What can I use the Rootooth for?

[Mastiff]

Just so I don't make a complete a$$ of myself and have to spend the rest of my time here explaining it away (or "do a George W", as it's known here in Norway...) can I use the Roothooth adapter for simple commands, like "Clean", "Go to home base" (followed with "drive 6 feet straight forward, 4 to the left and 8 to the right, and start cleaning there") and so on? I want to do stuff with the Roomba I'm getting tomorrow, but unlike a lot of people (I have seen some insane stuff on YouTube...) I'm more interested in practical cleaning use, like telling it to start cleaning, stop cleaning and so on. So would the Rootooth be useful for that, or do I have to hope that I can get IR codes for such functions?

Thanks in advance!

[vic7767]

The commands that are contained in the SCI or ROI document can be sent using a PC Comm package, a USB bluetooth dongle and the Rootooth. Instead of sending IR commands you could send commands like Wakeup, Safemode, drive forward, turn left, turn right, turn on motors (vacuum, side brush, main brush) IRobot has not provided a new Open Interface document for the 5XX series so it is not know what may or may not work. Using the SCI Tester program my 535 will perform the drive commands but can't turn left. Have not tested the other commands yet.


There is a member of the Create forum that has written a program to control the Create. His name is Joe and he has posted lots of info on his website: http://irobotcreate.googlepages.com/

I downloaded that program and have started using it to talk to my 535 via Rootooth. Give it a spin it's entertaining.

[Mastiff]

Thanks! I haven't yet bought a Rootooh, I'm just looking at my different options. But I appreciate the enlightenment, getting me closer to a conclusion (now that sounded very scientific, didn't it? )

[debugger]

I'm more interested in practical cleaning use, like telling it to start cleaning, stop cleaning and so on.

I can confirm that you can do all this with the Rootooth and the SCI Tester program - one thing is it has to be in cleaning mode for you to send it into dock seeking mode, but that's not difficult to arrange.

One issue I've had with Rootooth, which means I don't use it at all, is range. If it's in my study/computer room then it's fine, if it's in any other room in the house then the bluetooth connection fails. I suspect that this is due to the cheap USB BlueTooth dongle I bought for the PC - but I've not been able to confirm if this is the case!

[Mastiff]

Thanks for the info! So you wanna sell that adapter to me for cheap, right?

[vic7767]

Mastiff, you can get a discount on the hacking goodies if you get them from Chris at www.roombaexchange.com

Also if you purchase class 1 bluetooth USB hardware it will work up to 100 meters between your PC and Rootooth.

[debugger]

Thanks for the info! So you wanna sell that adapter to me for cheap, right?

I could be convinced - only issue is it's in the UK and it might cost more than you'd want to ship it over to the US (I assume you are there?)

If still interested, drop me a PM.

[edit] Just re-read and realised you're in Norway, maybe not so unlikely then?

[vacuumboy98]

Hmmmm..You still have the Rootooth?