FTC App Networked Simulator

The Android App is adapted from the FTC SDK with small changes to the FTDI USB serial driver.

The goal of this project is to create a standalone app that will replace the USB connected Modern Robotics hardware (USB Motor Controller, Legacy Motor Controller, USB Servo Controller) with a networked connected computer. This computer will then run a simulation of the controllers and provide a 3d view of a simulated robot. To accomplish this, the FTDI USB to serial driver library file will be removed and replaced with a stub driver that implements the required calls. The old USB calls will then be rerouted to the computer using UDP packets.

Software Used

• Android Studio
  • Version: 1.2.1.1
• Eclipse
  • Version: Mars Release (4.5.0)
  • Need JavaFX; use http://efxclipse.bestsolution.at/install.html#all-in-one for pre-packaged install.
• V-Rep Pro EDU
  • Version: 3.2.1
  • Vendor: Coppelia Robotics
• Java JDK
  • Version: jdk1.8.0_45
• TCPView (Used to kill process holding port 6500 when pc java program doesn't release it. TODO: fix)
• Vendor: www.sysinternals.com

Getting Started

Download / Clone

Windows: Download Git for Windows from:

https://windows.github.com

and follow the remaining steps in the Git Shell.

Clone the repo using Git:

git clone https://github.com/HagertyRobotics/ftc_app_networked_simulator

Remember, please use the "onboard" branch as the master branch is still in flux.

What's included

In the repo you'll find the following directories and files.

File/Folder	Provides
Android/App	Android app cloned from the FTC Robot Controller (Android Studio)
PC/Java	PC side simulator. Connects phone to v-rep (Eclipse Project)
PC/V-rep	Coppelia Robotics V-rep simulator scene files.
LICENSE.md	Project license information.
README.md	Details for quickly understanding the project.

Build

• Use Android Studio to open existing project and point to Android/App.
  • Change PC_IP_ADDRESS define to your PC's address in file: FtcRobotController/src/main/java/com/ftdi.j2xx/D2xxManager.java
  • Compile and run the app
    • Setup the newly found legacy controller with two motors "motor_1" and "motor_2"
    • Save configuration
• Open PC Path editor and add following directory to PATH variable:
• C:\Program Files (x86)\V-REP3\V-REP_PRO_EDU\programming\remoteApiBindings\java\lib\64Bit
• Open V-Rep simulator and open scene file PC/V-rep/FTCRobot.ttt
• Open Eclipse and import PC/Java/RobotSimulator
  • Compile and Run RobotSimulator
    • Robot Simulator will listen on the socket selected in the GUI for incoming packets from the Phone and forward motor commands to the V-Rep simulator
    • Press the "Start Simulator" button to start the simulation.
• Open the Driver Control Station App on a 2nd Phone and start ether the TestOp or the TestTankOp commands.
  • The TestTankOp Mode requires a joystick connected with a OTG cable.
  • The TestOp will increment both motors in a loop. This will currently show the bug where the 2nd motor write will overwrite the first and the robot will drive in circles.