Xbee Wireless Servo Control




Questions & Comments?

Is possible to make this servo control with this specs:

-servo controled with switch
-smaller circuit board
-receiver circuit board powered with 6.6v
-transmitter circuit board powered with 3v, 2032 button battery
-90º servo movement



The Xbee wireless modules have any type of interference or is a shield system?



Many thanks

Hi Taper,

What you described is definitely possible. That CR3032 might not last very long if you're using a XBee transmitter as they tend to soak up a decent amount of current. The XBee has a pretty small form factor and you can use advanced configurations to set it up to detect button presses instead of just transmitting 9600 BPS serial data.

The XBee modules have an interface you can communicate with, however for the most part they are designed to be transparent from the communication process and make the system act like you're just connecting wire-to-wire.

Here's my intro the XBee Article:
http://www.pyroelectro.com/tutorials/xbee_wireless_interface/

It'll take some research to understand how to use the XBee's properly, but without a doubt they can be used for the system you have described.

I was playing around with this project and was wondering if a few modifications can be made to this:

1. a second servo for a pan and tilt setup on separate trim pots
2. a push button to turn on an laser diode remotely

I am not very good with the programming aspect of this so i was hoping that someone with a little more knowledge on the subject could help me get a program for this written up, also i am using MP LAB X and running into multiple errors when trying to load up the existing program. Again any help would be greatly appreciated thank you.

Hi Chiver55,

That sounds like an interesting mini-project.

I have a simple 2 servo tilt and pan system for still cameras....so I'll write up an article on a XBee based pan and tilt system as you described and release it next week on thursday.

I'll build it specifically in MPLABX.

Can I buy 2 assembled units from you? I want to mount this on my Motor Home roof and on Sailboat as Mast Head Cam.

Hi Friendship37,

I don't actually sell the units, although I do describe how to make them:
http://www.pyroelectro.com/tutorials/xb ... ilt_servo/

Seems like selling them might be a good thing to start thinking about for me .

I was wondering if this project would work with the XBee series 2 modules? if not what can i do to get them to work with this project??

Hi Sheeks55,

You can use any version of the XBee, but you just have to double check that you are using a 9600 baud serial data rate with your modules to be compatible with the system I designed here.

As far as I know the XBee series 2 modules default to 9600 baud for the Din/Dout pins.

Hey,
Can we use AM or FM modules instead of xbee for transmitting and receiving signal?
Regards

Hi,

Strictly speaking, any type of RF modulated modules would work just fine as long as they can transmit and receive at the serial rate that you require (i.e. 9600 baud...or maybe faster or slower). Most modules will list their data rate specification.

One thing to note is that XBee is a packet based protocol which significantly lowers the rate of transmitting/receiving erroneous data. When transmitting raw data, you are far more prone to error if the transmission/reception isn't clear.

Hello,

Do PIC18F4520 and PIC18LF4520 have the same wiring connections? If No than any link for PIC18LF4520 pin diagram (Not PIC18F4520)
In schematics you wires connection different than from the PIC connection in datasheet (Pin diagram e.g. MCLR/VPP is on pin 2, RB7/PGD is on pin 44 etc…

Kind regards

Actually I have study the datasheet and made bit change in program now I have successful built the both circuit parts and they are working
many thanks that you have done your effort for new comers
Kinds regard

Hello,
sorry I am back again just want to ask you if I want to add another trigger what have to make changes?
regards

It might be tricky to add another trigger because the data scheme I used was 8-bits wide and most of that is reserved for servo information. You'd be better off making it so the entire data stream is 16 bits wide and re-designing how the transmitter-receiver deals with encoding/decoding the way the data is sent.

This was designed with only managing the two axis of servos in mind.