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Help wanted for top secret project

Posted by Jordi Muñoz on January 2, 2011 at 5:00pm

Happy new year folks!

DIYdrones hardware development team needs some help, if you think you can contribute in something please PM, our requirements are:

-Any microcontroller capable to handle a little web server can be used.

-The hardware must have WiFi access (behave as an access point).

-The hardware must have SD card slot (where you can store html files).

-Must be cheap (< $100).

The system must be capable to read a HTML file stored on the SD card (including pictures) and create a web server accessible via WiFi (acting as an access point). When the user is connected to the Wifi device-must type any direction like "http://192.168.1.100" and be able to load the HTML files stored on the SD. Something similar to a home router.

The HTML files must be able to read/write to the IO, analog and UART pins of the same microcontroller....

What we need from you are suggestions of the right hardware, software contributions and connections to anybody capable to help us.

Anyone? ;-)

diydrones, help, store

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Comments

Tim Michals January 3, 2011 at 10:33am

I've been looking at this also, but GumStix, does not support AP mode that I could find. The only thing I found was the pandaboard with a new firmware load for the wlink 6.0 that handles up to six connections. One of my other ideas was use a USB Wifi and a beagle board or something simpler, but have not found a USB dongle that supports AP managed mode. ie www.pandaboard.org
Developer

Michael Smith January 3, 2011 at 10:11am

@Ravi the WiFly module is not a generic WiFi network device, it's a device endpoint.
@Matjaz the BlackWidow uses the ZeroG module; ZeroG were acquired by Microchip and supply of the modules has been under a cloud for a while now. Documentation also seems difficult to come by.
@Ryan the RB411A is definitely nifty; it could really use a few GPIOs though.
Developer

Jordi Muñoz January 3, 2011 at 9:55am

@lionel Gumstix may be the way to go, but is really expensive, maybe is because has a lot more than we need in terms of power.
3D Robotics

Chris Anderson January 3, 2011 at 9:36am

Netduino? 32-bit processor, dot.Net dev environment, Arduino-compatible pinouts.
http://www.sparkfun.com/products/10107
bGatti January 3, 2011 at 9:19am

I think @Matjaz has found the ideal form factor - at $59 - but its off stock and not necessarily Open Source.

The WIFI Module ($28) is a current design: http://www.microchip.com/wwwproducts/Devices.aspx?dDocName=en548014

But you'd do well to combine the Arduino-webserver stack linked by @Abshek

(replace the PIC with ATmel and keep the Arduino IDE theme, libs etc...)

Add some servo outs, and an IMU footprint, and you can control a quad from any smartphone...
Abishek Hariharan January 3, 2011 at 8:55am

huzzah !

http://hackaday.com/2010/07/01/arduino-webserver/
Ravi Gaddipati January 3, 2011 at 8:41am

any typical MCU with one of these:

http://www.sparkfun.com/products/10004

would work. XMOS is great if you dont need analog inputs, as you can configure any ports you need. the mBed dev platform has a built in webserver example, and SD control is easy. you could borrow from that.
Ryan Fraser January 3, 2011 at 6:59am

Take a look at Microtic, they make pretty generic hardware and a "Router Os" that's Linux. also fits your price point.
http://www.mikrotik.com/ Main Site
http://routerboard.com/pricelist.php?started_from_home=1 Hardware
passunca January 3, 2011 at 5:42am

try to talk with the guys at www.FON.com, they can help you for sure.
Dean Franks January 3, 2011 at 3:22am

Consider a PCEngines Alix card http://www.pcengines.ch/. A 2d2 with a mini-pci WiFi card runs around $130, which is a little more expensive than some of the other options, but unless you are going to purchase 100's or 1000's you will come out ahead owing to the ease of software installation and development. AMD Geode (x86) processor, CF card slot, 256MB of ram. Voyage Linux (linux.voyage.hk) provides a debian based platform that runs with a read-only filesystem, but uses standard ext2/3 fs do you can quickly flip to rw and use apt-get to install additional software. A 2d2 with a WiFi card runs at 3-5W, board requires 10-18v. They do not have an SD card slot, but there are 2 USB ports, and depending on what you are trying to do, you might be able to use the main CF card.

Dean