i am looking for a bluetooth shield for the arduino, it will be used to communicate with an iPhone. it would be used to send a signal to execute a program, i also want it to be able to transfer an image from the arduino to the phone but that is proving to be difficult and i'm trying to find a different way round it. So my question is what is the difference between spending £4 on the hc 06 to spending £20 on one. Any suggestions on which ones to go for? Is it going to be an issue me using an iPhone? I have that or a mac laptop i could use?
So my question is what is the difference between spending £4 on the hc 06 to spending £20 on one.
Usually the more expensive ones support more features, have better antennas (bigger range) and often support more profiles (hc-06: serial profile only). Transferring an image to the phone is much simpler if your bluetooth module supports OBEX file transfers.
i am looking for a bluetooth shield for the arduino, it will be used to communicate with an iPhone.
Most newer smartphones support BTLE (Bluetooth Low Energy, also called Bluetooth 4.0). Although it's called Bluetooth it's a completely different technology and older Bluetooth variants cannot connect to a BTLE device. Most BTLE chipsets also support the older bluetooth variants but you'll be well advised to check that if you plan to use it.
If you need more help, provide more details about your project (distance between devices, exact models, apps you plan to use, etc.).
ok thank you. I'll take a closer look at the profiles needed. It looks like a need BTLE, serial and i'll look at OBEX. My project consists of a robot with a camera, the laptop/iphone will send a signal to the arduino which will then execute a program consisting of certain movements, at the end it should take a photo store it on a SD card and then transfer that image from the SD card to the laptop/iphone via bluetooth. Although that bit is looking to be quite tricky... To start off with the distance will be maybe 5 metres which could increase to 10 metres. I would be using an arduino mega with a sd card reader and a bluetooth shield which is still to be decided.
What kind of camera do you plan to use? Why did you choose BTLE over WiFi for example? With WiFi you don't have to create an app for the phone, just use the Browser. WiFi consumes a bit more battery than BTLE but compared to the power needed for movement this is probably not relevant.
I am interested in this concept as well for a different project. I have looked at a few bluetooth shields for the arduino, but they all only say "Bluetooth". I agree, BTLE appears the be the best way to go for various reasons, but I have not found any Bluetooth 4.0 shields. Has anyone seen any?
Why did you choose BTLE over WiFi for example?
In my particular project I would only like to be notified if I am within a certain range of the Bluetooth model. Using WiFi, I would not be able to include this feature.
I agree, BTLE appears the be the best way to go for various reasons, but I have not found any Bluetooth 4.0 shields. Has anyone seen any?
In my particular project I would only like to be notified if I am within a certain range of the Bluetooth model. Using WiFi, I would not be able to include this feature.
I haven't seen this feature in a bluetooth shield yet but almost every WiFi module offers you to read out the beacon signal strength. This is not equal to a range but you'll never get a real range value from a bluetooth chip either.
Seeed BTLE shield
I think I saw this shield at one point. I'm new to engineering and it didn't say Bluetooth 4.0 so I didn't comprehend that's what it was.
If found this article http://letsmakerobots.com/node/38009 which seems to be the most relevant to Bluetooth 4.0 shields.
I also and came across the BLE verson2.0 shield http://www.seeedstudio.com/depot/bluetooth-40-low-energy-ble-shield-p-1255.html which includes the handy energy saving technology so it wouldn't run down the battery life, but only works as a slave. I need it to work as a master as well.
but almost every WiFi module offers you to read out the beacon signal strength.
Well, this concept may be able to work for what i'm trying to do, but I don't want to have to take a modem with me for demonstration. Pulling up the Arduino program and asking people for their Wi-Fi router passwords wouldn't be appropriate or efficient.
I looked into using ad-hoc mode for the WiFi shield, but was told
"Forget an ad-hoc connection. The wifi shield will not work in that configuration. They must use a wireless router to access each other."
When I say "range" I just mean if in range of the Bluetooth /Wi-Fi signal, so that it is not using internet which would make the range unlimited.
Any thoughts on a potential direction?
Well, this concept may be able to work for what i'm trying to do, but I don't want to have to take a modem with me for demonstration. Pulling up the Arduino program and asking people for their Wi-Fi router passwords wouldn't be appropriate or efficient.
Many Arduino WiFi solutions today are able to provide access point functionality (p.e. Arduino Yun). So the only thing people has to do is accessing that special WiFi network. The bluetooth pairing task is much more complicated today.
i plan on using a camera like the following: https://www.sparkfun.com/datasheets/Sensors/Imaging/CM-26N.pdf
I need to use bluetooth and not wifi as this will be integrated onto a robot and will be working in environments where isn't any wifi.
i plan on using a camera like the following: https://www.sparkfun.com/datasheets/Sensors/Imaging/CM-26N.pdf
How do you plan to get the composite (analog) signal digitized?
I need to use bluetooth and not wifi as this will be integrated onto a robot and will be working in environments where isn't any wifi.
Many WiFi modules for the Arduino world are able to act as an access point so they don't depend on an existing WiFi infrastructure. WiFi has much more transfer capacity and you can use a standard browser on the mobile device instead of a specialized app.