Re: ANN: Freerunner Navigation Board v2 is finally available
Dear list, we have received and tested the next handful of navigation boards. They are available through: http://www.handheld-linux.com/wiki.php?page=Navigation%20Board For installation, please refer to http://wiki.openmoko.org/wiki/Freerunner_Navigation_Board_v2#Installation and http://chonyota.net/freerunner/FRNBv2/FRNBv2-Installation.pdf Nikolaus Am 12.09.2010 um 20:24 schrieb Christoph Mair: Dear list, after lots of hard work I'm happy to announce that the Freerunner Navigation Board v2 is finally available! The team from handheld-linux.com [1] kindly offered to handle orders and shipping. The second version of the Navigation Board includes some features which go well beyond of what is needed for navigational purposes. The board comes in two assembly variants standard and complete. See below for a feature description/comparison. The most recent documentation as well as possible use cases and bug descriptions can always be found on the wiki page [2]. Features supported by any board: * 3D magnetometer The magnetometer measures magnetic forces on three axes. With some math it can be used as a compass. Alternatively, use it to measure the magnetic fields generated by trains while accelerating (e.g. underground lines). * 3D gyroscope A gyroscope measures angular velocity. It can determine how fast you spin your Freerunner around its three axes. Usable to support the integrated accelerometers for inertial navigation (navigation without GPS) or to create a wireless game controller (like the wii). * Barometric pressure sensor The change in ambient air pressure is a good indicator for changing weather conditions. If the weather is relatively stable and the barometric pressure changes, it usually indicates that the height above sea level changed. If this value is known the absolute height can be calculated without using the GPS. * Four channel LED controller This LED controller can dim and make blink up to four LEDs (e.g. RGBA). It works autonomously, even if the main CPU is suspended. This may for instance be used to indicate unread messages. Large blinking intervals and duty cycles enable short flashes to save battery power. Alternatively one could connect a high brightness LED and use the Freerunner as a dimmable torch. * Seven channel touch controller The chip could actually control twelve channels, but due to space restrictions only seven are available on the FRNBv2. They can be used to add touch buttons to your Freerunner or act as proximity detector. E.g.: disable the screen lock if you pick up the phone. (*) Four channels can also drive LEDs, if you don't need them for something else. Additional features of the complete boards: * 12-Bit analog to digital converter This chip is very similar to the one used on the Freerunner Navigation Board v1 to digitize the output of the gyroscopes. The FRNBv2 does not use it for own purposes, it's completely under users' control. A possible use cases would be an ambient light sensor. Or use it to measure the current consumption of the FRNBv2 ;-) * Programmable oscillator Do you need to generate a rectangular signal with programmable frequency between 1kHz and 68MHz? Then this chip is made for you. What can you use it for? I thought about a 38kHz oscillator which can be enabled and disabled using a GPIO pin. This could be used as generic infrared remote control. If you really need these two last features, order a complete board or add the chips yourself to any standard board. They come in leaded packages and are hand solderable if you have some soldering experience. (*) This feature was not tested yet due to a missing kernel driver. I'm not sure if it will work as expected. (**) The programmable oscillator does not work due to a strange bug. See the wiki [2] for details. Have fun! Christoph [1] http://www.handheld-linux.com/wiki.php?page=Navigation%20Board [2] http://wiki.openmoko.org/wiki/Freerunner_Navigation_Board_v2 ___ Openmoko community mailing list community@lists.openmoko.org http://lists.openmoko.org/mailman/listinfo/community ___ Openmoko community mailing list community@lists.openmoko.org http://lists.openmoko.org/mailman/listinfo/community
Re: ANN: Freerunner Navigation Board v2 is finally available
Looks good. It'll be a month or so before I can order one. On Sunday 12 September 2010, Christoph Mair wrote: Dear list, after lots of hard work I'm happy to announce that the Freerunner Navigation Board v2 is finally available! The team from handheld-linux.com [1] kindly offered to handle orders and shipping. The second version of the Navigation Board includes some features which go well beyond of what is needed for navigational purposes. The board comes in two assembly variants standard and complete. See below for a feature description/comparison. The most recent documentation as well as possible use cases and bug descriptions can always be found on the wiki page [2]. Features supported by any board: * 3D magnetometer The magnetometer measures magnetic forces on three axes. With some math it can be used as a compass. Alternatively, use it to measure the magnetic fields generated by trains while accelerating (e.g. underground lines). * 3D gyroscope A gyroscope measures angular velocity. It can determine how fast you spin your Freerunner around its three axes. Usable to support the integrated accelerometers for inertial navigation (navigation without GPS) or to create a wireless game controller (like the wii). * Barometric pressure sensor The change in ambient air pressure is a good indicator for changing weather conditions. If the weather is relatively stable and the barometric pressure changes, it usually indicates that the height above sea level changed. If this value is known the absolute height can be calculated without using the GPS. * Four channel LED controller This LED controller can dim and make blink up to four LEDs (e.g. RGBA). It works autonomously, even if the main CPU is suspended. This may for instance be used to indicate unread messages. Large blinking intervals and duty cycles enable short flashes to save battery power. Alternatively one could connect a high brightness LED and use the Freerunner as a dimmable torch. * Seven channel touch controller The chip could actually control twelve channels, but due to space restrictions only seven are available on the FRNBv2. They can be used to add touch buttons to your Freerunner or act as proximity detector. E.g.: disable the screen lock if you pick up the phone. (*) Four channels can also drive LEDs, if you don't need them for something else. Additional features of the complete boards: * 12-Bit analog to digital converter This chip is very similar to the one used on the Freerunner Navigation Board v1 to digitize the output of the gyroscopes. The FRNBv2 does not use it for own purposes, it's completely under users' control. A possible use cases would be an ambient light sensor. Or use it to measure the current consumption of the FRNBv2 ;-) * Programmable oscillator Do you need to generate a rectangular signal with programmable frequency between 1kHz and 68MHz? Then this chip is made for you. What can you use it for? I thought about a 38kHz oscillator which can be enabled and disabled using a GPIO pin. This could be used as generic infrared remote control. If you really need these two last features, order a complete board or add the chips yourself to any standard board. They come in leaded packages and are hand solderable if you have some soldering experience. (*) This feature was not tested yet due to a missing kernel driver. I'm not sure if it will work as expected. (**) The programmable oscillator does not work due to a strange bug. See the wiki [2] for details. Have fun! Christoph [1] http://www.handheld-linux.com/wiki.php?page=Navigation%20Board [2] http://wiki.openmoko.org/wiki/Freerunner_Navigation_Board_v2 ___ Openmoko community mailing list community@lists.openmoko.org http://lists.openmoko.org/mailman/listinfo/community ___ Openmoko community mailing list community@lists.openmoko.org http://lists.openmoko.org/mailman/listinfo/community
Re: ANN: Freerunner Navigation Board v2 is finally available
Am Montag 13 September 2010, 01:14:43 schrieb jeremy jozwik: indeed, is there any software in the works to take advantage of this? i think i might have to snag one and add it on when i tear open my phone to fix the sd card... Kernel drivers for most chips are available from [1]. Each sensor (except the touch/proximity sensor) is supported by the sensor-monitor application [2]. Better overall integration is planned. Mickey agreed to add dbus interfaces to FSO. I am trying to get the drivers merged into official kernel repositories, but most of them lack documentation and proper error handling. I will try to get these drivers merged into the SHR and/or QtMoko kernel repositories, but I'll have to find out if the maintainers would accept these beta-drivers until I get them ready for kernel.org. Meanwhile you have to compile them yourself or bug me to do it for you (should not be a problem, except that I have to do it again when the kernel version string changes). Other software that is available or planned: * Compass (HMC5843): A kernel driver (not mine) was merged upstream (into staging/iio) a few weeks ago. It should be rather easy to enhance fso-gpsd to use magnetic measurements. * Gyroscope (ITG-3200): There is no software support that I'm aware of. I will try to implement an inertial navigation solution but you are probably faster if you try yourself instead of waiting for mine. * Pressure sensor (BMP085): My kernel driver was merged upstream. There are no other userspace applications available till now. * LED controller: The kernel driver was initially written for the GTA03 (found it somewhere on the internet). I did not push it to my repository yet but I will do it during this week. Maybe the FSO team adds support for this.. * A/D: Missing userspace applications (except the sensor monitor) * Oscillator: Still buggy. If I can fix the bug I will implement a LIRC driver to use it as a remote control. Of course, the lack of applications means that you should do something to improve the situation! Either add new Ideas to the wiki page or start hacking on something ;-) Christoph [1] http://gitorious.org/freerunner-navigation-board [2] http://wiki.openmoko.org/wiki/Freerunner_Navigation_Board#End_user_software ___ Openmoko community mailing list community@lists.openmoko.org http://lists.openmoko.org/mailman/listinfo/community
ANN: Freerunner Navigation Board v2 is finally available
Dear list, after lots of hard work I'm happy to announce that the Freerunner Navigation Board v2 is finally available! The team from handheld-linux.com [1] kindly offered to handle orders and shipping. The second version of the Navigation Board includes some features which go well beyond of what is needed for navigational purposes. The board comes in two assembly variants standard and complete. See below for a feature description/comparison. The most recent documentation as well as possible use cases and bug descriptions can always be found on the wiki page [2]. Features supported by any board: * 3D magnetometer The magnetometer measures magnetic forces on three axes. With some math it can be used as a compass. Alternatively, use it to measure the magnetic fields generated by trains while accelerating (e.g. underground lines). * 3D gyroscope A gyroscope measures angular velocity. It can determine how fast you spin your Freerunner around its three axes. Usable to support the integrated accelerometers for inertial navigation (navigation without GPS) or to create a wireless game controller (like the wii). * Barometric pressure sensor The change in ambient air pressure is a good indicator for changing weather conditions. If the weather is relatively stable and the barometric pressure changes, it usually indicates that the height above sea level changed. If this value is known the absolute height can be calculated without using the GPS. * Four channel LED controller This LED controller can dim and make blink up to four LEDs (e.g. RGBA). It works autonomously, even if the main CPU is suspended. This may for instance be used to indicate unread messages. Large blinking intervals and duty cycles enable short flashes to save battery power. Alternatively one could connect a high brightness LED and use the Freerunner as a dimmable torch. * Seven channel touch controller The chip could actually control twelve channels, but due to space restrictions only seven are available on the FRNBv2. They can be used to add touch buttons to your Freerunner or act as proximity detector. E.g.: disable the screen lock if you pick up the phone. (*) Four channels can also drive LEDs, if you don't need them for something else. Additional features of the complete boards: * 12-Bit analog to digital converter This chip is very similar to the one used on the Freerunner Navigation Board v1 to digitize the output of the gyroscopes. The FRNBv2 does not use it for own purposes, it's completely under users' control. A possible use cases would be an ambient light sensor. Or use it to measure the current consumption of the FRNBv2 ;-) * Programmable oscillator Do you need to generate a rectangular signal with programmable frequency between 1kHz and 68MHz? Then this chip is made for you. What can you use it for? I thought about a 38kHz oscillator which can be enabled and disabled using a GPIO pin. This could be used as generic infrared remote control. If you really need these two last features, order a complete board or add the chips yourself to any standard board. They come in leaded packages and are hand solderable if you have some soldering experience. (*) This feature was not tested yet due to a missing kernel driver. I'm not sure if it will work as expected. (**) The programmable oscillator does not work due to a strange bug. See the wiki [2] for details. Have fun! Christoph [1] http://www.handheld-linux.com/wiki.php?page=Navigation%20Board [2] http://wiki.openmoko.org/wiki/Freerunner_Navigation_Board_v2 ___ Openmoko community mailing list community@lists.openmoko.org http://lists.openmoko.org/mailman/listinfo/community
Re: ANN: Freerunner Navigation Board v2 is finally available
--- On Sun, 9/12/10, Christoph Mair m...@chonyota.net wrote: after lots of hard work I'm happy to announce that the Freerunner Navigation Board v2 is finally available! It looks great, congratulations! Boudewijn ___ Openmoko community mailing list community@lists.openmoko.org http://lists.openmoko.org/mailman/listinfo/community
Re: ANN: Freerunner Navigation Board v2 is finally available
On Sun, Sep 12, 2010 at 1:23 PM, W. B. Kranendonk wankelwan...@yahoo.com wrote: It looks great, congratulations! indeed, is there any software in the works to take advantage of this? i think i might have to snag one and add it on when i tear open my phone to fix the sd card... ___ Openmoko community mailing list community@lists.openmoko.org http://lists.openmoko.org/mailman/listinfo/community
