Need help with underwater robot

[ROV86]

I am currently in an underwater robotics class at my high school and the way the teacher is controlling his is with wires directly into a control box with switches and a car battrey for power. Know i have already built the underwater robots frame and i have 4 dc electric motors (2 vertical, 2 horzontal) for depth and forward and reverse. i also have an underwater camera on the robot. I would like to be able to control my ROV with my laptop however i do not have the slightest clue on how i would be able to accomplish this. please help me be able to control this with my laptop.

 

[Mike_2545]

Welcome ROV86,

There are several ways to do this, Microsoft has Visual studios (C#,C++ & Basic) you can download for free and write programs that access a port (serial or usb to serial) on your PC, with this you will need a microcontroller to receive the signal and then transmit to the correct motor... Sparkfun has a little Bit Whacker USB Bit Whacker - 18F2553 Development Board - SparkFun Electronics Which I have never used but seems up to the task at hand.

I'm sure others will offer you a solution as well.

 

[ROV86]

Thank you. I have already taken a java programming class and have eclipse programming software on my laptop and know how to use it do you think that will work for my uses?

 

[ROV86]

also i have a usb videogame controller and i would love to be able to program something to make it so i can control the robot through the program see the camera feed on the screen and use the controller. is this too much to ask? or is it simple

 

[cr0sh]

Go with something like the bitwhacker, as suggested, and use it to control relays, which are connected to the motors, controlling on/off (and change direction). The connections via the relays will be similar to how your instructor is using switches, the relays just replace the switches (he is likely using DPDT relays with center-off - you would probably want to use two SPDT relays, like Bosch automotive relays, for the same ability). The relays aren't directly controlled by the bitwhacker - you will have to interface them to it using an NPN transistor (look up microcontroller relay interfacing for details) - and remember your flyback/snubbing diode across the coil of each relay!

Once you get one motor working, you'll understand how to do the rest. At that point, you will need to figure out what to use and how to code the interface to control the bitwhacker (and how to read your USB controller, and interface with your camera). You should start with getting a single motor under control of the bitwhacker, with a simple interface (GUI or otherwise) that allows you to turn it on, off, and change direction. Don't try to do everything at once (that's a path to failure) - instead, break the problem up into smaller chunks, and if each of those seem complex, break them up into smaller chunks, until you have a manageable list of tasks and steps to follow to completion and success.

Good luck with your project!