AgIO: autoconnect USB, sensor fusion, dual-heading w/o Arduino/ESP32

Projects
#1

List of new features:

My mouse connects to the PC automatically for more than 20 years now, but GPS, etc. in AgIO doesn’t. It’s an open source project, so let’s go!

In this short video you can see, how it is working in general. Sorry, poor qualitiy - driving, filming and speaking English was too much.

Also added is sensor fusion BNO085 (in RVC mode) and GPS and dual-heading GPS. Both don’t need any further Arduino board, etc!

My spoken explaination is quite poor, so let me say some words here:

  • 1st GPS is already connected and running in the beginning (would be detected automatically as well)
  • BNO085 with a simple USB-Serial (TTL)-cable is connected. Initial heading value is always 180° (in RVC mode, the BNO085 only does relative heading, but nevertheless absolute roll)
  • after driving some meters, the correction value is determinated; from that point on, it does a fusion between GPS and BNO (very likely not perfect right now)
  • after unplugging the BNO, a 2nd Ardusimple board is connected via USB
  • after a while, AgIO calculates the heading and roll

With this extensions, no additional hardware is needed for heading (dual or IMU). Only the readily available modules from Ardusimple and Adafruit, etc.

Link to AgIO.exe: HW_for_AgOpenGPS/central_unit_2.0/code at main · GormR/HW_for_AgOpenGPS · GitHub

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BNO085 or BNO080 IMU
Direct connection of a relay board: AgIO talks Modbus
Alternative to BNO085 or CMPS14 IMU
BNO085 in RVC mode isn't being seen/used
#2

interesting, I want to test, do you have an idea how to connect this BNO08X in RVC?

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#3

“PS0” must be connected to “VCC_3V3”. In your case, a solder joint on the jumper associated with PS0 will do that job.

It’s a 3.3V-only board, so be sure to use a Serial-USB-cable with 3.3V supply output. When using a simple cable like this, just daisy-chain a red LED in the supply line of the cable. Connection is like that:

“GND”: GND (often a black wire)
“SDA/MISO/TX”: RxD of cable (often a white wire)
“VCC_3V3”: supply like descibed above (often a red wire, mind the voltage!)

That’s all. After that, you can check the data flow with any terminal program like HTERM. Setting is 115200 baud, 8N1.

I don’t recomment cables based on CP2303 clones, because Win10 is causing trouble and don’t use CP2303 originals, because Prolific is the reason of that trouble. For the same reason, avoid FTDI cables. Suggestion: CH340-based cables like shown here with an Adafruit board (has an onboard voltage regulator):

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1 Like
#4

Just for better understanding, is there an additional software required in agIO Part?

#5

Finally it should be part of AgIO - I don’t want to fork it. I’m in contact with the main actors. I added a lot of new stuff, but of course, there will likely be some additional bugs, too. So, not easy to merge and feedback is welcome of course!

For the time being, here is the beta-AgIO.exe and the Ardusimple/F9P config file and here are the sources..

Both Ardusimple / F9P boards have the same config!

Dual-RTK should work out of the box - for BNO085, set the IMU baud rate to 115200 Baud.

2 Likes
#6

That looks great! Very simple! One more thing that would be nice in Agio, is another com port to send nmea (after roll has been corrected) back out to 3rd party monitor. Thank you for your work!

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#7

there is one problem: AgIO doesn’t know the level of the antenna above ground. So finally, AgOpenGPS would have to calculate that (or provide that value)

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#8

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Connection USB-Serial-Cable to BNO (RVC mode - mind the solder joint on PS0!)

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#9

I found that they can be regulated from 5v to 3.3v, what would the led be for? so that it consumes and lowers the voltage?

#10

Isn’t it this one?
grafik

Definitely 3.3V-only - there’s nothing on it but the BNO which is recommended for 2.4 … 3.6V.

#11

For 3.3 V output this USB to serial could be used (just an example) 3.3V-5V FTDI232R USB to TTL Serial Adapter - RobotShop

#12

no, that one fries your BNO, when connected directly! It has a fixed 5V power output acc. to what I can see on the webpage - just the TxD signal may be switched, which is unconnected here anyway.

But there are modules with regulators, e. g. this one.

#13

Yes right, I did not read carefully enough :flushed:

#14

How to connect a serial cable to a BNO085 IMU:

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Connection of USB-Serial-Cable to BNO085 in RVC mode: 1st pic shows USB cable supplying board with 5V, if there is a voltage regulator on it; 2nd pic shows the same cable w/o using the voltage regulator. The 1st is prefered for this Adafruit board, the 2nd is for all boards w/o voltage regulator. Supply voltage is about 3.05V in that case :+1:

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#15

I did a short test on the yard the other day, and it all seemed to work well!

1 Like
#16

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For those who prefer Ethernet connections: This is how to connect two Ardusimple to AgIO via an Ethernet cable. This module can connect two serial devices, in this case two Ardusimples @ 460800Bd to Windows.

Will also work for one Ardusimple and one BNO085 in RVC mode.

The red wire is the +5V supply - FIVE volt supply.

black: 0V
red: 5V
brown: 3.3V
green: to Ardusimple (NTRIP; RxD@AS, TxD@USR)
white: from Ardusimple (NMEA data; TxD@AS, RxD@USR)

(same colors used as above for the BNO085)

The connection to the Ardusimple board can also be made by the plugable Pixhawk connectors using 0V, 5V and the two communication lines. In that case, connecting the 3.3V line is not needed, but I would put a 100 Ohms resistor in series with the com lines.

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#17

Sorry, the link to the beta-AgIO and the Ardusimple - F9P config was wrong. This one is correct.

1 Like
#18

The BNO085 is difficult to buy these days, so it’s worth having a look at the Arduino Nano RP2040 Connect board with its integrated IMU I think.

A prototype implementation using this one for AgOpenGPS can be found in my Github repo. The IMU itself is as good the the Bosch sensor of the BNO, but there is no magnetic sensor and so a continuous calibration of the heading isn’t possible so far. A certain drift is remaining, but may be eliminated in combination with AgIO one day.

With the Python script, the sensor emulated an BNO085 in RVC mode being compatible with the AgIO mod described in these posts here.

youtube video

Edit: April, 3rd: No key (no soldering at all) needed any more when used with the enhanced AgIO.exe

2 Likes
Alternative to BNO085 or CMPS14 IMU
BNO085 or BNO080 IMU
#19

Neat stuff. I like the idea of utilizing the RP2040 and micropython. Very cool. Let us know how it works with AOG!

Even with Micropython, I bet the RP2040 is fast enough to take in NMEA and generate the PANDA sentence that AgIO already knows.

#20

it’s a dual core - so, yes, I wouldn’t expect preformance issues. One core can do the IMU, the other one the communications. But I don’t need PANDA, because I simply connect both to USB. The only advantage would be, that the NMEA can continuously calibrate the heading. Furthermore, the RP2040 has two xtra UARTS, so also dual is an option :smile: Wifi would be possible as well.

And it’s really another level of development - not the moldy Ardusimple IDE. It behaves like an USB stick and you can connect via debug wire alternatively. That’s really up-to-date now.