Would it be possible/easy to use a Raspberry Pi 3 Model A+ instead of the Raspberry Pi Zero W? I guess I would only need to move the screw holes to accommodate for the size of the Pi 3, right?

Sorry if this has been discussed previously, I could not find any mention of the following three topics:

1. Video recording capabilities 

2. Mobile Hotspot (on-board plug-and-play internet source)

3. camera tilt actuator for panning the camera.

I saw this and I immediately thought....Police tossing this into a building prior to the swat team moving in. I work for a local government and would love to make one of these for our local police department. 

any advice is helpful!

1. It should be possible to record the stream from the Raspberry Pi itself: https://github.com/cncjs/cncjs/wiki/Setup-Guide:-Raspberry-Pi-%7C-MJPEG-Streamer-Install-&-Setup-&-FFMpeg-Recording

2. The Raspberry can run in AP mode, but this has to be configured first: https://howtoraspberrypi.com/create-a-wi-fi-hotspot-in-less-than-10-minutes-with-pi-raspberry/

3. You could use a cheap hobby servo to pan the camera. In the User interface you can add a second joystick. I was asked about this before and shared the code for it: https://hackaday.io/project/25092-zerobot-raspberry-pi-zero-fpv-robot/discussion-108786

Using the robot for the Police sound very cool, I wouldn't recommend throwing it though. :)

Hi Max 

 I have been reading and researching more of the code and understanding more of it however still unable to make it work with Sabertooth2x32. You mentioned changing two lines of code to make it work? I wondered if you would point them out? On another note would this work as well on Pi3?  my cats and dogs not sure what to think of the little Zerobot pro following them about the house. Thanks 

I just had a look at the sabertooth 2x32 manual and I have a solution: You can set the dip switches in a way that the S1/S2 analog inputs control the motor speed and A1/A2 control the direction. According to the manual you need to set the dip switches to "independent mode" and "single direction mode". Then you need to modify the code like this:

var Gpio = require('pigpio').Gpio,
  S1 = new Gpio(27, {mode: Gpio.OUTPUT}),
  A1 = new Gpio(17, {mode: Gpio.OUTPUT}),
  S2 = new Gpio( 4, {mode: Gpio.OUTPUT}),
  A2 = new Gpio(18, {mode: Gpio.OUTPUT});
  LED = new Gpio(22, {mode: Gpio.OUTPUT});

io.on('connection', function(socket){
  console.log('A user connected');
  
  socket.on('pos', function (msx, msy) {
    msx = Math.min(Math.max(parseInt(msx), -255), 255);
    msy = Math.min(Math.max(parseInt(msy), -255), 255);
    //S1 and S2 set the speed, A1 and A2 set the direction
    S1.pwmWrite(Math.abs(msx));
    if(msx > 0) A1.digitalWrite(1);
    else A1.digitalWrite(0);
      
    S2.pwmWrite(Math.abs(msy));
    if(msy > 0) A2.digitalWrite(1);
    else A2.digitalWrite(0);

  });

Here's why: Usually you would have four analog inputs on simple dual motor controllers. One for each direction of each motor. That's why in my original code spinning forward means "MA1 = 255, MA2 = 0" and backwards is "MA1 = 0, MA2 = 255". The sabertooth does not work like that. Instead the inputs can be configured so that S1 and S2 control the speed with analog PWM values and A1 and A2 control the direction. In the code the only change needed is to make sure the S1/S2 output is a positive value and A1/A2 is 0 or 1 depending on the direction.

You could also use the bidirectional mode where you don't need A1/A2 at all, so forward is "S1 = 255" and backward is "S1 = 0". The problem is that the motors only stop if the PWM value is exactly in the middle at "S1 = 127,5" or 2.5V which is difficult to archive. If the Raspberry is off that also means the motors might spin uncontrollably. So it's best to use the "single direction mode".

Can you teach me how to use a wifi module for this? I want to control it for up to 100 meters. And also I want to add a thermal camera module for it. I will also replace the default camera with toggle-able IR cut so that it will change when dark and a thermal camera as a backup.

very confused with flow of information on this page; LED's or no LED's, components tab list 6 items; other links show LED's

The Pro version uses LED's as headlights and few new addons

Thanks. I'm using this is a home school project for my thirteen-year-old daughter, so I gathered together all the data related to the vanilla version and put it in a folder.

where to buy

while I haven't seen this one for sale anywhere there are a number of small inexpensive tank like or car kits one could easily use for a base platform and could easily hold pi zero and batteries. 

I _soooo_ need to build this.  I'm adding it to my resolutions for 2019.  (Might as well make them fun, right?)

I have built and tested this for days and love the project! I do now have questions as I have a similar project currently using r/c receiver connected to my motor controller on a heavier model. Its currently configured to use PWM however I see in yours there are 4 inputs to the motor driver where I only need 2? Left and Right channel  Im not sure I understand the code fully but it appears only 2 wires are used? motor driver Im using is sabertooth 2x32

It looks like your motor driver is "smarter" and only needs one PWM input per motor. The driver I'm using has two separate inputs for rotating left or right. You would have to change two lines of code to make the Raspberry Pi work with the sabertooth driver. Is this what you are trying to do or are you going to use an RC receiver instead?

Hi thanks for the reply , I can currently use R/C on it and Yes I am trying only to modify this to work with sabertooth. I believe changes need to be made withing the following just not sure how:

var Gpio = require('pigpio').Gpio,
  A1 = new Gpio(27, {mode: Gpio.OUTPUT}),
  //A2 = new Gpio(17, {mode: Gpio.OUTPUT}),
  B1 = new Gpio( 4, {mode: Gpio.OUTPUT}),
  //B2 = new Gpio(18, {mode: Gpio.OUTPUT});
  LED = new Gpio(22, {mode: Gpio.OUTPUT});

app.get('/', function(req, res){
  res.sendfile('Touch.html');
  console.log('HTML sent to client');
});

child = exec("sudo bash start_stream.sh", function(error, stdout, stderr){});

//Whenever someone connects this gets executed
io.on('connection', function(socket){
  console.log('A user connected');
  
  socket.on('pos', function (msx, msy) {
    //console.log('X:' + msx + ' Y: ' + msy);
    //io.emit('posBack', msx, msy);

    msx = Math.min(Math.max(parseInt(msx), -255), 255);
    msy = Math.min(Math.max(parseInt(msy), -255), 255);

    if(msx > 0){
      A1.pwmWrite(msx);
     // A2.pwmWrite(0);
    } else {
     // A1.pwmWrite(0);
      A2.pwmWrite(Math.abs(msx));
    }

    if(msy > 0){
      B1.pwmWrite(msy);
     // B2.pwmWrite(0);
    } else {
     // B1.pwmWrite(0);
      B2.pwmWrite(Math.abs(msy));
    }

  });

Wondering if this would get it? may have to try and see

 Heyyy Max, thank for your sharing. I adapt your project on a lego, as i do not have a printer 3d. i open ports on router its very fun. The next step, makean inductive chargning station for run 24h/24 and modify web page to put the password http://www.instagram.com/p/BqUueMrnLPv/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=44scyx7mx4gd

Hello Max. Your project is really great! I embarked on its construction and I have an error message at the line: "sudo npm install pigpio".
Here it is: "npm WARN engine pigpio@1.1.4: wanted: {" node ":"> = 4.0.0 "} (current: {" node ":" 0.10.29 "," npm ":" 1.4.21 "})

could you help me ?
Thank you

Hi, is there a reason you are doing the manual install? There are fully finished and tested SD-card images that are very easy to use: https://hackaday.io/project/25092-zerobot-raspberry-pi-zero-fpv-robot/log/97988-the-new-zerobot-pro

Hi Max, thank you for your answer and for your work with this robot. In fact I am a total beginner in the field of Rpi and I wish, by this construction, to train me. Your explanations are very detailed and what gives me the information to learn ;-) I will still test the version "turnkey" because I can't wait to test the editing.
Thanks again

339/5000

Hello, a great project. My ZeroBot works wonderfully. However, I have no housing, but looks good too.
I control the ZeroBot on the way normally over the Browser. You just have to establish a VPN connection to the home router. Works wonderfully. Or only the camera stream on the port release of port 9000.

Hi !

Thanks for reply

A IP work, I have enter 192.168.1.2 in firefox and he propose to redirect me on port 3000 and interface function.

My camera don't have light is a link of my camera : https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwiB6MD80rfeAhVMXBoKHVPRBLMQjhx6BAgBEAM&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.kiwi-electronics.nl%2Fraspberry-pi-zero-w-camera-pack%3Flang%3Den&psig=AOvVaw3kSL9IcLrJKnI_35lHyb3k&ust=1541314734700685

This camera have a light to specific is in on, Do you thinks the problems is a wrong camera

Thanks for reply

You can try the usual camera beginner tutorials from the Pi foundation to see if your camera is functional. As yours seems to be a genuine Raspberry pi camera it must be compatible. The software on the SD card image was tested by many people so this can only be a hardware problem. Please make sure that the camera is correctly plugged in etc.

hi nice job so far ! Thanks a lot for this  :-) ... just finished mine a few hours ago. Thinking about some modifications. Adding a speaker and a mic for bidirectional communication.... or just a speaker to play R2-D2 sounds as well ;-)

controlling this is really hard because of a large amount of initial movement torque is needed. This causes spins after first move in case of wifi latency i think. 

Could you add a control option for keyboard cursor keys ? 

i had a look at app.js .. but i think i´m completly wrong 

So please, please, please :-) :-) :-) i`ve go a feature request : 

- Arrow/Cursor keys Support for movement

Great idea! It's done: You can download the updated touch.html file from here: https://github.com/CoretechR/ZeroBot

Just replace the existing file in the TouchUI folder on the Desktop.

It would be great if you could test it to see if it works.

Wow that was pretty fast  ... Thanks a lot !

just added the keyboard detection block to my Touch.html, because of i had already added some buttons for random R2-D2 Sounds and playing the Imperial March ;-)

it works great :-) in my opinion it´s much easier to control the Bot by the keyarrows. Now i can navigate just using the picture of the camera. Before it was quite difficult.

Thank you for the quick response and solution...really nice project :-)

You're welcome, thanks for the feedback. Be careful when copy/pasting the key control block into your file. I also moved the tankdrive portion of the code to the socket transmit function. Without this change the robot might not respond to short key presses.

I found the UI difficult too and replaced the original 1:48 motors with 1:90 gear reduced motors from Adafruit. https://www.adafruit.com/product/3802 . That helped,  and coupled with the new TouchUI file, it's very easy to control now . El Amu - Could you post a link to your modified TouchUI  file that has buttons for sounds? I think that would be a great mod for the robot.

Hello, I have installed a SD Card image but the video doesn't work, he say can't communicate with 192.168.1.2:9000, but the interface work like captor, sorry for my english I'm french student, do you know how fix problem?

Good day

It's realy a good project congrulation

Thanks! There are two possible reasons: 

- The wrong IP or port was entered. Try 192.168.1.2:3000 or just 192.168.1.2

- There is a Hardware problem. Is the camera properly connected and lights up?

Hi !

Thanks for reply

A IP work, I have enter 192.168.1.2 in firefox and he propose to redirect me on port 3000 and interface function.

My camera don't have light is a link of my camera : https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwiB6MD80rfeAhVMXBoKHVPRBLMQjhx6BAgBEAM&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.kiwi-electronics.nl%2Fraspberry-pi-zero-w-camera-pack%3Flang%3Den&psig=AOvVaw3kSL9IcLrJKnI_35lHyb3k&ust=1541314734700685

This camera have a light to specific is in on, Do you thinks the problems is a wrong camera?

Hi, really cool project. Does it have an option to control robot remotely (via internet)? Smartphone app might be a good option

You can open a port in your router to control the robot from anywhere. I have not tested this myself but it should work.

what gauge wire is used,  and do you have a cumulative parts list for the zerbot pro, i may have just missed it, but i think i got all the parts based off the schematic, 

can the way the motors are used be modified im planing on reusing a  rc car. and one motor controls right left and other is drive. this is the 2nd zerobot ill be doing

That's not too difficult to implement. Look for the tank function in the HTML file. You just have to replace that with regular car controls instead of tank controls.

Hello Max, I'm trying to replicate your excellent project, but when I try to move the joystick the motors do not move. There are no signals on the GPIO pins. The other options (video, telemetry, light) work fine. I used the latest image of the SD card - ZeroBotProWifi.img (06-14-2018). When manually installing on a clean Raspbian, the result is the same. This is not a hardware problem, when I use the old SD image - ZeroBotWifi.img (07-29-2017), motors work normally.

That is very odd. I just tested both the older version of the image and the latest one (ZeroBotProWifi.img from dropbox) and both work just fine. I am probing the motor pins on a Pi 3B with a multimeter and they show the correct voltages when I'm moving the joystick. I flashed the latest one twice to be sure. I can't access a Pi Zero right now, but there should be no difference.

I have not heard of anyone else having this exact problem. Maybe you can try the usual and download the image file again and use a different SD or Raspberry Pi to really rule out any hardware causes.

Hello Max, thanks for the answer. I reloaded the image, used a new SD and Raspberry pi 3 (the other Zero I do not have) the result is the same. There may be a problem on the browser side. When I tested the old SD image ZeroBotWifi, I watched the animation. When I clicked the mouse (or a finger on the touch screen) into the center of the joystick and moved it, the center ring moved behind the pointer. In new version (ZeroBotProWifi), the center of the joystick is highlighted, but it does not move. I tried  IE11, Chrome, Firefox, Chrome for Android. Maybe the browser requires additional settings?

Sorry, but I can't replicate this issue. For me the latest image works fine on a Raspberry Pi 3 with Android, iOS (Safari), Chrome and Edge. There are a few more things you can try: 

1. In Chrome on your PC: Press F12 and go to console. Check if there are any errors listed there. 

2. Access the Pi using VNC Viewer, open the console and enter: 

sudo killall node

cd Desktop/touchUI

sudo node app.js

Check if there are any errors.

Hi Max, Once again a huge gratitude for the help and the deepest apologies for the empty worry . I'm an old idiot, I did not understand. This is my mistake. I had to watch to the video more closely, to understand how this works.

Hello Max,

I love your ZeroBotpro, I'll try to make one.
I've already collected most of the components except 2.
- what is the reference of the LEDs used?
- what kind of electrical wires to take (diameter, strands...)

Thx !

The robot is designed for standard 5mm LEDs.

I don't have exact diameter values for the cables. Something between AWG 22 and 20 should be safe for the motors and battery connections. The logic connections for the Raspberry Pi can be very thin. You can look at the pictures from the inside of the robot to see what kind of wires I used.

Thanks for the answer Max, I start the construction as soon as I've received all the parts!

Great project, Max!  Can you provide a link to the small slider switch you used?  I've struggled to find one that fits the 3d print.  Thx!

Sorry, I couldn't find where I had ordered it. The measurements are 11.5 x 6 mm. Maybe you can get it from an electronics store.

thx!  So far I've only located a 11.5 x 4 mm @ http://www.te.com/usa-en/product-1437575-4.html  I'll keep looking :)