Connecting to the Create robot

Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology -
Computer Science & Software Engineering

Overview

This assumes that you have a Bluetooth driver successfully installed and configured on your laptop.

• If not, see these instructions for installing Bluetooth.

Connecting to the iCreate (we'll do this in class, since it needs a robot)

If you are working in pairs, only ONE of you should do the following. (The other one can do it at the next session.)

1. Ensure the BAM is properly connected to the iCreate's cargo bay connector, and turn on the Create robot.
2. Make sure that your wireless is ON (and hence your Bluetooth is enabled).
3. For the Microsoft driver (pre-installed on the Fall 2009 laptops and newer):
   1. Find the Bluetooth icon in your Taskbar in the lower-right corner of your laptop display.
      • If you don't have one, open Bluetooth Devices in the Control Panel, choose the Options tab, and check "Show the Bluetooth icon in the notification area".
   2. Right-click the Bluetooth logo and choose Show Bluetooth Devices.
   3. Check "Add" or click "Add a device" and follow the directions in the wizard:
      1. You should see icons for all the robots in the room, each labeled "Element Serial".
      2. Right-click and choose properties on each, until you find one with the address that matches the label on the robot's BAM.
      3. In that properties window, rename it as the name of your robot, like "HanSolo1". (This will make finding it much easier in the future)
      4. Click Next and in the next screen, choose "Use the passkey found in the documentation" and enter 0000.
      5. Click Next, and it will discover the hardware.
      6. Take note of the outgoing Bluetooth COM port (write it down); you'll need it when you connect to the robot in Python.
4. For other laptops:
   1. Find the Bluetooth icon in your Taskbar in the lower-right corner of your laptop display.
      • If you don't have one, perhaps you need to first do these instructions for installing Bluetooth.
   2. Right-click the Bluetooth logo and choose Explore My Bluetooth Places.
   3. If you have previously made a shortcut to your robot's BAM, you'll see it in the My Bluetooth Places that you just opened. In that case, SKIP the next step.
   4. If you don't yet have a shortcut to your robot's BAM in My Bluetooth Places, make one as follows:
      1. Click "View devices in range", followed by "Search for devices in range", to refresh the list of available devices.
      2. "Element Serial" should appear. If you are doing this in a room full of robots, there will be many of them!  Each robot's BAM has a serial number printed on a label. Hover over each "Element Serial" shown until you find yours. Then right-click and select Explore.
      3. Right-click on the icon that appears and select Create Shortcut.
      4. Select My Bluetooth Places.
      5. Right-click on the icon that appears and select Rename. Name it your robot's name (e.g. HanSolo01) so that you can find it more easily in the future.
   5. Now that you have a shortcut to your robot's BAM, right-click on the icon and select Connect. You may be prompted to enter a passkey — if so, enter 0000. In about 30 seconds you should obtain a connection — the icon will change color and tell you that you have a connection, and it will show you the COM port. Take note of that COM Port (write it down); you'll need it when you connect to the robot in Python.
5. The iCreate should now be connected and ready for use.