An Overview of Phidgets Low Cost USB Interfacing

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An Overview of Phidgets Low Cost USB Interfacing

• 7th Annual ACSE Conference York University
• November, 2005
• Peter Beens
• peter_at_acse.net

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Overview

• What is a Phidget?
• What is Needed?
• Phidget Interface Hardware
• Phidget Sensors
• Phidget Software
• Configuring for Java
• Your First Java Program
• Most Common Methods
• Online Resources
• Discussion

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What is a Phidget?

• Phidgets are an easy to use set of building
  blocks for low cost sensing and control from your
  PC. Using the Universal Serial Bus (USB) as the
  basis for all Phidgets, the complexity is managed
  behind an easy to use and robust Application
  Programming Interface (API). Applications can be
  developed quickly in Visual Basic, VBA (Microsoft
  Access and Excel), LabView, Java, Delphi, C and
  C.
• (from http//www.phidgets.com/)

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What is Needed?
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What is Needed?

• Computer w/ USB port
• Phidget Interface Boards
• Phidget Sensors (optional), with interface cables
• Phidget Interfacing Library (phidget.jar for
  Java)
• Phidget Web Service
• Your Program (Java, Delphi, C, C, VB, VBA,
  LabView)

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Phidget Interface Hardware
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PhidgetInterfaceKit 8/8/8

• 8 Analog Inputs
• 8 Digital Inputs
• 8 Digital Outputs
• 2 Port USB Hub
• 100

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PhidgetInterfaceKit 0/16/16

• 16 Digital Inputs
• 16 Digital Outputs
• 100

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PhidgetInterfaceKit 0/0/4

• 4 Relay outputs, rated at 250VAC, 10 Amps (or
  100VDC, 5 Amps).
• 60

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PhidgetCircularTouch

• Use your finger anywhere on this circular touch
  sensor. This device is an interface kit that will
  output one Analog channel and two Digital
  channels. The Analog value represents the
  position on the circle, one Digital value
  indicates touch, and the other Digital value
  indicates proximity.
• The CircularTouch plugs directly into the USB
  port of your PC and comes packaged with a custom
  6' USB Cable. The bottom of this board is
  completely flat and will work through up to 1/4"
  of glass.
• 60

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Phidget Sensors

• 19 Sensors are available

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15Amp Current Sensor

• Measure DC Current from -15 to 15 Amps. Includes
  60cm sensor cable.
• 21

13
50Amp Current Sensor

• Measure DC Current from -50 to 50 Amps. Includes
  60cm sensor cable.
• 65

14
Force Sensor

• Force Sensor, measures up to 3 kilograms. 60cm
  sensor cable included.
• 11

15
Humidity Sensor

• Measure Relative Humidity from 10 to 95.
  Includes 60cm sensor cable.
• 70

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IR Distance Sensor

• IR Distance Sensor is an adapter to interface the
  Sharp GP2D12 to the PhidgetInterfaceKit 8/8/8.
  The GP2D12 measures distances from 70 cm to 10 cm
  producing a voltage from 0 to 2.5V. This is
  interpreted as a sensor value of 0 to
  approximately 500 on the 8/8/8.
• 21

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IR Distance Sensor Kit

• IR Distance Sensor Kit interfaces the Sharp
  GP2D12 to the PhidgetInterfaceKit 8/8/8. The
  GP2D12 measures distances from 70 cm to 10 cm
  producing a voltage from 0 to 2.5V. This is
  interpreted as a sensor value of 0 to
  approximately 500 on the 8/8/8.
• 37

18
IR Reflective Sensor 5mm

• Based on the QRB1114 this sensor can detect an
  object at 5mm. It can be used to determine the
  difference between black (low reflective
  conditions) and white (high reflective
  conditions).
• 7

19
Light Sensor

• Light sensor, a standard Cadmium Sulfide (CdS)
  photocell resistance varies with light. Comes
  with 60cm sensor cable.
• 7

20
Magnetic Sensor

• Linear Hall Effect Sensor. This ratiometric
  Hall-effect sensor provides a voltage output that
  is proportional to the applied magnetic field.
  Includes 60cm sensor cable.
• 11

21
Mini Joy Stick Sensor

• Mini Joy Stick Sensor, Two axis joystick with
  momentary switch. Comes with 2 60cm cables.
• 25

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Motion Sensor

• Infrared motion sensor. 60cm sensor cable
  included.
• 45

23
Multi-turn Rotation Sensor

• This rotation sensor can be turned 10 full
  rotations. Includes 60cm sensor cable.
• 29

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Pressure Sensor

• Measure gas pressure from 20 to 250 kPa (2.9 to
  36.3 psi). Originally designed for the auto
  industry this silicon pressure sensor can be used
  in a variety of applications. Include 60cm sensor
  cable.
• 50

25
Rotation Sensor

• Rotation sensor 300 degrees. 60cm cable included.
  
• 7

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Slider

• 60mm Slider, this is a linear potentiometer
  (variable resistor). Comes with 60cm sensor
  cable.
• 11

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Temperature Sensor

• Temperature sensor with a range of -40 to 125
  degrees Celsius. 60cm sensor cable included.
• Based on the Microchip TC1047A, this board
  provides 0.2V to 3.4V DC signal.
• 11

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Touch Sensor

• Capacitive touch sensor, detects a touch through
  plastic, glass, paper. 60cm sensor cable
  included.
• 11

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Vibration Sensor

• Piezoelectric Vibration sensor. Comes with 60cm
  sensor cable.
• 11

30
Voltage Sensor

• Measure DC voltages from -30 to 30 Volts.
  Includes 60cm sensor cable.
• 21

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Phidget Software

• (Assumes Java operation)

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phidgets.jar

• Included in Phidgets Java Library
• Available from Beta Downloads Page

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Phidget.msi

• Installs libraries on your Windows 2000 or XP
  computer. This includes the COM Library, C API
  Library, .NET Library, and the PhidgetWebService.
• This is an installation script (.msi) to install
  the software. Not supported on Windows 98 or
  Windows emulators (although it may work).
• Available from Beta Downloads Page

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Examples.zip

• Optional
• A single zip file of all Windows examples found
  on this site. Examples are provided for the
  following languages VC, Visual Basic, VBA,
  VBScript for Internet Explorer, Java, Labview,
  Matlab, Delphi, Borland C
• Available from Beta Downloads Page

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Configuring for Java
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Configure for Java Step 1

• Copy phidgets.jar to suitable library folder
  (e.g. c\libs)

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Configure for Java Step 2

• Configure Java IDE to use this jar file

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Configure for Java Step 3

• Install Phidget Web Service (from PHIDGET.msi)

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Your First Java Program
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Step 1 Run the Phidget Web Service

• Syntaxphidgetwebservice ltpasswordgt v
  serial_number port
• where the password is always required and must be
  at least four characters, but the serial number
  and port are optional. (A serial number must be
  entered to specify a port.) The default port is
  5001 and the default serial number is 0. The v
  option makes the PhidgetWebServer verbose, where
  it prints information telling you what it is
  doing. This is useful for debugging.
• Default serial number is 0
• Default port is 5001
• My usage PhidgetWebService.exe pass v
• Best to run as batch file

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Step 2 Import Phidgets
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Step 3 Create Phidget Object
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Step 4 Do Something!
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Most Common Methods
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Analog Input

• GetSensorValue()

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Binary Input

• GetInputState ()
• True is 0V, or input shorted to ground
• False is 5V, or open input
• Yes, this is negative logic!

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Binary Output

• SetOutputState ()

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Online Resources
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Documentation

• JavaDocshttp//www.phidgets.com/documentation/Jav
  aDoc.zip
• Sensor Documentationhttp//www.phidgets.com/docum
  entation/Sensors.pdf
• Phidget Web Servicehttp//www.phidgets.com/docume
  ntation/PhidgetWebService.pdf

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Documentation (contd)

• PhidgetCircularTouchhttp//www.phidgets.com/docum
  entation/1016.pdf
• PhidgetInterfaceKit 0/0/4http//www.phidgets.com/
  documentation/1014.pdf
• PhidgetInterfaceKit 0/16/16http//www.phidgets.co
  m/documentation/1012.pdf
• PhidgetInterfaceKit 8/8/8http//www.phidgets.com/
  documentation/1013.pdf

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Other Links

• Phidgets Home Pagehttp//www.phidgets.com
• Phidgets USAhttp//www.phidgetsusa.com/
• Coding for Fun (.Net)http//msdn.microsoft.com/co
  ding4fun/someassemblyrequired/hotinhere/default.as
  px

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Other Links (contd)

• U. of Calgary Phidget Project Gallery
  http//grouplab.cpsc.ucalgary.ca/phidgets/
• U. of Calgary Phidgets Papers
  Projectshttp//grouplab.cpsc.ucalgary.ca/phidgets
  /gallery/index.html
• Phidget Forumshttp//www.phidgets.com/modules.php
  ?opmodloadnamePNphpBB2fileindex

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Discussion
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Some Observed Limitations

• Bandwidth
• Can only address one binary output at a time
  (i.e. no equivalent of the Turing command
  parallelput(n))1
• Can only read one binary input at a time (i.e. no
  equivalent of parallelget())1
• Doesnt work with Turing (yet?)
• Binary inputs are reversed from convention of 0V
  true, 5V high
• 1Can be remedied with a wrapper method

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How Phidgets can be Used

• Discussion

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Questions?