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    Content by Mika Satomi and Hannah Perner-Wilson
    We support the Open Source Hardware movement. All our own designs published on this website are released under the Free Cultural Works definition
    The following institutions have funded our research and supported our work:

    Mika was a guest researcher at the Smart Textiles Design Lab, The Swedish School of Textiles

    Hannah is a former graduate student of the MIT Media Lab's High-Low Tech research group


    Hannah and Mika were both research fellows at the Distance Lab
    Communication

    Xbee Direct (Multiple Xbee – Xbee- comp)

    This post explores how to establish a communication between multiple xbee that are connected with sensors to one receiving Xbee that is connected with computer. Xbee 802.15.4 with chip antenna is used in this example.

    For reading the Xbee input, I am using XBee API Library for Processing from Rob Faludi and Dan Shiftman

    This example is applied to WIRELESS JOYSLIPPERS. For detail of the physical construction, please see the Wireless Joyslippers post.
     

    This example involves two Xbees sending sensor (pressure sensor) inputs to one Xbee that is connected to a computer with USB dongle.

    Here is how the AT command is setup for each Xbee.

    AT receiver sensor1 sensor2
    ID 1234 1234 1234
    MY 1 2 3
    DL - 1 1
    D0 - 2 2
    D1 - 2 2
    IR - 14 15
    IT - 2 2
    CE 1 (0) (0)
    BD 7 7 7
    NR - 3 3

    The Sender1 and Sender2 Xbee’s IR rate is different. This is because I experienced data colliding when the rate is set to same. With this current setup, the collusion problem is reduced, though, data is still a bit jumpy time to time and I need a better solution to avoid the data collusion. I will keep updated with coming improvements.

    Here is how the sensor Xbees are set up on breadboard. It is same as XBEE DIRECT (SENSOR-XBEE-COMP)
     
     

    JOYSLIPPERS have two pressure sensors on each slipper. We are using one Xbee on each slipper to wirelessly send sensor data to a computer via receiver Xbee connected with USB dongle. 

    Here is the processing sketch for receiving 4 sensor data from JOYSLIPPER, that is a simple modification of XbeeApiExample.

    insert video here

    3 Comments so far

    1. changhun lee on June 3rd, 2010

      Your document is really helpful to me.
      But I have trouble with connecting xbees.
      I want to connect like this.
      (sensor-xbee)~[communication]~(xbee: act as data bridge)~[communication]~(xbee-com)
      But I have trouble with xbee setting.
      Could you help me to setting the AT command?

    2. James on November 5th, 2011

      Your document is really helpful to me.
      But should the last AT command NR be RN (Random Delay Slot) instead?

    3. daniel puig on May 1st, 2013

      hi!
      regarding the IR rate, have you tried using prime numbers, like 11 and 13 or 17 and 19, if possible. even 13 and 15 might help. just an idea…

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