AntBot Robot Controller - Android App

Android application for controlling the AntBot tank robot via Bluetooth with FPV camera streaming capability.

Features

• Bluetooth Control - Connect to HC-05 module on robot
• Device Discovery - Automatic Bluetooth device scanning and pairing
• Motor Control - Forward, backward, left/right tank turns, stop
• Servo Control - Tilt camera/sensor mechanism
• Sensor Monitoring - Real-time ultrasonic distance readings
• Camera Streaming - FPV (First Person View) capability (planned)
• Experimentation Platform - Foundation for ML/RL experiments

Requirements

• Android 5.0 (API 21) or higher
• Bluetooth-enabled Android device
• HC-05 Bluetooth module on robot (paired)

Setup

1. Clone repository:

   git clone <repository-url>
   cd RobotController

2. Open in Android Studio:

   • File → Open → select RobotController directory
   • Sync Gradle files

3. Connect Android device:

   • Enable USB debugging (Settings → Developer Options)
   • Connect via USB
   • Allow USB debugging when prompted

4. Build and run:

   • Click Run (green triangle) or Shift+F10
   • App installs and launches on device

Usage

1. Power on robot - Ensure Arduino and HC-05 are powered
2. Launch app on Android device
3. Scan for devices - Tap "Scan for Bluetooth Devices"
4. Select HC-05 from list (may appear as "HC-05", "HC-06", or generic name)
5. Pair if needed - Enter PIN 1234 or 0000 if prompted
6. Tap device to connect
7. Control robot - Use Forward, Backward, Left, Right, Stop buttons

Communication Protocol

Bluetooth Serial (9600 baud):

Commands sent to Arduino:

• F<speed>\n - Forward (e.g., F200\n)
• B<speed>\n - Backward
• L<speed>\n - Turn left
• R<speed>\n - Turn right
• STOP\n - Stop motors
• S<angle>\n - Servo angle (e.g., S90\n)

Data received from Arduino:

• D:<distance> - Distance in inches (e.g., D:15)

Architecture

BluetoothManager.kt - Handles Bluetooth connection, device discovery, and serial communication

MainActivity.kt - UI and user interaction, sends commands and displays sensor data

Future Modules:

• Camera streaming (IP Webcam integration or custom implementation)
• Computer vision (TensorFlow Lite)
• Reinforcement learning agent integration
• Autonomous navigation modes

Project Structure

app/
├── src/
│   └── main/
│       ├── java/com/yourpackage/robotcontroller/
│       │   ├── MainActivity.kt
│       │   └── BluetoothManager.kt
│       ├── res/
│       │   └── layout/
│       │       └── activity_main.xml
│       └── AndroidManifest.xml
└── build.gradle

Permissions

Required permissions in AndroidManifest.xml:

• BLUETOOTH - Bluetooth communication
• BLUETOOTH_ADMIN - Bluetooth device discovery
• CAMERA - FPV streaming (future)
• INTERNET - Network streaming (future)
• ACCESS_NETWORK_STATE - Network status (future)

Development

Language: Kotlin

Minimum SDK: 21 (Android 5.0 Lollipop)

Target SDK: 34 (Android 14)

Dependencies:

• AndroidX AppCompat
• Material Design Components

Known Issues

• Some Android versions hide Bluetooth MAC addresses in settings
• Bluetooth connection may require app restart if pairing fails
• Background Bluetooth may disconnect on some devices (Android battery optimization)

Future Enhancements

• Camera preview and streaming to remote device
• On-device TensorFlow Lite inference
• Autonomous navigation modes
• Joystick control (replace discrete buttons)
• Sensor data visualization
• Recording and playback of control sequences
• RL agent integration

Companion Arduino Code

Arduino sketches for robot controller available in separate repository.

License

MIT License - See LICENSE file for details

Contributing

This is an experimentation platform. Feel free to fork and add your own features!