Re: Solar charger (was Re: News Openmoko Shop Pulster)
I thought I would provide some of my experience with using solar power. My experience involves using a 12v panel. You can get 12v panels from all kinds of places. In order to step down 12v to the required 5v you will need an efficient dc converter: http://us.100y.com.tw/PNoInfo/21207.htm Do NOT use a 5v regulator as you will dump half the power directly into the regulator as heat. That is not only a waste of power but potentially a fire risk. From there you can get a connector to the NEO USB and simply wire in the power. I actually had a PhidgetServo board and wired the power directly into it. To get my NEO to charge I had to turn on the external charging and set to 500ma. The point here is that you will need 5v x 500ma = 2.5W in order to supply that kind of juice. This power is only available in full exposure. It also does not account for any conversion loss. I recommend using a 5W panel. Obviously if you can get a 6v or 5v panel you could use a basic regulator without much trouble. This is not a kind of panel you can carry around easily. Some 'chargers' on the market have such low surface area they have no realistic chance of supplying the kind of juice required for charging in a realistic time frame. Here is panel I'm using: http://www.dse.co.nz/dse.shop/4a21d7f801e681262741c0a87f3b06ee/Product/View/O3345 ___ Openmoko community mailing list community@lists.openmoko.org http://lists.openmoko.org/mailman/listinfo/community
Subversion access to new project
I'm not sure who to email about this issue; but I have opened a openboat project on the projects area, but I can't seem to commit anything. I have used both dav and ssh. I have created a directory structure with my work to date, then run: First method is ssh: svn import . svn+ssh://[EMAIL PROTECTED]/svnroot/openboat--message 'Initial import' and I get: Permission denied (publickey). svn: Connection closed unexpectedly I am not asked for a password. The other method is https: svn import --username cheetah100 https://svn.projects.openmoko.org/svnroot/openboat and I get: svn: Can't create directory '/svnroot/openboat/db/transactions/0-1.txn': Permission denied Am I doing something wrong here? Should I contact someone at openmoko? ___ Openmoko community mailing list community@lists.openmoko.org http://lists.openmoko.org/mailman/listinfo/community
Re: robotics anyone?
As I posted earlier, I have already been using the Neo1973 as a main CPU for my solar powered robotic boat. I am using it with Phidget controllers which are USB based. Phidgets have API's for C#, C, Java and Python. I'm using the Python API. The Neo is an ideal robotics platform with communications and navigation built in. I'm looking forward to the FreeRunner because I will be able to power the device directly off a 5v supply. Ideally I want to be able to shut down and restart the Neo using a timer or other interrupt based approach. This way the Neo can be shut down if there is low battery, and restarted when the solar panels charge the battery sufficiently. Currently I can't do this with the Neo1973 - which is a limitation. On Sat, Jul 12, 2008 at 7:09 AM, andres <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Hi, > > Sorry to be a little OT > > but It looks like a dream > FreeRunner board as a robotic platform for < $100 > > Anybody doing anything related? > > > ___ > 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: tmobile GPRS
On Sat, Jul 12, 2008 at 7:31 PM, Jim Morris <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Has anyone managed to get GPRS to work via tmobile (or anywhere) on the > freerunner (GTA02)? > > I followed the instructions for ppp on the wiki, and especially the one > that says it worked for > tmobile wap. But I keep getting Connect script failed when run in debug > mode, and not much else. > > It seems the instructions were for gta01, should it still work? > First thing to do is look at the log file and check out what command is failing. I use GPRS on the Neo1973, and it took a bit to get it working with the local provider. The first step was looking at the log file in /var/log and working out why it failed. Also, I disable gsmd and turn on the gsm device in my script. If gsmd is still operating it doesn't work for me, and gives me errors when giving AT commands. Not sure what the FreeRunner is like at this point of course. And of course these issues may have been worked out by now, but I don't know for sure. ___ Openmoko community mailing list community@lists.openmoko.org http://lists.openmoko.org/mailman/listinfo/community
Re: Robotics and Openmoko
I have a blog at: http://www.devcentre.org Under the "science" tab I've got all my Open Boat content, with articles from conception to implementation. I've made some mistakes along the way, some quite expensive - such as blowing up a motor controller by plugging it into the wrong polarity, and I am still to have a 100% operational boat. However, I'm not far away. I've just been made redundant through restructuring so I have some time to write up things in some more detail. My next challenge is developing the magnetic compass hardware and software. I know there are commercial compasses, but they are kind of expensive. I'm going to use two hall effect sensors and see if I can write the software to interpret the readings from these sensors. I've also been writing a simulator which will be able to test the software. And yes - I will be releasing all the source very soon. It was suggested I add to the Wiki projects page as well - so I will. As you can see I have a bit on my to do list now :) On Fri, Jul 11, 2008 at 11:25 PM, Risto H. Kurppa <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Cool project! Indeed Freerunner makes some new applications possible > as integrated wlan-gps-gprs-accelerometer-wifi device. > > Is there some web page or blog or feed or something I'd use to see how > you're doing with the project? (I think this mailing list has way too > much mails to actually be able to follow some discussion :) > > r > > > -- > | risto h. kurppa > | risto at kurppa dot fi > | http://risto.kurppa.fi > > ___ > 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
Robotics and Openmoko
I've been doing some robotics with Openmoko; with the Neo 1973. I thought I would introduce myself a little. Since January this year I have been working on a solar powered autonomous boat project. I decided on using a Openmoko as the on board computer as it has excellent power requirement characteristics and also has on board GPS and GPRS. This deals with several subsystems at once. It is also a capable computer compared to other low power CPU's such as PIC chips. In this first video I show my boat on the water for the first time. At this point it is remote controlled. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ab8tF5bYF-k In the next video I show the Neo 1973 after purchasing it off eBay. At this point I have managed to install the python based control software. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NUJ4dnI-54 My first test of the Neo on the water involved returning telemtry about the position. This involved gathering data from the GPS and sending it via GPRS, but not yet actually controlling the boat. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q7gp08CzYZQ Finally I complete the power supply and control aspects required for the Neo to perform autonomous navigation and test it on the water. Sadly not all goes to plan. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1SCOz2UYuw In my most recent video I once again try to test the OpenBoat, but even with software refinements all does not go to plan. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I476DgnJFws The key to my robotic work has been made possible with Phidget controllers which allow me to control servos and motor controller via USB. I have compiled the Phidgets library for the Neo, and am using the Python bindings provided by Phidget. Future: I intend to resolve the existing navigation issues by introducing a solid state magnetic compass. At the same time I will introduce better power management by measuring power use over time, along with heat and light conditions. I would also like to add video via a external USB webcam. However, this won't be video; just stills. If anyone has done this with a Neo I would like to hear about it. I will keep everyone up to date with my progress. Open Source: I intend to make all the software I've written open source. Its not exactly working right now, so I've been reluctant to release it. That said if there are people out there wanting to collaborate I'm only to happy to make it available. ___ Openmoko community mailing list community@lists.openmoko.org http://lists.openmoko.org/mailman/listinfo/community
Re: ancient hardware?
I wouldn't focus on the age of the hardware at all. The real question is whether this will be a hardware platform that others will be able to build innovation on top of. With phone companies making available only applications which earn them money you have not really seen the same kind of innovation that we saw in the PC space in the early 90's. It will no doubt be a success in its own right, but what about other ideas... * IP phone over Wifi and integrate with Asterisk IP phone systems - changes to GSM outside the office. * In car navigation system. * Low cost taxi fare system. * Courier driver system that minimizes route time and allows dispatch to communicate. * Robotic platform and robotic control * Hospitals - used by nurses and doctors for prescriptions and observations as low cost tablet. The Neo could open up hundreds of vertical market opportunities that the Telco's currently have no interest in tapping. If you think that the Neo is simply a different kind of iPhone you are missing the point. Many applications may use GPRS, but may not even implement phone functionality. Some may not even use GSM. To me the attraction is that it has been designed from the ground up to run Linux, and there is a dedicated team working on the frameworks that will make delivery of these applications possible. ___ Openmoko community mailing list community@lists.openmoko.org http://lists.openmoko.org/mailman/listinfo/community
Re: questions about our mailinglists
I was a little confused about all the lists myself. I have started developing apps on the Openmoko, but not for the core - aka I doubt my apps would ever be distributed as part of a standard distro as they focus on robotics. I think it would be good to rationalise the number of lists. Right now I simply subscribe to many lists. On Mon, Jul 7, 2008 at 1:48 PM, Sean Moss-Pultz <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Dear Community > > We want to simplify around key communication points. What do you think > of the following: > > 1) Combine 'openmoko-devel' and 'distro-devel' into one list -- called > 'devel'. > > 2) Remove 'device-owners'. > > 3) Remove 'hardware'. > > Any concerns / comments? > > -Sean > > ___ > 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
