Windows 8 tablets have many internal sensors that can be valuable for
robotic projects. Last month, we
showed how a free utility program
can provide access to these sensors
from almost any programming
language. The only requirements
are that the language can
communicate with the clipboard
and manipulate file names.
In this portion of our series,
we will examine two simple
examples that demonstrate how to
access the sensor data and utilize
it to control a robot. We’ll want to
mount the tablet on the robot
itself so that the sensor readings
are indicative of the robot’s current
orientation. Most of our projects
will certainly deal with this option.
The Tablet as
a Wheel
As mentioned, for our first
Last month, we explored the premise that a Windows 8 tablet has the
potential for being the ultimate robot controller. This month, we will
examine two applications to demonstrate how tablet sensors can be
integrated into a robotic project. The first project will make the tablet act as
a steering wheel so it can be used to drive a robot throughout its
environment. The second will use the tablet's compass to maintain the
robot's heading as it moves forward.
Windows 8 Tablets
By John Blankenship and Samuel Mishal Post comments on this article and find any
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www.servomagazine.com/index.php/magazine/
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68 SERVO 01.2014
Figure 1.
