OpenSource Handheld Controller (E-go similar)

[torqueboards]

Here's the inspiration.
[youtube]wdJntNA05Ww[/youtube]

I'm not that familiar with arduino or electrical engineering concepts. I'll be getting some help on it though from a few people who are more experienced.

However, I think it would be a great project to learn more from.

It will first be a prototype unit and perhaps in the future build a custom pcb to make it smaller and or surface mount for even smaller and a 3d printed enclosure. Enclosure similar to the Evolve Longboard Remote on Thingiverse. http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:130972

Here are the current features which I am planning on implementing.

Hardware Features
- Slide or thumb wheel throttle. - I prefer thumb throttle by far. Although, I'm unsure on how to create a thumb throttle.
- Transmitter battery RGB LED indicator -
- Battery pack LED indicator -
- Receiver connection -
- Dead man switch button -
- Slow, Fast, Expert options - 10mph, 20mph, aggressive throttle.
- USB charging
- Lipo or AA Battery source -
- 2.4ghz

Software Features
- Configurable acceleration
- Configurable brakes
- Configurable drag brake
- Configurable drop connection action

Added features
- Ability to add front headlights, rear headlights upon braking and/or flashing otherwise.
- Ability to add

What other features would you guys be interested in? Anyone can help too. I'm not that experienced in this stuff.

Thumb Throttle

*Side Note - BadWolf - 3D Printed GT2B Transmitter Enclosure
http://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=67840&p=1027201#p1027195

 

[okp]

nice ! 3D enclosure for GT2B components would also be great! the GT2B is great, A DIY and a 3D printed enclosure to limit the existing components to their minimum would be great as we know that GT2B is reliable.

 

[torqueboards]

This post will list some of the prototype components purchased to try and get this working. A lot of my customers are definitely more DIY'ers than myself and the following were recommended to get started.

DevDuino AAA battery holder with nRF24L01+ Module - $16.99

Grove - Slide Potentiometer - $5.90

nRF24L01+Module - $2.90

I'll be updating this more once I do more research.

 

[torqueboards]

nice ! 3D enclosure for GT2B components would also be great! the GT2B is great, A DIY and a 3D printed enclosure to limit the existing components to their minimum would be great as we know that GT2B is reliable.

That's a good idea also. This open source setup does seem like it would cost a bit. However, it's still prototyped and not custom PCB.

I do have a GT2B with no receiver. I'll try and take it apart soon see if I can get a 3d drawing on it and we can put it on thingiverse. Can't beat the $20 + $10 Shipping GT2B.

Here's a breakdown on the GT2 controller. - https://diyelectriclongboard.wordpress.com/2013/09/16/gt2/

 

[Hightower]

Great Form! Is that a little arduino?

I'd love something small that i can easily slide into my pocket to free up my hands fast!

It would be nice to attach a basic LCD screen to display the boards battery and power levels in the palm of your hands.

Edit: answered my own question.

 

[akiraEC]

I see a possible issue with the sliding pot.
Will the trigger go back to zero when you release the pressure or will it stay at its position ?
Is this the behavior we want for a safe use ?

 

[Hightower]

I see a possible issue with the sliding pot.
Will the trigger go back to zero when you release the pressure or will it stay at its position ?
Is this the behavior we want for a safe use ?

That was a worry I had to, and offered the idea of a low tension spring to return the trim pot.

However, if you notice the pointer finger is pressing a kill switch, which may even be better.

You could set your max intended throttle, and just click the switch to engage/disengage the motor.

 

[Svenska]

DevDuino AAA battery holder with nRF24L01+ Module - $16.99

That is a great find! I didn't know that existed. That is wonderful for a custom controller.

Grove - Slide Potentiometer - $5.90

This needs a return spring of some sort. IMHO The demonstrated technique in the video, with the button, doesn't satisfy my expectations of awesome.
I'm a big advocate of not just saying that is not good but always presenting a better solution. I let myself down here. Googled a bit but can't find one. I know they exist!
Maybe somebody got better Google foo than me?

nRF24L01+Module - $2.90

Should plug straight into the VESC if I understand right what Vedder is doing there.

@tourqueboards
I'm happy to help with development, coding, electronics, design of a 3D printable case are in my scope. Let me know what you need.

EDIT:

I just see you say thumb wheel throttle.
Not a wheel, but cool and should feel similar:

https://www.sparkfun.com/products/9426

If you say thumb wheel throttle, are you thinking like mouse wheel but with spring return?

Like these:

http://www.res-rich.com/chproducts_com/www.chproducts.com/oem/switches_thumbwheel.html

http://www.ottoexcellence.com/products/htwm-hall-effect-mini-proportional-output-thumbwheel/

 

[Hightower]

I think the thumbwheel is definately a viable alternative to the trim pot or trigger style.

Especially it if mimicked the feel of a mouse scroll that we all know so well.

Maybe clicking the wheel gives you a boost, or sets cruise control.

While a kill switch, like in the video, could be on your pointer finger on the front of the device.

More ergo than in the video though. I could see myself getting a hand cramp holding that thing for long periods.

 

[okp]

nice ! 3D enclosure for GT2B components would also be great! the GT2B is great, A DIY and a 3D printed enclosure to limit the existing components to their minimum would be great as we know that GT2B is reliable.

That's a good idea also. This open source setup does seem like it would cost a bit. However, it's still prototyped and not custom PCB.

I do have a GT2B with no receiver. I'll try and take it apart soon see if I can get a 3d drawing on it and we can put it on thingiverse. Can't beat the $20 + $10 Shipping GT2B.

Here's a breakdown on the GT2 controller. - https://diyelectriclongboard.wordpress.com/2013/09/16/gt2/

great ! keep me in touch because I was also looking to design one but I don't have solid works yet and do have to learn (not from scratch, but that will take time)

 

[torqueboards]

Does anyone know if the E-go has a spring to bring the throttle back to neutral.

Anyone also have pictures of how a spring looks like on a POT to bring it back to neutral.

This was actually something I was looking into but couldn't find an answer.

I was also thinking of the thumb wheel as boosted has the same concept.

Current options for throttle control would be Slide Throttle, Thumb Throttle, Trigger Throttle and Joystick Throttle.

Thanks for the offer Svenska. I may take you up on that offer as I'm not to technical with arduino or electronics but it definitely seems like a great idea.

The thumbwheel also works good. Does the thumbwheel provide any spring back to neutral? I seen it but wasn't sure.

The controller I want to work as a standard RC controller it should plug into VESC and any other ESC.

I want something that has more options and features and easily changeable.

 

[craft211]

I know this is still theory at the moment, hope no one minds me adding my 2 cents. I dont have alot of experiance with electric boards but i do with electronics and some RC everything else.

Also, I haven't seen anyone mention braking. dont know if everyone uses it, but i've seen it mentioned a lot. anyone considered this?

from what i can tell there are a few things the remote will need to do to be successful, and people to want to use it over other options out there. ie. RC car remotes, nyko kama and the like. plus it will have to be easy enough for someone with basic experience with electronics to be able to follow instructions and assemble. not to mention the big thing of being able to customize it to a person specific build/needs.

I'm thinking it should have either a POT, slide wheel, or joystick, with the ability to slide both + and -, for acceleration and brake.
could be separated from each other but that will just complicate the setup and building it.
there could be a Brake button. but as a rider i want to be able to regulate the brake force between say 5% and 25% or whatever it is. I wouldn't want it to be a set say 7%. so that rules that out.
I've seen POTs, thumb wheels, and joysticks with self center. Ive yet to see a self return slide POT that would fit inside a comfortable handheld remote.
so it would probably have to be one of these.

A Dead man Switch to i kill the throttle if the control is let go for any reason. wouldn't be needed if we have a self zeroing throttle/brake control.

have a few add on buttons on it for secondary controls. cruise control, 2nd gear or non limited throttle. light controls, whatever a person could want really.

Personally i'd like it to also have a small LCD for telemetry information(bat power, speed, motor RPM, etc.) not really a priority. plus increases build cost a lot.

just my 2 cents.

Thanks

 

[Snowstorm]

Does anyone know if the E-go has a spring to bring the throttle back to neutral.

Anyone also have pictures of how a spring looks like on a POT to bring it back to neutral.

This was actually something I was looking into but couldn't find an answer.

I was also thinking of the thumb wheel as boosted has the same concept.

Current options for throttle control would be Slide Throttle, Thumb Throttle, Trigger Throttle and Joystick Throttle.

Thanks for the offer Svenska. I may take you up on that offer as I'm not to technical with arduino or electronics but it definitely seems like a great idea.

The thumbwheel also works good. Does the thumbwheel provide any spring back to neutral? I seen it but wasn't sure.

The controller I want to work as a standard RC controller it should plug into VESC and any other ESC.

I want something that has more options and features and easily changeable.

Yes, the E-go remote has a spring to bring the throttle back to neutral. The spring means that the board automatically starts to decelerate if you take your thumb off the throttle. Possibly safer and provides more feedback to the user, though not having a spring is also sort of an innate cruise control.

The best thing about the E-go remote though, is its form factor. Not only does it look sleek, it's compact, light and really solid.

An alternative arduino supported board you could look at would be the rfduino: https://www.sparkfun.com/categories/274
That devduino looks good though.

 

[agraham]

I like the boosted thumbwheel.
One thing I would change is I wish there was a three-position switch that would change the speed limiter: slow-cruise/fast-cruise/unlimited.
The natural position to hold the thumbwheel is at full lock, but sometimes you don't want to go that fast - and a custom board could of course be much faster than what a boosted is limited to and you would probably almost never want to ride around at full output.

 

[torqueboards]

Thanks craft211 - I do want a spring pot that will bring back to neutral and/or if you let off slowly it will adjust speed until neutral then brake.

Will add the following:
Cruise Control
3 Modes of Acceleration (Primary Setting)
Add LCD for Battery Power, Speed, Motor RPM.

Thanks guys for all your help.

 

[drmacgyver]

Maybe a modified thumb throttle? Never played with one in person, but they're cheap for experimentation and there's lots of kinds.

Any reason why slider/thumb over trigger/index?

 

[craft211]

hey guys, just ran accross this on BAJABOARD.com.au facebook. looks like a nice controler but basic. from what i can tell only throttle and brake.

 

[Hightower]

I really like that bajaboards design!

I'm not sold on that particular thumb switch design, but I can see more why they went with it.

I think i'd like the feel of a squeeze throttle more, although it's hard to say without them both in hand.

 

[vedder]

I like the form factor of the nunchuk, so I started making a replacement PCB for the nyko kama with an stm32f100 mcu and a nrf24l01+ smd rf transceiver module. This is the single-layer prototype that I etched myself:

it is impressive that a cheap laser printer an my home-made uv box are good enough to make so nice traces for the 0.5mm pitch mcu package.

The PCB fits right where the default PCB of the nyko kama is and it has a footprint for the thumb stick, so replacing it is easy. All the buttons are also connected and there are two LEDs where the red led used to be. I used 4 resistors to hard-code a 4-bit address that will match the ID of the VESC with the receiver. I will use the two LEDs to show the battery level reported by VESC.

Schematic:
http://home.vedder.se/public/chuk_test/NunchukRF.pdf

I also made a chibios-project for the microcontroller and implemented support for the nrf-module:
https://github.com/vedderb/nrf24l01plus_stm32f100_chibios

to make it reliable, I have implemented timeouts and check the state of the transmissions. Two modules have been connected to my server for a few days now and sent over a million packets to each other without anything freezing. A few timeouts have been caught. Since my example uses a send-thread and a receive-thread that share the module interface and rely on mutexes for locking the resource, this should catch most potential issues.

I hope to finish the implementation and test it this weekend. Since my nrf24l01+ driver is quite general for chibios, it should be easy to use the same code on VESC and connect a nrf tranceiver directly to it to communicate with my modded nyko kama.

If this works reliably and once I have time, I will design another PCB for the kama with a small oled display and more features. It would be nice to see some data on the display, like speed, distance travelled, battery level left, average power consumption etc.

 

[akiraEC]

Fantastic !
Where do you find the time to do all this !!
I am really impressed !

 

[torqueboards]

Haha nice job Ben.

I figured you were busy and was going to take a stab at it with my illiterate electrical experience.

Looks great! I guess, I'll end up just waiting for you to finish it up and test yours out.

Awesome work! The Wii Nunchuck is a great controller the connection issues have just been lacking.

Please keep us updated with the progress

 

[onloop]

This sounds realy cool... but im a little confused.... this board will fit inside the nyko kama? Replaces the existing circuit board?

So you are still using the buttons and the thumb stick that are standard in the kama device?

So you also need a custom RX for the vesc? Did you build one of them also? Or is it a standard part?

The year 2015 might be the year when DIY eboards officially overtake commercially available boards, not only in terms of the level of tech, features and performance we have available but maybe also asthetic.


- hub motors - check
- custom batteries - check
- custom ESC - check
- custom remote - basically check
- carbon deck - needs some work.

Exsiting times.

 

[sami]

impressive Vedder that is very cool. you lost me with all the specs but i like the way you approach it. your brain is doing good stuff!

 

[onloop]

It would be nice to see some data on the display, like speed, distance travelled, battery level left, average power consumption etc.

'nice' you say... id fly to your house and kiss you.

Because you are so awesome i have donated $100 to your paypal.

 

[agraham]

I like the form factor of the nunchuk, so I started making a replacement PCB for the nyko kama with an stm32f100 mcu and a nrf24l01+ smd rf transceiver module.

Do you think it could be made to work with the boosted remote?
http://shop.boostedboards.com/products/extra-remote
It has one trigger, one jog-wheel, one power button, a 5-led gauge, a connection led and a power led.

It's a bit pricey at $100 so maybe I should just get used to the nyko as it's so much cheaper, but I quite like it.