DroidScript now supports the ODROID-C1 (Single Board Computer)

[Dave Smart]

Exciting news for all you hardware hackers, tinkerers and home console makers!  

We have built a special version of DroidScript to support the awesome ODROID-C1 single board computer.  This little SBC is more powerful than the new Raspberry-Pi-2 and it runs Android Kitkat right out of the box, comes with lots of accessories and its amazingly cheap too!

Here is some info about it:- 

    http://www.hardkernel.com/main/products/prdt_info.php?g_code=G141578608433&tab_idx=2

And here is my forum post explaining how to control external devices using the GPIO:- 

  http://forum.odroid.com/viewtopic.php?f=113&t=9020

There are endless possibilities with this little board, here are a few ideas for you:-

- Home brew game console and games (written with DroidScript)

- Robot controllers (with vision).

- Micro web server.

- Remote weather station.

- Security camera with remote access.

- Network Attached Storage solution.

- Portable micro PC.

- Car computer.

I'm currently helping some guys at the Cambridge (UK) Makespace with a crazy contraption which uses DroidScript and the ODROID-C1, so we are going to be adding more and more support for this great little platform, so why not get your hands on one and join the fun! 

Regards

David

[ja jaja]

Wow, that's cool. Is there any way to control the rn- control?http://www.shop.robotikhardware.de/shop/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=64&products_id=8

[ja jaja]

This is the Controller I'm using for my animatronic. It's great and it would be great to write scripts for it in DroidScript.
Regards,
Dirk

[ja jaja]

I can control 26 servomotors with a bundle wich I own. Would be amazing if I can write scripts for that.
Regards,
Dirk

[Dave Smart]

Hi Dirk,

It looks like you might be able to control that board via a USB to serial converter.  I think it will take RS232 commands but I'm not exactly sure.

You might be better off using the Espruino as this can definitely be controlled from DroidScript and has about 26 servo/pwm outputs and is smaller.

http://www.espruino.com/

Regards

David

[BOB RAPHTONE AFWATA]

Can you guys also support Arduino and Resberry pi also

cheers

bob

[sankarshan dudhate]

Hi BOB,
I think Arduino is already supported and Pi is currently work under progress(you might find more information about pi progress in some threads).

Regards,
Sankarshan

[Ricky]

Hi Dave,

I'm just wondering if DroidScript will support for SmartDrone development, currently, some coding is done in Android Studio, as we all know the difference. Since, this has been tested and working in ODROID-C1, so it's very much possible to include and expand its capabilities, as we look into the future of wireless communication, through remote flight simulations.

Best Regards,
Ricky

[Dave Smart]

Hi Ricky,

Yes, we are constantly working towards support for embedded devices, electronics interfacing and Robotics since this is a personal interest of mine :)

My son was commissioned with building a 'Smart Drone' using DroidScript about six months ago but he got distracted by all the shiny bits he could buy on ebay and converted the drone into a very impressive, but 'unsmart' FPV drone :(  Anyway I'm still hoping that he will complete the job as I am adding various functions and testing various embedded platforms (he won't be getting anymore sponsored projects from me until he finishes that job!).  My initial tests with Android based TV sticks for both robotics and drones are showing promise as these devices provide a very light, small and relatively cheap way to get a lot of processing power and you can often plugin USB cameras to them.

There is also some scope for creating a DS plugin for the 3DR radio telemetry kit since it seems to work with Android and is probably just USB serial cooms (anyone fancy creating a plugin for it?)

Also, for anyone interested in making a Mars Rover or UGV type devices, I have recently managed to get control of the 'MakeBlock Orion' controller board with DroidScript via OTG cable.  The MakeBlock starter robot kit makes a very good starting point for robot platforms and is surprisingly good quality in my opinion.  I'm planning to build a 'Big Track' type robot to start with (for those of you old enough to remember it) as I desperately wanted one of those as a kid but could not afford one.  Of course, my version will have vision and voice and ROV capabilities unlike the original version :)

I am also in the middle of creating a ODROID-C1 plugin based around the Wiring-Pi Java library, which should allow access to more of the available IO than is currently available.  If anyone would like to get early access to the MakeBlock or ODROID functionality then send me an email asking to be added to the private beta group and mention that you are interested embedded electronics.

Regards

David

[Charles Wilt]

There are several SoC development boards that now run android. I was able to read and write GPIO, read ADC, PWM, and read serial directly. Using SPI and I2c interfaces required me to write simple device drives in C that listened to local IP port for DS to read and write to. Those ramblings can be seen here.

After that I began using DS to control developer boards that used forms of BASIC. This was very simple to achieve as they offer a terminal like interface over USB comms with immediate execution. Successful tests with StickOS running on UBW32. My favorite for this is MMBASIC and it is still being worked on with added features. Recently I have been playing with control and programming of NodeMCU modules, also over USB comms.

The point I am trying to make is that there are many different ways to control hardware.

[Ricky]

Hi Dave,

This is great, we are all happy to hear this.

Looking forward....

Thanks and Regards,

Ricky

[Ricky]

Hi Charles,

Very nice work out there, really invaluable resource.

Thank you very much.

Regards,

Ricky

[Charles Wilt]

Thanks Ricky.

I am now having fun with espruino and DS. At some point I may start a blog about that. For now I am trying to find the limits of what is possible with this combination.

[Dave Smart]

Hi Guys,

I've just discovered that you can get 4 port OTG cables on ebay... I'm going to order one and see if we can support multiple USB serial devices :)

[Charles Wilt]

Why not just use OTG cable to usb hub?

I like where you are headed with this. Please keep me posted.

[Cody Groshko]

Seems to be some growing interest in the Pi-Android-Arduino. I've found the best (IMO) way for DroidScript to the pi is with the TCP server if your running linux on the PI. DroidScript works really good with arduino using OTG (no bluetooth for my duino yet). Then there's the option to run lollipop on the Pi 2 (DroidScript runs awesome). One of the projects im working on is a Pi running lollipop with a gsm modem, controlling a mega 2560 thru OTG which then controlls 2 brushless motors, 5 servos, 2 thermistors(internal/external), 3 6 axis gyroscopes, 1 magnetometer, 2 barometric sensors , and a tiny little wind sensor(which is more or less just wasted space as its more or less useless on an aerial UAV, i was hoping for a small scale weather detection to avoid major crashes). Which i then control and monitor all of the above from either a DroidScript app running on my tablet or another Pi( Depends where i am and what im doing).

[Cody Groshko]

I cant figure out how to edit posts, I just read you were working on a wiring-pi plugin ? I'd be interested in that since my lollipop pi should hypothetically wok with it to ? or is the odroid library modified from the original wiring pi ? im also assuming your using Pi4J ?

[Dave Smart]

Hi Cody,

I'm interested in the Lollipop Pi that you have:-

- What distro are you using for it?

- Is it stable?

- How fast does it boot?

- Have you tried accessing the GPIOs using file writes/reads?

The WiringPi library I am working on was originally converted from Pi to ODROID-C1 by the odroid guys.  I don't know if it will work on a Pi running Android or not... I guess we will find out :)

The Pi4J library looks interesting... do you (or anyone else) fancy creating a DroidScript plugin with it?

Also.... the Orange Pi looks very interesting since it is faster than the Pi2 and only $15

Regards

David

[Cody Groshko]

Its a custom distro google RaspAnd and itll show up. I wouldnt say it runs amazing but it definitaly beat the cyanogen mod on the first pi.

[Dave Smart]

Hi Guys,

If anyone is interested... I just got multiple serial USB devices working with DroidScript through an OTG hub :)

I have an Espruino classic + Espruino Pico running at the same time off one phone.

(Let me know if you want an alpha version of DS to play with this functionality)

Regards

David

[Charles Wilt]

You know I want it. Plus sample code if you got it.

[Tony - DS Premium User, Join you too]

Hi, I just placed an order on ODROID-XU4 with Android 5.0 Lollipop. I hope this device also work with Droidscript 

[Dave Smart]

I hope so too.  I can't see any reason why it won't work as I've been using the ODROID-C1 in an embedded project all day twice week for months with no problems and the XU4  is probably not too different.

There might be an issue with the orientation if they have renamed the device as we have a piece of code in the DroidScript editor like this:-

    model = app.GetModel();

    if( model.indexOf("ODROID") > -1 ) { 

app.SetOrientation( "Landscape" );

isSBC = true;

}

We can easily fix that of course.  

I must say, that once you setup DroidScript to auto-start at boot, it is really convenient for working on embedded projects with multiple android devices connected via WiFi (even when headless). I'm working on a system with 5 Android devices running simultaneously communicating via WebSockets (2 tablets, 1 phone, 1 TVStick and 1 ODROID-C1), they all startup DS automatically when powered up and run a DS app and connect to each other via WebSockets. I can then sit on the other side of the room startup google chrome on my laptop and connect to each device on a separate tab of my browser (running the Wifi editor) chop and change code and see the debug output of each device too :)

Please let us know how it goes with your XU4 

Regards

David

[Tony - DS Premium User, Join you too]

Thanks David, sounds great so far.

I will use it as a car computer that will be running 24/7 and be connected thru VPN to my home network with a Dovado Tiny AC plus a dedicated backup battery.

[Tinine]

Wow, been awhile since the last post.

Is the Odroid still supported? I am also interested in Having Android talk to embedded controllers. What's the latest?

Regards,

Craig

[Dave]

I recommend the Orange Pi Lite 2 these days as it's more powerful and relatively cheap.

http://www.orangepi.org/Orange%20Pi%20Lite%202/

Be aware that no light come on when you first power it up... which makes you think it's broken.  However when you put the correct Android image on the sdcard and boot it up the lights will come and it will come alive.

The other one I recommend is the Rock Pi 4 which is more powerful but also more expensive.

https://wiki.radxa.com/Rockpi4