Applications for TROM

[LinuxGuy]

I have a project I have been wanting to do, but have not been sure exactly how to go about it. This project is a servo sequencer for robots, which could be used to design and build motion sequences to be added into the robot's motion control software. It could also be used to simulate the motions of the robot using such sequences, and I expect it to eventually contain a 3D rendering of the robot.

I am tired of closed source solutions and this is one reason I have stopped using any microcontroller module that required a closed software solution for programming. Until now, and before I connected with TinCanTools, I have been using microcontrollers from a company that has such a closed source environment for programming.

I believe this software would be a perfect application for TROM. I definitely am seeing where I could use TROM to make building this software much easier.

As soon as I get my hands on a Hammer-RDB board (or maybe two), I am putting one of them on my Lynxmotion BRAT (if I get two boards) and the other will go on W.A.L.T.E.R. (3DOF top deck, front mounted arm).

This is just an idea of mine I have wanted to persue for a very long time to create some good Open Source robotics tools. We need good software for robotics that is platform independent. I can see embedding Python (http://www.python.org) into this software also, as the main programming language for a robot, but others are always an option also. I'm also seeing that LUA (http://www.lua.org/) is gaining in popularity for control applications, and it is already used in software such as Girder (http://www.promixis.com/products.php?section=girder) and others.

8-Dale

[Matt]

This sounds awesome Dale. That's the whole idea of the TRS too, so that people like you can create these kind of tools you are talking about and not have to do all the plumbing work for months just to get to the good part. Sounds like your idea would fall somewhere in the IDE area on the chart I posted here (http://forums.trossenrobotics.com/showpost.php?p=8769&postcount=14)? Or maybe not a compete IDE, but a toolset that would kinda be between the top two levels.

[LinuxGuy]

This sounds awesome Dale.
Thanks, Matt. :happy:

That's the whole idea of the TRS too, so that people like you can create these kind of tools you are talking about and not have to do all the plumbing work for months just to get to the good part.
Yes, I know. That's why I am here now. :veryhappy::veryhappy: I get to help create the plumbing too, so I will have a very good knowledge of TROM at all levels by the time it's ready for prime time. :happy:

Sounds like your idea would fall somewhere in the IDE area on the chart I posted here (http://forums.trossenrobotics.com/showpost.php?p=8769&postcount=14)? Or maybe not a compete IDE, but a toolset that would kinda be between the top two levels.
Actually, it's much more than an IDE, because somehow I am going to manage to get code generated and output so it can actually be used on a robot of the type specified in the project. Yes, this is definitely going to be a toolset, and may end up being more than one program called by the main editor/IDE. It will be easier to break it up into editing, sequencing, simulation, control, and code generation sections.

I think my idea is pretty big, and I've never attempted such a huge software project before. It will include simulation, which is going to be a real feat for me if I can pull it off, as well as interactive control of the robot. I have much to learn before I can start something like this.

I'm hoping to be able to wrap (and/or modify to what I need) and existing IDE or editor to use for this. It's going to plug into TROM at more than one level, and will exercise a lot of what TROM will do.

This is my vision for this project. I've never even seen a hint of anything like this in Open Source, and the closest I have seen are all closed and proprietary solutions, and/or they are OS dependent. I can possibly start writing specifications for it as TROM progresses, and maybe even test both as things get done.

8-Dale