on 868/915 Mhz. The xbee is at 900.
edit: according to the xbee datasheet, it is at 902-928
edit2: the 902-928 is for the xbee wire, the xbee with the RP-SMA antenna, is at 920
I showed you two links, one xbee model with the wire(to be connected in the controller) and one with a gold adapter(RP-SMA) where it seems like you would plug an antenna in, to be used on the wireless shield.
The "wire" is the antenna. It doesn't get connected to anything in the controller. The RP-SMA connector is where you would connect an external antenna. What type of antenna depends on your specific purpose, the antenna on the other end, and the distance that you need.
This is to be used in the nuclear industry, so it needs atleast a couple hundred meters of reliable INDOOR communication with the mobile robot.
Line of sight? Or will there be obstructions (wall, equipment, people, etc.) in the way? Will there be interference from the equipment? From radiation?
Will there be any problems with signal interfernce and such with this?
Yup, I understand the wire situation fully. As for the antenna, that is what I am trying to figure out right now. Where the robot will go, there will be no people. But there will definetely be walls and equipment(so obstructions) in the way.
You said "what type of antenna depends on your specific purpose, the antenna on the other end, and the distance that you need."
The purpose is to communicate with the xbee(wire) on the controller so I can control the robot remotely