WiFi two way tutorial?

Assuming you use Linux, virtually any system with wireless internet access can do it out of the box.

There is an mpeg encoder (ffmpeg) that comes ith a server, thus you have streaming video. Most all Linux distributions come with Apache web server. Just make CGI scripts that control the robot.

See, easy.

Thought not laptop-based (that just makes it easier to do, actually), go here for a demonstration and backgrounder:

-- Gordon

The below newsgroup has a lot of wifi info. I assume you want the laptop to be the control interface and the mini-itx board will be in the robot. If you run something like win98 on the miniboard with the apache webserver, then web control and video would be pretty easy. The communication between the laptop and the mini board could be one to one in the adhoc mode, or you could use a wireless router in between for more flexability. The bottom link shows an example of simple web video and web control of servos.

alt.internet.wireless

As long as you have a Mini-ITX board (hopefully running Linux), you can run Tomcat for a web interface.

You can use a basic web cam (I'm using a Logitech Orbit) with the new pwc driver. Hint: do not try running a webcam through a USB hub -- connect it to one of the motherboard's ports instead.

As a base I'm using a Zagros Robotics 16" diameter base with a 12V 12 amp-hour battery for the motors and two 12 V 7 amp- hour batteries in series for the electronics (run the 24 V through a DC-DC converter to get 12 V). I get a 4-5 hour run time with these batteries.

My motherboard is a Pentium M board so it uses more power than the VIA Mini-ITX boards.

-- D. Jay Newman

Thanks to all who have replied, this is a lot better info than what I was getting with the search.

Now off to study!

I'm working on the same thing right now as the first phase of a goal i have in mind. I went the expensive route and I have a powerbook sitting on a VEX Robotic Set

Also, the powerbook is also for personal use, not just the robot.