Comments on: iRobot Create Robot Review

By: Roombareview

Roombareview — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 04:48:03 +0000

Haha nice vid John

By: Borch

Borch — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 10:45:03 +0000

How can I within my software detect if the USB cable is inserted or not?
-Ole

By: John Sanyo

John Sanyo — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 00:31:03 +0000

Hey check out this sweet Roomba Video!!

It’s so funny and the song is great!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4C2zGwwraEA

-John

By: todbot

todbot — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 21:53:40 +0000

Hi Isaac, I hear you about Roomba/Create physical wobbliness. I've tried many things to make it more stable and haven't really found a solution. But then I've not been looking too hard lately. My last idea that I never implemented was to make an aluminum brace screwed into the various mount points. I recommend poking around the iRobot Create Forums. They may have some ideas. In regards to using RXTX on a Mac, I recommend downloading the Arduino software, pulling out the "RXTXComm.jar" and "librxtxSerial.jnilib" files from it, and replacing the same-named old RXTX files. The Arduino community has worked on making RXTX work really well on both Mac OS X & Windows. These changes are in the RXTX source repository, but not yet in the downloadable version of RXTX.

By: Isaac

Isaac — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 19:41:35 +0000

Hi.

I am an avid user of roombacomm; i’ve even hijacked your code to control my other serial revices. I was wondering if you had any ideas for improving the stability of the create. I’ve put a huge 12 volt battery in its cargo bay, but if you put something tall enough on it, it starts to sway. the cargo bay is not connected to the rest of the roomba well, and the palstic bends. If you just press down on the cargo bay you can feel it. any ideas? I’ve also just switched to a MAC and rxtx is having some issues, but i’ll work those out.

By: todbot

todbot — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 17:37:36 +0000

Hi Scott, Funny, I was just thinking about that! The command module is just an AVR ATmega168, exactly the same chip that's part of Arduino. Arduino has a library called Software Serial that lets one use any other set of I/O pins as a second (slower) serial port. You should be able to pick two unused I/O lines on the command module, hook them up to the Bluetooth module, then use something like SoftwareSerial to turn those lines into a serial connection back to your PC. The original serial port of the command module then controls the Create.

By: Scott

Scott — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 16:53:34 +0000

Thanks, Tod.

Do you think it would be possible to take your bluetooth adapter from the book and interface it with one of the inputs on the command module?

Sounds like a fun challenge for me to tackle!

By: todbot

todbot — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 06:52:59 +0000

Hi Scot,
Thanks! I’m glad you’re enjoying the book. You can definitely use the cargo bay connector at the same time as the Create’s OI port. In fact, the serial lines in the OI connector are duplicated in the cargo bay connector (TX & RX, pins 1 & 2).

However, using the command module at the same time as something plugged into the OI connector isn’t possible because the command module uses the TX & RX lines to control the Create. For it to both control the Create and talk over Bluetooth would require for the command module to have two serial ports, which it does not.

By: Scott

Scott — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 04:58:05 +0000

Do you know if it is possible to use the serial port at the same time as the cargo bay connector? I’d like to use the command module for the added functionality and use your serial to bluetooth connector to wirelessly communicate.

BTW – great book!

Scott

By: todbot

todbot — Thu, 05 Jul 2007 03:24:51 +0000

Hi Sandy, You might want to ask your question on the Roomba Review forums. There are lots of knowledgeable people there who have fixed broken Roombas and found replacement parts. I've not done such things so I can't be to much help to you. Good luck finding parts. If all else fails, you may be able to buy a broken Roomba on ebay and cannibalize it for parts.