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Easy Robot Control using .NET or Robotics Studio:
The Serializer WL Robot Controller provides a ready-to-use solution to interface the Microsoft™ .NET framework or Microsoft™ Robotics Studio to common robotic hardware.
Never before has it been this easy to interface DC motors, servos, analog sensors, I2C devices, single and quadrature encoders, switches/relays, and other devices to the .NET framework and/or Robotics Studio.
Of course, we had to go and make it even better...
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One controller, Five serial interfaces to choose from:
The new Serializer WL™ is the second generation of the Serializer. It has been updated to allow customers to use choose from five different serial interfaces (four are interchangeable). The pluggable interface modules include RS-232, USB, Bluetooth, or XBee/XBee Pro. The TTL serial port is built into the base Serializer board.
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| Serial Interface modules (click to enlarge)
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| Various Serializer Configurations (click to enlarge)
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Each serial interface module quickly plugs into the base Serializer board, and communication w/ the board can be established in less than a minute.
Having pluggable serial modules means you'll be able to swap the modules in/out, and you won't be stuck with a single interface. This is a great feature, especially if you plan on using the Serializer to control various projects in the future. NOTE: Only one serial interface can be used at a time with the Serializer WL™.
The Bluetooth and XBee/XBee Pro serial interfaces provide Wireless connectivity, making it extremely easy to communicate with the Serializer (and thus your robot) up to a distance of 50 feet (line of sight situations will yield longer distances, where communicating through dense/metal walls will yield shorter distances). Range does vary between Bluetooth, XBee, and XBee Pro technologies.
The Bluetooth module has a UFL antenna connector, to allow customers to connect a 1/4 Wave UFL Antenna for increased signal strength. Our UFL antenna also works on the XBee/XBee Pro modules with a UFL connector.
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UFL Antenna
(click to enlarge)
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The Serializer WL can be controlled by any device featuring a complimentary serial device on the other end (e.g. RS232-to-RS232, USB-to-USB, Bluetooth-to-Bluetooth, XBee-to-XBee). This could be a Personal Computer, a PDA, a Cell Phone, a PC104 board, a Single Board Computer, or a microcontroller.
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Simple Serial Protocol:
The Serializer utilizes a very simple control protocol to communicate serially to host devices. Any computer can communicate using this protocol.
However, to make developing applications that communicate with the Serializer faster, you can choose to use either our Serializer™ .NET library, or our Serializer Services for Robotics Studio. The Serializer .NET library and Serializer Services implement the communication protocol, and provide an easy to use interface.
The original Serializer™, and the Serializer WL™, share common firmware, thus the serial protocol is identical between the two models.
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Develop smarter applications, faster, with .NET or Microsoft™ Robotics Studio:
The Serializer was developed to allow developers to hit the ground running with their robotic application. Why waste time re-implementing bit-twiddling routines and interfacing hardware, when that time could be better spent developing a higher level (and smarter) application that allows your robot to do something meaningful?
The Serializer requires absolutely no low level programming whatsoever. Instead, developers simply take advantage of the free Serializer .NET library and Serializer Services (for Robotics Studio) to effortlessly query or control their hardware.
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Extensive Documentation:
We provide an extensive suite of documentation and source code examples for the Serializer. Our Serializer .NET library includes MSDN style documentation for the .NET interface, which also includes examples for all supported sensors and components.
Our Serializer Services are based on the Microsoft Robotics Studio framework, so developers can take advantage of the documentation included with Robotics Studio to learn how to use them.
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Serializer Library and Firmware Downloads:
XBee Connection HowTo Guide
XBee Connection HowTo Guide (1.1MB pdf)
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Serializer .NET Library Installer:
Release v1.2.5.0( msi installer) Release Notes - November 26, 2008
Serializer .NET Library Documentation (CHM file) 1.25MB - Updated March 16, 2008
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Serializer .NET Micro Framework Library:
NOTE: Requires the use of the SJJMicro EDKPlus Kit
Release v1.0.1.0 msi installer - August 15, 2008
Release v1.0.1.0 Visual Studio 2005 Solution (source code) - August 15, 2008
Documentation (CHM file) 473 Kb - Updated April 14, 2008
Documentation (HTML pages) - Updated April 15, 2008
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Serializer C++ Library: (** 0.3.0 Release - Works with WinCE! **)
Release v0.3.0 ( zipped Projects and source code ) 19.2MB - November 18, 2007
This release includes source code and binaries
Licensing Info: License.txt
This library was graciously written by James Y. Wilson (Microsoft MVP).
You can visit Jim's website at LearningCE.com
Extensive User Documentation is coming soon. There are also release notes, and an example test harness included in the project source to help you get started using the library.
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Serializer Firmware
See Serializer User's Guide for instructions for upgrading the firmware in the Serializer WL User's Guide
v1.5.2 ( zipped firmware ) March 3, 2008
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The Microsoft .NET Framework Developer Center contains very useful documentation, downloads, and tools for the .NET Framework. Go to the .NET Framework Developer Center to learn how to get started using the .NET Framework.
 
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Below are some great example C# applications for interfacing the Serializer using our .NET Serializer Library, and Visual Studio .NET 2005. We have more documentation coming very soon, as well as more applications!
Serializer C# Client / Server Application - .NET 2.0 Framework
This includes two Visual Studio 2005 .NET projects. One project is the Control Client GUI, and the other is the Server application. Both applications run under Windows XP, and use the full .NET 2.0 framework. Thus, the regular framework version of the SerializerLIB is used. The client/server applications communicate over a TCP/IP connection, which can be wired, or wireless. IP Addresses and ports are configurable within both applications.
Download: .NET 2.0 Framework Client/Server Application (zipped)
Download: GUI usage instructions (pdf)
Serializer C# Client / Server Application - .NET 2.0 Compact Framework
This includes two Visual Studio 2005 .NET projects. One project is the Control Client GUI, which runs on Windows XP, and the other is the Server application, which runs on a Windows CE device. Since the server runs on a Windows CE device, it uses the compact framework, thus it uses the Compact Framework version of the SerializerLIB. The client/server applications communicate over a TCP/IP connection, which can be wired, or wireless. IP Addresses and ports are configurable within both applications.
Download: .NET 2.0 Compact Framework Client/Server Application (zipped)
Download: GUI usage instructions (pdf)
Serializer C# Pocket PC / Bluetooth Application - .NET 2.0 Compact Framework
This includes one one Visual Studio 2005 .NET project. The application runs on a PocketPC, and communicates with the Serializer over a Bluetooth serial connection. The PocketPC (Dell Axim X50V) has a Bluetooth radio built in (which serves as the COM port for the application), and the Serializer has an A7Engineering EmbeddedBlue eb505 Bluetooth module connected to the TTL port. This will allow you to control your robot, hosting a Serializer, remotely via a PocketPC over Bluetooth. This application used the Compact Framework version of the SerializerLib.
You can also add this code to a regular Windows Forms Application, use the Full Framwork version of the SerializerLib, and run it under WindowsXP. The XP machine can use a USB Bluetooth radio, and you can then control your robot via your laptop or PC over bluetooth.
Download: PocketPC Bluetooth Application (zipped)
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Serializer Dimensions
Serializer™ Maximum Ratings
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DC Characteristics:
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| Symbol |
Characteristic/Device |
Min |
Typ† |
Max |
Units |
Conditions |
| VDD |
Supply Voltage |
7.5 |
9.6 |
12.0 |
V |
Using on-board H-bridge |
| VDD |
Supply Voltage |
6.5 |
9.6 |
12.0 |
V |
Using off-board H-bridge |
| IDD |
Supply Current |
----- |
100 |
200 |
mA |
Excluding H-bridge and servo current |
| IDD |
Supply Current |
----- |
100 |
2200 |
mA |
Excluding H-bridge current |
| IDD |
Supply Current |
----- |
100 |
10200 |
mA |
Including H-bridge and Servo current |
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Absolute Maximum Ratings †
Ambient temperature under bias: -55 to +125°C
Storage temperature: -65°C to +150°C
Voltage on any pin with respect to VSS: -0.3V to (VDD + 0.3V)
Voltage on VDD with respect to VSS: -0.3 to +7.5V
Total power dissipation on digital I/O pins: 1.0W
Maximum current out of VSS pin: 300 mA
Maximum current into VDD pin: 250 mA
Input clamp current, IIK (VI < 0 or="" VI="" > VDD): 20 mA
Output clamp current, IOK (VO < 0 or="" VO="" > VDD): 20 mA
Maximum output current sunk by any I/O: 25 mA
Maximum output current sourced by any I/O pin: 25 mA
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† NOTICE: Stresses above those listed under “Absolute Maximum Ratings” may cause permanent damage to the device. This is a stress rating only and functional operation of the device at those or any other conditions above those indicated in the operation listings of this specification is not implied. Exposure to maximum rating conditions for extended periods may affect device reliability.
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