Signal to computer possible?

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Summary:

I was wondering if they was a way to send a signal to the computer when the thymio meets a certain kind of event, so the computer can start a chain of event according to the info such as changing an information on a website coded in html css and js (like saying the thymio has done it's task or is ready) or to make the computer turn on/off a led lightstrip.

Signal to computer possible?

neizo 23 Mar 2017 13:50

Hi

Today we are launching our micro project in high school (in switzerland) and we have to code a website and the thymio to make it do something. Our goal was to create a mini game and I was wondering if there was a way to send a signal to the computer when the thymio meets a certain kind of event. This way, the computer can start a chain of event according to the info such as changing an information on a website coded in html css and js (like saying the thymio has done it's task or is ready) or to make the computer turn on/off a led lightstrip.

This would allow us to make an interactive game. We want the thymio to send an information to the computer to tell when he is done. Then on the website, a special message would appear and the computer would make the led lighstrip flash. There would be another interaction, it's a cooldown "spell". When the thymio has used one of the ability, the case showing it (on the playground) would turn off, and then turn on back again when its cooldown is over.

My idea was to make a signal with aseba that is then sent to the computer, and then, the computer uses this info to change the info on the website with JS and change the led. But I don't really know if this is possible, if you can send a signal that is then used in a different language, and if you can send a signal at all.

And if internally it's impossible, my idea was to plug a certain kind of ship that then send a wifi signal to the computer. Is this possible?

Thanks a lot for your answers,

Neizo

Re: Signal to computer possible?

Michael Bonani 30 Mar 2017 19:22

Hello,
Nice ideas!

Summary:
Thymio can send messages to computers. Aseba is specifically design for! More info here: https://www.thymio.org/en:asebaconcepts . In your case you have to use a Wireless Thymio and send "global event" (in aseba studio at your right). A computer can be a node or a client of an aseba network.

More concrete:
aseba message can go over different kind of transmission support (UART, CAN, tcp, http, dbus, etc…). What you generally need is a switch or translator to combine them. Thymio is transmitting over USB or with Wireless on serial port (COM port on windows) of a computer. You need then a client that read messages that are sent by Thymio. With aseba we already make different switches that combine this different transmission protocols. For example asebaswitch can combine several serial port and tcp connexion, asebamedulla do the same and adds dbus. with it you can have python programs that interact with Thymio. An example is here: https://www.thymio.org/en:asebamedulla

You can found example of client on our github site: https://github.com/aseba-community/aseba
An small explanation of the source tree is here: https://github.com/aseba-community/aseba/blob/master/readme.sourcetree.md

Another switch combine also http with asea message, it is probably what is more efficient for you. It is call asebahttp, or asebahttp2. For historic reason they are two and we are now refactoring them to make one single switch in aseba (http-refactor branch in our git). Client that use them is asebascratch and blockly.

Their is no straight forward friendly user program that you can take out of the box now, but what you want to do is feasible with some coding.

For your idea to use an "chip" that send trough wifi i think it is to complicated. How do you connect it to Thymio? How to power it , what protocol to use etc….

Don't hesitate then to share your creations!

Regards