I'm not yet familiar with any Arduino product, but couldn't you already interface via ADC or I2C communications... thus treating the Arduino or other micro-controller as yet another "sensor"? Perhaps even simple switch type control via Digital ports, SendSerial and/or I2C?

I know it's not quite what you are looking for... but probably never hurts to ask :).

Yes I hear what you say Gunner.... I'm looking more for a built in link between the two that would be easy to control via the EZ-B.... the Master... I'm afraid I am not yet skilled enough to manage a SendSerial event between the two....

Perhaps I should make this a Christmas project - unless someone has already done this and wants to point me in the right direction.

I did however find this a little helpful in explaining it... I'm going to e-mail him and tell him to check out the EZ-B ! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJX0BRUagCg

It seem you could hook them up through the serial port and talk back and forth.

Or, maybe through the X-Bee wireless setup.

I hear what you are saying. I have a few arduinos just gathering Dust right now. The EZB made them Obsolete.

@MovieMaker You could always consider selling those obsolete things to some poor soul who wants to learn techniques on all sorts of controlers... even if they are harder to use then the EZ-B :P

Hehe, sorry I had to rename your thread I do not see Arduino as an enemy. The Arduino platform is made for beginner electronics with flashing LED's and stuff. It's not really the same goal as EZ-Robot. We don't believe in programming microcontrollers and stuff. I want to provide all the User Controls and let you decide how to use them - rather than making your own from scratch.

So that said, EZ-Robot will not be adding any Arduino libraries. Even mentioning "Arduino Programming" confuses 90% of our customers :)

We're here to help people build robots - not program microcontrollers.

Ahhh DJ Sures, you're just as quick with the wit and wisdom as you are with the software updates.

Well said and well done.

And @MovieMaker & @Gunner I honestly never thought of on selling them.... but now that you mention it.... I could put the money into another EZ-B....

He he he

• enlightened!

What, what? Arduino's need programming confused Just kidding, I am in the 10% who want to design, build and program, both the motivationaly encouraging easy way and the growth enhancing challenging way... just not sure if it is the upper or lower 10% :P

I figured this was the way DJ would go... in a minor sense it is unfortunate, as while "they" do require a different mindset and skill-set, I see benefits with having lower cost, program embedded, controllers that can work with PC based controllers; I was also hoping for an EZ-Link but I will happily experiment with my own link methodology.

And who knows what DJ has planned for new additions... I keep hearing, in various threads, about EZ-Bits and possible ARC embedded controllers and an Android app that will control EZ-B (not just remote link).

The future is EZ-Bright!... :D

DJ its too bad that you are not supportive of the Arduino interfacing or that you don't show any tutorials on how to make the two of them work together (at least from what I have found). THat being said, one of the things I am not clear on how to do in the EZ-B is to utilize analog and digital inputs from the board to make decisions. I see how to read the data by inserting a panel in the program, but to act on that I am a bit confused.

@mstephens_42 You might want to start a new thread with that loaded question Meanwhile, yes reading the data is as simple as opening a panel... the irony in utilizing that data is that you need to learn a bit of EZ-Script (a form of programming... albeit fairly easy to implement).

Pop up a new thread with a specific example that you need and we (DJ & other users like me) will see what we can do to help.

arduino will only increase the functions of EZB and make it a lot lot better,it seems nobody likes to add other microcontroller to thier design,i have another software hopping to use arduino and i get the same answer,nobody wants to work together with other board desgins ,same with basic stamp and many others i have arduino boards and a very long special code,would be very hard to convert using EZB

Okay so before I launch on this journey of discivery in to the great EZ-B / Arduino interface...

Has anyone out there been successful in interfacing between the two yet?

We probably should move this to an off forum discussion too!

i think so too,DJ must be getting mad about this,everyone almost like to see it happen,but i dont think it ever will unless some good at coding in C SHARP or other coding

It doesn't bother me that you explore the option of controlling an arduino from ez-b. our product isn't designed for arduino users. It's designed for people who demand instant results with building a robot for fun, education or prototype. Arduino and similar microcotrollers require too much user intervention - and we can't expect that of our users. EZ-Robot is designed for people who want to get stuff done, period :). If your only requirement is to flash an LED, than use an arduino.

Robot maker, i feel your opinions are skewed due to not actually owning an ez-b and not ever building a robot with it. I recommend you wait until using it before commenting or asking too many technical questions that are evident when you begin using the software. An experienced arduino programmer would be able to interface ARC via the EZ-B's i2c interface in a few minutes. EZ-Robot will not provide support for that, because it's not our product. I suspect you'll get the same response if you phone Microsoft to obtain support for your iPhone.

We provide a very very very very powerful and easy platform that is capable of more than any question you've asked. You will have to actually use it to understand its true capabilities. But remember, we provide a creative platform - so you still need to actually do some work :)

your board so far from what i see needs more programming or maybe the same,depending on how many scripts and modules,i did play a little with the ARC doesnt seem hard but doesnt seem easy too,also i own 8 of them so far,mostly need to build the robot frame first that takes a lot of time and then the codes last but at the same time dont really need a robot to make the codes,only need a ARC and few sensors,motos and servo or anything else you need to add, to add another soiftware really need both support,just like arduino wont give you much help to connect with your board

BUT by posting the board on the arduino forum others there might be able to help you same on your site too many others like to connect EZB with arduino ,so i cant see what you dont like it,any other microcontroller forums love the idea for many reason i think most users that have arduino dont want to get rid of it and they are use to programming it too we are not really looking for support for other microcontrollers on help from other users on the forum i like you examples a lot it helps getting it done faster,mostly my question i ask are to try in the ARC first and then if works connect to a robot design

hope you understand what i wrote,since i do it fast and dont spell check or periods or capitals letters some times

I have Arduino's and EZ-B's.

EZ-B is by far easier to script and "Get things done!" than the Arduino's.

I only use Arduino's to run repetitive scripts to blink LED's (Han in Carbonite / R2's Charging Bay).

I'm sure if needed I could trigger things via the EZ-B to the Arduino but why bother?

i had the code already made for spectrometer and so many many lines,has 7 leds of the spectrum and uses a A-D with photo led to read each value,whats its for it to check if milk in a glass or beer or wine or any other liquid ,so thats 7 values plus some other lines of code ,plus start code and stop code,plus setup and other code info,and then thats for each sample and the sampling circuit has a codes too,then if you have over 30 different liquids .you are looking at a very long code in arduino or EZB one of the main reasons i like EZB i thought it would be able to connect to arduino board waste of money to use arduino to blink a led,there are much easy way to do it i built the circuit and works perfect. i bought SMT leds to make the sensor much smaller much much easy to interface then redesign it for EZB

DJ, I encourage you to think about seeing the Arduino interfacing just as you do a compass sensor, etc. Make an I^2C block in EZ B for reading and writing to a device. Or, give us an example C script for reading and writing registers/data to an I^2 C device. We are not saying that the EZ robot system is not as good as an arduino, but many of us would like to use Arduiono hardware in concert with the EZ B to realize the full potential of the system. All I need is a code example in a c script.

What about DJ is ok if others post a code on using arduino with EZB

There is so many many boards for arduino ,like WIFI board and so many more ,it will make EZB so many times better then it is now.and others dont want to throw them in the trash.

There are so many thousands and thousands of others using arduino ,and then you have BASIC STAMP users and so on. Idea that MStephens has looks good if we have a example from on i2c buss

Well guess I'll put my two cents in here.

One, have you tried asking arduino to make an interface to communicate with the ez-b instead of the other way around.

Like most microprocessors, the EZ-B is in swing of maxing out its full capabilities as a platform. Anyone who knows how to code is capable of syncing together multiple processors as long as they know how each works, individually.

The EZ-B has the capabilities of running multiple boards under one interface where arduino you would have to program each board seperately.

Why should DJ confirm to the idea of making the board communicate with other platforms when he has already created an interface for the EZ-B that, in my opinion, is far better then using the Arduino IDE.

You will learn more about the world of electronics if you learn to do some of the work yourself.

There is enough available info on both these platforms for a beginner to be capable of doing such on their own. DJ isn't going to build your robot for you but has definitely given everyone who uses his product a more then capable ability to complete their project with less frustration then building one for the first time using the Arduino.

YES all that is correct,but you foget not all of us know much about programmining And i think there are so many users on this forum that has arduino ,but nobody has any info on how to make the code yet. Most likely somebody on the ARDUINO forum might help if they have EZB.

Same with other boards ,at least each forum try to help each other and work together. One good thing that ROBOREALM has so many many ionterfaces like arduino,KINECT other robots ,filters and a lot lot lot more.

I did ask Steven about adding another microcontroller ezb said waiting on DJ,and that was over 5 months ago,there almost everytype of microcontroller out there on roborealm site to use oon any other board or robot,can add 25 different boards if you like.

OTHER BOARD companies give roborealm a lot of support.,and at the same time it increases much more sales for more money witch everyone wants because they give you free advertising

And has notthing to do if EZB is better,many many users have arduino and dont want to waste the board or lose any money on and time programming it

There are so many many clones out there and users ,i know right now it the biggest selling microcontroller ever.

Why is it the biggest selling board?

Cause its open source the first of its kind. The idea that is growing through out electronics, which is why everyones capable of now being able to have their hands in helping to explore further the world of electronics.

However, its not the ability for the arduino to simply attach to accessory boards that makes it the platform it is, thats just a nice feature. It's the capablity for anyone to learn to program and create their own project. People share code and the ideas for creating the functionality of their projects. DJ has made clear and shares code for development of the EZ-B SDK, theres examples for most of it. The interface takes it even further with simple drop-in windows for controls and scripts for coding. Even options to create your own code with-in the interface.

Your not going to learn to code if you don't give it a try.

Also the idea of making a com line between the two platforms is simply looking at the methods available to both platforms that can be used to send and receive data through.

Look at the sales,look at all the info,look at all the clones made,almost all you see on the internet a lot is arduino,also the arduino forum FIRST biggest selling board was the BASIC STAMP,now arduino ,maybe EZB ,but i mention is on other big robotics clubs and they look at the board said it was good only,but dint like the GUI where most like to maker there own.

HARD to say its easy to write codes,most likely you are a programmer.where i am ELECTRONIC designer I ask someone great in programming,but yet they cant design a circuit,witch is super easy

DOESNT yet have good AI software ,but getting close to it. AND the AI club i am in no programming is needed only lack other sensors and modules. and LISPWORKS FAIRLY EASY TO USE

ALL boards made are opensource That why one reason roborealm is needed ,connects to almost every board made. Every board has good points and bad points,so far on EZB has very little video filters, on roborealm maybe over 100 maybe more,i never counted

Take a look at the site,there is area that list all filters,moduls many microcontroller board and more. AND has a interface with full code for AI SOFTWARE and KINECT that lot of us want to use I have 3 KINECTS i dont really care for too much,mostly very large to fit on most robots,high current 1 amp at 12 volts plus 350 ma on usb and hard to use it camera as a web cam and navigate at the same time I like LIDAR about the same price,neato xv-11,high accuracy and very low wattage or current,usb 350 ma

Well I wish I could just tell you I am only a programmer but thats not so. The majority of electronics is understanding the circuitry, hardware. Programming allows for that hardware to be user freindly. Electronics has been going digital since its development and programming takes it to the next step. Now a days microcontrollers can be found at the heart of what use to be full analog systems.

You can only fully understand the systems of today if you know both. The Kinect has SDK and theres plenty that have used it in their projects.

I am not saying coding is easy but your not going to learn by saying "Ooo that looks too hard"

Not all boards made are open source. Open source refers to the idea that anyone any where can replicate the product without having to purchase any part of the product from the manufacturer.

As for AI software when you find a bot that can think and produce ideas truthfully let me know cause zombies will move off the top of my list of worries.

i do have AI software just cant say its name on here email me jamericanfreddy@yahoo.com,so DJ wont get mad

he says no other club can be posted on this site unless its EZB I dont think is hard but i dont think it easy,i tried a few ezb scripts and having problems I didnt say it hard,dont forget you are not me

On opensource i meant the software ,yes i know the boards not opensource ,mostly arduino.every day i lok at the internet another person making a clone and selling it ONE SITE HAS 4 TYPES OF ARDUINO CLONES, made by different people and another one called makershed has many too,and many many other sites.look at sparkfun with all the arduino clones its got to be the most popular board out there,or others would not make clones for it

on KINECT look at most robots only large ones use it,like turtlebot with ROS software just to name one cant really fit on toy robot ,even the omnibot 2000,because of the length of it

also look the pro version of robots $2000 up to $50000 at robotshop,none use it only a LASER .SO ASK WHY not they use KINECT its a lot cheaper then $1200 LIDAR

mostly everything is using a microcontroller but the last piece of high precision equipment i made and got a patent on and sold it very very large money over $250000 ,didnt use a microcontroller and beat the $10000 piece that uses microcontroller its a calibrator that has a output of utra high precision super stable AC source and DC source and very pure AC SINEWAVE,