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I have no experience with embedded systems hardware and am looking to build a micro-budget underwater robot for exploring the bottom of a lake on the family homestead. I don't have much money to spend on this, but I want to run Debian Linux (I have lots of Linux Admin experience and am right at home with a terminal) or something like that on a small chip which needs to be able to:
- Connect to the control computer via ethernet.
- Get digital or analog data from a GPS module, pressure sensor, etc.
- Control a few thrusters.
- Do various other hardware IO functions.
- Possibly control a robotic arm (this is a long shot, I know).
- Hopefully monitor its internal temperature.
And costs less than about 100 dollars. I have no experience with embedded systems hardware so I really don't know what to buy or where to start, aside from the fact that I heard that this would be a good place for something ARM-related. I am a software developer with time to burn as far as writing the programs to support this goes.
The lake has an area of about 2 acres and is <25 feet at its deepest if this makes any difference.
3This is going to be harsh but, no way you can do this with $100. If you had embedded systems experience and not needed development hardware, you could maybe do it. If you do decide to go with it, ARM looks like a good place to start. There are powerful chips available which could control hardware with no major problems. Internal temperature is the easiest part of the whole process. Also, expect GPS to be at least $50 if you are going top build module yourself.Try looking for ARM development systems and check out their prices. If they are too expensive, try designing the rest of the robot first – AndrejaKo – 2010-07-05T23:39:50.477
The $100 dollar figure is a guideline for the processor and nothing else. I have tons of electronics components and materials lying around (plus enough cash to buy what I don't have), I just need a processor to tie them together. I knew that an accurate GPS would cost a great deal more than $50 (not to mention being technically infeasible for a number of reasons) and was really using it as an example for the type of thing I would be interfacing to. If it STILL can't be done for less than $100, I will just end up stretching. – marcusw – 2010-07-05T23:47:31.380
6When I first read your question title, for a moment I wondered if someone at BP had come to SuperUser for help ;-) – David Z – 2010-07-06T00:24:36.783
Good luck with the project; it would probably make a pretty interesting geek blog. But wow, you presented your question lacking pretty much every bit of relevant information. It would be good to edit it to more accurately represent your need. – msw – 2010-07-06T02:23:50.510
If you're into robotics, why not join the Robotics Proposal?
– Rocketmagnet – 2012-10-06T20:08:26.6771A raspberry pi might work here, and fit most of your needs. A few folk have built subs off it, and since it has both GPIO and USB slots, you should be able to interface things that way. There's a few interesting, lowish cost x86 boards in the works as well. – Journeyman Geek – 2014-01-22T02:53:56.470