Software For Robot Projects

 Helpful Software for Controlling, Programing and Building your Robot.

New! MeCon3 Multi Robot Control Software

See Whats New On The

Servo Commander Online web app uses P5.js Serial Control to make a GUI web page so you can control your servo robot from a web page! works with Mac OS & Windows browsers. Follow the link for more info.

MeCon Robotic Arm Servo Control Software

 MeCon for windows App includes sample Arduino code and wiring diagrams (look under the "Resources" menu) for controlling robot servo motors via your computers USB/com port.

 Allows real time manual control as well as record and play back motion path files.

 Arduino example code shows how to control servo positions via simple text commands to the microprocessors serial port (USB port).

 MeCon combined with our Robotio USB servo controller board allows for quick robot motion control without having to learn code and or build or breadboard additional electronic circuitry.

 Free community version allows control of 4 servo motors, great for ArmUno, Armio & MeArm robotic arms. Purchase a kit and receive a password to upgrade to the Pro version, allows control of 4,5 & 6 servo motor robots.

MeCon Ver 1.5 Notes:

New MeCon3 is now Available! see top of page.

Due to problems with Google Drive MeCon is now download-able from our Robot Shop site. This requires that you first put the software into a shopping cart and then checkout. there will be no charge and you will be sent a link to your email. Sorry for the inconvenience of this extra step.

 

MeCon Version 1.4

Incorporated all of previous dev releases. Added pause and rewind buttons for motion path playback. Edited some text and labels to improve usability. Disabled old "config" comport settings. Fixed missing line bug with looped playback option.

New Features in MeCon D_1.3

ROBOTIO NANO Controller wiring diagrams added.

Run motion path files from Arduino Memory (SRAM) with new Array sketch code generator, allows running motion file without being connected to MeCon on your computer.

New SRAM array example Arduino code.

New Features in MeCon D_1.21

Fixed Issue when deployed on Win10,( Comport Scan Error)

No longer use .zip compression to save confusion with extraction processes, directly executable .exe file now

download and place in your folder of choice, Example "C:\MeCon\MeConVerD_1.21.exe" Two additional servo control's. Can be used with robotic arms that have 4,5 or 6 servo motor's.

 

NOTE! All Arduino sketch code samples have bean tested on Robotio Nano and Arduino Nano & Uno compatible boards with ATmega328P processors. they should work on others but might need additional coding to deal with the specifics of that board and its processor. unless otherwise stated all sketch code information is in reference to these boards.

 

 

UPDATE! -

The New MeCon3 Pro Software Allows for More Precise Multi Bot Movement Synchronization. More Info at Top of Page.

SERVIO Servo Motion Control App for your Mac OS Computer & Robotio or Arduino Board.

 

Microbotlabs Servio Servo IO App

Compatible with MeCon code samples and also SERVO-MATIC auto code generator for Robotio and Arduino boards.

Servio in its first release is does not have all the features of the MeCon windows only servo control app but allows you to generate motion files for 4 servo robots such as the ArmUno, Armio and MeArm robotic arms.

 

Along with manual real time control it offers three record modes:

 

Record Position - position your robot servos to a desired position and click the Record button. this mode just records the end travel points and is therefor creates a very compact file size.

 

Record on Change - every increment of a servos slider value is recorded. can make for smoother arm movements and travel time to end points can be slowed down by increasing playback time.

 

Timed Record - Servo positions are recorded at timed intervals determined by the Play Speed slider. this allows replicating the manual positing of the robot including any pauses between movements.

 

Servio USB Servo Controller App for Mac OS

Servio release notes:

Servio was developed on an older mac pro running Mac OS "El Capitan". We would be happy to hear of any issues you in-counter with the software. please report issues  with the kit help email and include detail of the problem and your version of Mac OS.

The one issue that we are aware of is the possibility of receiving a "Unidentified Developer" message on attempting to run the app.

 

Download and Unzip the file in your desired directory and fallow these instructions to allow your Mac to run the Servio app.

 

 1- In the Finder, locate the app you want to open.

(Don’t use Launchpad to do this. Launchpad doesn’t allow you to access the shortcut menu.)

2- Press the Control key, then click the app icon.

3- Choose Open from the shortcut menu.

4- Click Open.

 

 

 

Arduino Programing Resources

Download Arduino IDE Software - Available for Windows, Mac & Linux The Arduino IDE (Integrated Development Environment) enables you to modify the robotic arm control example source code (copy and paste code from the MeCon resources window) or write your own code and then download it to your Robotio controller or other Arduino compatible micro-controller. Also - Basic Arduino IDE setup and use.  & Arduino IDE Built-In Code Examples Guide

 

Learn about Arduino Programing With this PDF Guide - Handy programing reference and basic structure and syntax for the Arduino Microcontroller C language.

 

Download Arduino Compatible Serial Port CH340/CH341 Drivers for Windows PC - If you are using one of the many Arduino compatible boards and on an older PC you may need to install this serial port driver to allow communication over its USB port. Should already be installed on Win8.1 and above.

Free Programing Language Resources for Making Robots & Other Things

This is a list of programs that have proven useful in creating communication & control GUI's (Graphical User Interfaces) for Mechatronics and computer programing in general.

 

Processing - Arduino like IDE & coding style, extensive documentation and tutorials, many programing language variants.

Available for Mac OS, Win OS, Linux OS & Raspberry Pi Computers. Also P5.js Java-script variant for making programs that will run in your computers web browser. Complements Arduino projects very well for its shear flexibility, coding style similarity and the variety of systems that can be programed with it. Get Processing

 

Python - Very popular and runs on many systems, has many tutorials & examples. Lends itself well to Arduino projects but I Personally struggle with its code syntax and thus not a big fan. Due to its popularity I'm obviously in the minority. Its often touted as "beginner coding friendly" so definitely give it a try. Get Python.

 

Lazarus Pascal IDE - Uses the Pascal Language, very similar to early Borland Delphi with nice drag and drop interface makes for fast GUI development. versions for Windows, Mac Os, Linux & Raspberry Pi. Serial port component is not included with the base install and can be difficult to find for your particular OS. Very capable and one of my favorite IDE's but might have to spend some time searching out tutorial, examples and getting familiar with its operation. Get Lazarus Pascal

 

CodeTyphon IDE - This is a version of the above Lazarus IDE Pascal Visual Programming Studio that includes a lot more components pre installed including some serial port components one of which works on Mac OS. This was used to develop our Servio servo IO control app for the Mac. Get CodeTyphon IDE

 

Delphi Starter Edition - Runs on windows only, free for non commercial use, makes Win32 apps only. Pascal language IDE includes serial port component for easy communications with Arduino micro-controllers. Drag and drop GUI form editor for fast windows development. This is a limited version of several very expensive versions that are much more capable (but not required for Arduino projects) and provide cross compile ability for Mac OS , IOS, Android, Win64 apps. Love the IDE (big pascal fan) but full version price is most likely a deal breaker to use it to its full potential. Get Delphi Starter.

 

B4J RAD - Visual Basic like language, runs on windows only but compiled java apps can run on Windows, Mac, Linux and ARM boards (such as Raspberry Pi). Includes visual form designer for making GUI apps. Very capable and great for Arduino projects especially if your a fan of the Visual Basic language. Part of a suit of development environments including B4R for coding Arduino in Visual Basic syntax, is also free. Paid versions for IOS & Android available. Get B4J RAD.

 

MIT App Inventor - Visual Blocks editor runs in web browser on Mac Os, Windows & Linux. Creates GUI apps for Android  and gives access to your devices Bluetooth radio for easy wireless control your Arduino via a Bluetooth serial hc-05 module. Opens up some cool possibility's of controlling your robot via a cell phone or tablet. Lots of tutorials but can still take some time to wrap your head around the graphical block syntax coding style. Get MIT App Inventor.

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