Arduino to Blender (010; 28.07.2009; arduino, blender)

Arduino to Blender 1.0 from MyInventions on Vimeo.

Required:

Blender 2.49a (http://www.blender.org/download/get-blender/)

Python 2.6.2 (http://www.python.org/download/releases/2.6.2/)

pywin32-214 (pywin32-214.win32-py2.6.exe; http://sourceforge.net/projects/pywin32/files/)

pySerial 2.4 (pyserial-2.4.win32.exe ; http://sourceforge.net/projects/pyserial/files/)

Pythona 2.6.2 is required for Blender 2.49a. Pywin32 library incerease Python options for Windows. PySerial library let us Serial communication.

Reciving informations from serial port in Blender.

import serial

serialport = serial.Serial('COM4', 9600)

for i in range(1, 20):
	x = serialport.read(size=1)
	y = ord(x)
	print "y=", y

else:
	serialport.close()

Put it in Blender Text Editor. Run this script with alt+p or menu Text/Run Python Script.

Download: SerialTest.blend

Edit Blender object with script.

Translate and rotate object with serial port:

import serial
import Blender

serialport = serial.Serial('COM4', 9600)
ob = Blender.Object.Get ('Cube')
Blender.Window.WaitCursor(1)

for i in range(1, 100):
	x = serialport.read(size=1)
	y = 0.01*ord(x)
	#print "y=", y
	ob.setLocation(0,2*y,2.55)
	ob.setEuler(0,0,y)
	ob.setSize(0.5+y,0.5+y,0.01+y)
	Blender.Redraw()
else:
	serialport.close()
	Blender.Window.WaitCursor(0)

Source: SerialEditObject.blend

30Hz data rate is good and maximum is 65Hz.

Serial communication in Blender Game Engine.

SerialBGE.py source:

import serial
import GameLogic
ser = serial.Serial('COM4', 9600)
contr = GameLogic.getCurrentController()
location=contr.actuators["loc"]
x = ser.read(size=1)
y = 0.010*(ord(x)-128)
print "y=", y
location.dLoc=[y,0,0]
contr.activate(location)
ser.close()

You could code Arduino to send max. 2Hz data - this script restart Arduino every time starts.

Communication with text-file.

1. Code Arduino with data rate 25Hz:

void setup()
{
  Serial.begin(9600);
}

void loop()
{
  Serial.print(analogRead(0)/4, BYTE);
  delay(40);
}

2. Generate text file dane.txt and python script dane.py:

import serial

port = serial.Serial('COM4', 9600)

for i in range(0, 10):
    dane=open('dane.txt', 'r+b')
    x = port.read(size=1)
    print x
    dane.write(x)
    dane.close()

port.close()

Test it.

3. Generate new Blender scene. For object put sensor Always, controller Python and actuator Motion. For sensor switch Pulse Mode - True Level Triggering with f:3. SerialBGE.py for controller:

import GameLogic

dane=open('dane.txt', 'rb')
x=dane.read()
dane.close()
print x

contr = GameLogic.getCurrentController()
location=contr.actuators["loc"]
y = 0.001*(ord(x)-128)
location.dLoc=[y,0,0]
contr.activate(location)

4. Put dane.txt, dane.py and Blender scene in common folder.

Source files: dane.py, SerialBGE2.blend

Think about sending data with high frequency (for example: using Com0com virtual serial port pair emulator) and sending more than 8bits characters.

Pythona for Blender2.49 documentation:
http://www.blender.org/documentation/249PythonDoc/

Pythona for Blender Game Engine2.49 documentation:
http://www.blender.org/documentation/249PythonDoc/GE/
http://www.tutorialsforblender3d.com/GameDoc/index_GameDoc.html

PySerial documentation:
http://pyserial.sourceforge.net/pyserial.html; http://pyserial.wiki.sourceforge.net/pySerial

Pywin32 site: http://python.net/crew/mhammond/win32/

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