Code layout

This repo contains code for the RFduino (to be flashed using Arduino), and the controller (to be run on the VM). The controller code is executed with the command:

`python blimpControl.py`

The blimpControl.py script needs access to the controller config, which contains the device-specific configuration and lives in config.py. An example file can be found at config.py.example.

Get Hardware

The blimp carries an RFduino. The production version uses the surface-mount version on a custom board, but for development you can also use the DIP version and the compatible USB shield. The chip is identical, just in different packaging.

Install Arduino + RFduino library

Install Arduino 1.5 or later. Then get the RFdunio library and follow their install instructions. Note, however, that as of Arduino 1.5.8, the location where you need to put the RFduino folder has changd to /Applications/Ardunio.app/Contents/Java/hardware/arduino Yes, you do need to install the sketchy FTDI drivers.

Compile to Arduino

Open rfduinoControl/rfduinoControl.ino in the Arduino environment. Choose "Tools > Board > RFDuino" and then "Sketch > Verify/Compile". If no errors, you can load to the board by doing "File > Upload". Be sure you've selected the correct port from "Tools > Port". (Mine was like /dev/cu.usbserial-DC008W6W or something) Once you see "SUCCESS !" you can take the board off the programmer and hook it up to the battery pack. It will automatically run our code when it boots.

Note that the development board motor controller uses pins 2 and 3, whereas the production board uses pins 5 and 6. If you're using a development board, change line 29 to: Wire.beginOnPins(2,3);

Install Virtualbox

https://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Downloads

Get Ubuntu Image

Someone can give you the thing, it's like 5GB. All the requisite libraries are in the image. We're using bluez, which provides hcitool and gatttool. If you can get that thing to boot you're good. The password for the account is boom.

Ctrl+Opt+T will give you a terminal. hindenbergFights/ has this repo checked out already, just git pull to update.

Bluetooth Hardware

On your Mac host (to free up the Bluetooth hardware so the guest can use it):

$ sudo launchctl unload /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.apple.blued.plist
$ sudo kextunload -b com.apple.iokit.IOBluetoothSerialManager
$ sudo kextunload -b com.apple.iokit.BroadcomBluetoothHostControllerUSBTransport

Then you can click the little icon at the bottom of the Virtualbox window and choose Apple, Inc. Bluetooth USB Host Controller. Now the guest can use the hardware.

In the Ubuntu guest:

$ sudo hcitool lescan

Take note of the address of your RFduino.

After you're done blimping and shut down the guest, re-enable Bluetooth on your Mac:

$ sudo launchctl load /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.apple.blued.plist
$ sudo kextload -b com.apple.iokit.IOBluetoothSerialManager
$ sudo kextload -b com.apple.iokit.BroadcomBluetoothHostControllerUSBTransport

Or copy this blimp script to /usr/local/bin/blimp, make sure to chmod +x /usr/local/bin/blimp. Then you can run blimp up and blimp down commands from anywhere to free up or recover the Bluetooth control from MacOS.

#!/bin/bash

_usage(){
    grep "^[^_].\+(){$" $0 | while read line; do
      echo "  $0 $line" | sed "s/().*//g";
    done;
    echo "";
}

up(){
        sudo launchctl unload /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.apple.blued.plist
        sudo kextunload -b com.apple.iokit.IOBluetoothSerialManager
        sudo kextunload -b com.apple.iokit.BroadcomBluetoothHostControllerUSBTransport
}

down(){
        sudo launchctl load /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.apple.blued.plist
        sudo kextload -b com.apple.iokit.IOBluetoothSerialManager
        sudo kextload -b com.apple.iokit.BroadcomBluetoothHostControllerUSBTransport
}

# run arguments as commands if any, or show Usage
"$@"
if [ ${#1} == 0 ]; then echo "$CMDS" | echo "Usage: "; _usage; fi

Remote-Control Software

There's software that works on linux for connecting to the RFduino over BTLE and sending it commands that go to the motor controller. So your goal is to be able to:

sudo python blimpControl_kbd.py

And/or replace that with something that will send the three byte codes that the RFduino is expecting.

Compiling Pygame

The version of pygame that is available from the repos has some annoying printfs that will get in the way of using the terminal for debugging the xbox controller. To get around this, you can remove the repo version and compile from the latest source

if you have pygame already, remove repo version, something like:

sudo apt-get remove pygame

install dependencies.

at least these, but maybe a couple others if the build step below fails:

sudo apt-get install mercurial python-dev python-numpy libsdl-image1.2-dev libsdl-mixer1.2-dev libsdl-ttf2.0-dev libsmpeg-dev libsdl1.2-dev  libportmidi-dev libswscale-dev libavformat-dev libavcodec-dev

Grab Pygame source

hg clone https://bitbucket.org/pygame/pygame

Finally build and install

cd pygame
python setup.py build
sudo python setup.py install

Get wireless xbox controls working

http://www.noobslab.com/2014/08/configure-xbox-controller-on-your.html

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:rael-gc/ubuntu-xboxdrv
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install ubuntu-xboxdrv
sudo service xboxdrv restart

roscopetracula / hindenburgFights

readme