Interfacing Raspberry Pi 2B and MC-3024

[pablocamacho]

Hi, All.
I received a robot from University for a project: HITEC - ROBONOVA - I.
This robot comes with this motherboard: MC-3024, which has the following micro: Atmel ATMEGA128 8bit RISC.
The mentioned mother is able to control up to 24 servos (the robot comes with 16; but I need to add control to some kind of "hands" for the robot, with at least 2 more servos <at least, one servo for each hand>).
Also, I need to add vision to the robot and, accordingly, vision processing, using a Raspberry Pi 2B.
I have checked into Rasperry Pi shields and have found the Adafruit one: http://www.adafruit.com/product/2327.
As you know, this shield can provide the control of 16 servos simultaneously, without processing overhead for the Raspberry; just using only 2 pins.

My question:
- Can you advise me please if I can in some way interface the Raspberry Pi 2B and the MC-3024 boards (in "some" way, like you do with RPi and Adafruit), in such way that the main core would be the Raspberry one? I guess that this inferface should be some kind of both hardware and software. Note that I cannot just replace the MR-C3024 by the Adafruit because I need to control more than 16 servos at one time.

Every kind of help / suggestion would be welcome!
Thanks in advance!
PC

[DougieLawson]

Start here: http://davidbuckley.net/DB/RoboNova/Rob ... on%201.pdf

[pablocamacho]

Hi, DougieLawson, thanks for your answer.
I had already found that document browsing into Internet. However, I feel I need more information.
For instance, I wonder whether I can interface both motherboards using UART or, may be, you can suggest even a more easier way.
Thanks in advance!
PC

[DougieLawson]

I don't have the hardware. If I did I'd contact the guy who wrote that document, because he's probably an expert. So next place to go is http://davidbuckley.net/DB/Contact.htm you never know he may be a Raspberry Pi owner.

[hansotten]

Interesting robot!

The MC3024 seems to be designed to be controlled via a serial connection to a PC. So adding a servo board like the Adafruit type will lead you nowhere if you do not want to replace the MC3024 completely.

What I see in the adverts is:

Fully assembled Robonova-I with 16 Programmable High Perfomance HSR-8498HB Digital Robot Servos
IR Controller for "Real Time" Control
RoboBasic Software(Included in CD) for Easy Real Time Control
Detailed Manual and Information Packed CD-ROM
Carrying Case
Serial Interface Cable(For PC Program Interface)
SMPS Quick Charger and 1000mA NiMh Battery (6V)

Whats on the CD-ROM? Hopefully some info on how in detail, not only the software program executable.
Without this you are in a bit of reverse engineering of the manufacturers protocol.

Its either the RoboBasic language or the IR Remote control. The IR can be a way to get it controlled form the Raspberry Pi.

http://davidbuckley.net/DB/RoboNova/Rob ... -V1.50.pdf shows the HMI protocol, that may come in handy.

It does not look like a current product, so support will be lousy.The supportpage is gone: HITEC Robotics Home Page (http://www.hitecrobotics.com )

[pablocamacho]

Hi, Hansotten, thanks for your help!
I have received the robot for a project at University. I have to make it walk again and process images.
Even tough the info is not clear enough, it seems that the original motherboard has been damaged by some students. Of course, the box has no more neither CD-ROM nor manual.
The MR-C3024 and its replacement MR-C3000 are discontinued. May be, I can find one of them in some retailer (in case it is really damaged). I need to test it.
ROBONOVA I has not been manufactured by HITEC. I have contacted them and they told me that a Korean Company had manufactured the Robot for them.
I have also contacted the Korean Company and they told me: "If your robot is working now, it will stop working in a short time. There is a defect in the mother". So, they have released a FIX, MR-C3024FX, which is present in the new Robot version: ROBONOVA II - Metal Fighter" (http://minirobot.co.kr/general-education/?lang=en).
As per my Professor, this sentence "will stop working" is just a "marketing strategy". I do not know; I prefer to trust the manufacturer.
And, as this is an University Project, I cannot spend as much money as I would like to do...

So:
1. There are several options for MR-C3024 replacement in the market if I really need to replace it; not only MR-C3024FX.
2. Raspberry should be the main core (as 3024 is not just a shield, but has its own processor). RPi will also provide the OS, and the vision processing.
3. I hope I would be able to interface both motherboards. Thanks for mentioning IR. I have not noticed that before!
4. The HMI: depends on the CD-ROM... If I can find it somewhere...
I appreciate so much your help!
Any advice would be very much appreciate!
Thanks!
PC

[flodejr]

Hi I own the Robonova-I,

You do not need the CDROM for the HMI, the Hitec Servos are used in the default servo mode and not the serial mode.

The CDROM contains the Robobasic software which is used to program that controller board MR-C3204. Without that board, you won't need that software.

[captm300]

Hello, new here. I have a complete robot with the MC-3024. I need new batteries as they weren't stored properly. I also have the CD and remote. Looking to do something cool with this, even if I rebuild something entirely new. If I can't find a fun or useful project by summer, I'm willing to sell the whole thing (it's practically new, assembled once, and played with for about a month before it went back in its case). Any suggestions?

Thanks much!
M