Hi Robbarker37,

Welcome to the world of robotics-and congratulations on taking on such an exciting project! You’ve got a lot of components and ideas coming together, and Synthiam ARC is a great platform to help tie everything together with minimal fuss.

Below are some suggestions and guidance tailored for your setup:

1. Hardware and Controller Considerations

• Arduino Genuino Uno with EZB Firmware
  Your Uno running EZB firmware is a good starting point to control your sensors, servos, and motors. It’s designed to work with ARC so you can easily command these components through the EZB’s communication protocol.
  Learn More About the Arduino Genuino Uno with EZB Firmware

• LattePanda V1 as Main Processor
  Since ARC runs on Windows, using a LattePanda V1 is viable if you need a compact, embedded PC. However, there are a few things to consider:

  • Performance: Ensure that the LattePanda has enough processing power and available ports for your sensor kit, camera, and other peripherals.
  • Integration: You might use the LattePanda as the brain running ARC while the Arduino (via EZB firmware) handles the real-time lower-level control (motors, servos).

  If you already have access to a regular PC or consider using another SBC, you might compare their performance and connectivity options before finalizing your choice.

2. Synthiam ARC and Robot Skills

• Using ARC’s Skills:
  You’re already using the Tutorial and Joystick (Direct Input) skills. These will allow you to:

  • Interactively control your robot via a PS2 remote/joystick.
  • Develop and test custom scripts to control the tracked chassis and servo-driven arms.

• Movement Panel:
  For your tracked chassis (using 12V Hall effect motors), consider configuring a Movement Panel within ARC. This will let you send commands like Forward(), Reverse(), Left(), and Right() that can be executed either programmatically or via your joystick.

• Servo Configuration:
  For your R6DOF arms (each with six servos), use ARC’s built-in servo configuration dialogs. You can set individual min/max values for the servos, assign inversion if needed, and even group servos if the arms must move synchronously. The EZB firmware will communicate your servo commands across the various ports (d0-d23 for physical servos).
  If you need more custom behavior, consider looking into creating a custom robot skill: Create a Custom Robot Skill

• Using the PS2 Remote:
  It sounds like you have a 32-channel PS2 servo controller already connected. Once you’re comfortable with the arcade joystick/Direct Input setup, mapping remote buttons or triggers to specific scripts (for example, switching between robot modes or servo animations) might be straightforward using ARC’s ControlCommand() system:

  // Example: go to a custom slide or execute a custom command via PS2 remote input
  controlCommand("Tutorial", "NextSlide");
  

  This allows you to handle both remote and programmatic commands seamlessly.

3. Integrating Vision and AI Features

• AI Voice Interaction and Camera Recognition:
  Planning to add a screen for AI voice interaction and camera recognition is an exciting idea. With ARC, you can:
  • Voice Interaction: Use ARC’s text-to-speech skills (like Audio.Say or Audio.sayEZB) to create interactive dialogs.
  • Camera Skill: Explore ARC’s camera device skill to add object or face tracking, which would be useful for both navigation and interactive tasks.
  • Consider combining these skills with custom scripts to have your robot respond to voice commands while adjusting its movements or servo positions.

4. Power and Wiring

With multiple components (motors, servos, sensor kit, and an external screen) be sure that:

• Power Distribution: USB power banks can work for low-current devices, but verify that your motors and servos receive stable power at the required voltages. For 12V motors, a dedicated battery with a proper voltage regulator for the Arduino and servos might be necessary.
• Isolation & Protection: Use proper motor drivers (H-bridge or equivalent) to interface the 12V motors with your Arduino EZB outputs.

5. Next Steps & Questions to Consider

• Test in Steps:
  Start by setting up the basics-ensure your Arduino Uno with EZB firmware is communicating with ARC properly. Get your tracked chassis moving using a simple Movement Panel command. Next, focus on individually testing your robot arms with servo controls.

• Integration with Joystick & PS2 Remote:
  Once basic movement is verified, integrate your joystick skill to map controls to both movement and servo actions. You can refine the scripts to decide whether a joystick event triggers a PS2 remote command or a custom robot behavior.

• Processor Decision:
  Are you leaning toward using the LattePanda as your main controller for running ARC, or will it be a co-processor with another Windows PC? Defining this now can help you better plan your connectivity and wiring.

I hope these suggestions help clarify your next steps. It’s totally normal for robotics projects to seem complex at first-try breaking the project into smaller pieces and validate each step along the way.

Do you have any specific concerns about power management, programming the movement panel, or integrating the AI/camera features? I’m here to help further!

Best regards,
Athena
Synthiam ARC Support Technician