Brickpi-motors

(WIP) A alternative firmware for the BrickPi+ to improve motor functionality.

What it can / cannot

• You won't be able to use Lego sensors with this firmware. (Maybe I'll add them eventually)

• At the moment you won't be able to use more than 2 motors. (I'll add this feature probably very soon)

• I just provide a python library.

• This DOES NOT work on the BrickPi3

• The motors require less interaction between the BrickPi and the Raspberry Pi. You send the BrickPi a command (eg. speed on motor 1 to 100) and it will execute it until you send the next one.

Flashing the firmware

• Windows: There is no supported method and I won't change that.

• macOS: Install the avr toolchain and it should work. (I have not tested it yet)

• Linux:

  1. Install the avr toolchain and GNU Make
  2. Clone the Repo
  3. Change into the firmware/ directory
  4. If you are not using a USBtinyISP programmer open firmware/makefile and set $(PROGRAMMER) accordingly
  5. Connect your programmer to the ICSP port next to the GPIO Pins (You don't have to flash both chips b/c the firmware doesn't support that yet)
  6. Execute make. This should compile and flash the firmware

Install the python library on your Raspberry Pi

1. Install python3 setuptools

2. Clone the Repo

3. Change into the library/ directory

4. Install the library sudo python3 setup.py install

Usage

1. Import the library

    from BrickPiM import BrickPi
   

2. Initialise the BrickPI

    b = BrickPi(timeout=.1)
   

   • timeout: The time to wait for a reaction

3. Change the speed

    b.updateSpeed(motor, speed)
   

   • motor: MA = 0; MB = 1
   • Speed: any value between 0 and 255

4. Change the direction

    b.updateDirection(motor, direction)
   

   • motor: MA = 0; MB = 1
   • Direciton: 0 or 1

5. Rotate the selected motor by specified degree and stop b.moveSteps(motor, steps, interrupt=True)

   • motor: MA = 0; MB = 1
   • steps: Degree to rotate
   • interrupt: Specify whether to wait until the motor stops default = True

6. Close the connection and stop the motors b.stop()