*NEW* USB Input/Output Board -- Fusion Brain

[2k1Toaster]

Me and this damned *.dll

[turbocad6]

looks painful...

[addissimo]

Are you still working on servo control?

[greenman100]

Are you still working on servo control?

Yes, it's planned, but expect it to be a month or two.

[greenman100]

I am posting this here to benefit everyone.

I finally finished reading through all 42 pages of the forum thread on the Fusion Brain. I also went through your website, but I still have some questions, which I've listed below.

Here are my questions:

Hardware
• I have seen a lot of discussion on default states for the outputs, but what about using latching relays?
• Are the relays mechanical or solid-state?
• Are the inputs optoisolated?
• What is the maximum and recommended cable run between the FusionBrain and the relays?
• Can I run multiple FusionBrains on one computer? I know there were many postings on this subject in the forums, but I did not see what the final answer was.
• Can I run the FusionBrain through a USB hub? I know there were many postings on this subject in the forums, but I did not see what the final answer was.
• Someone mentioned a tilt sensor. I would also be interested in this.
• An ambient sound sensor would be cool, since my head unit does not adjust for this. I know I could probably figure out a way to get this info from my sound card, but a simple analog input would be a lot easier to work with.

Software
• Do you have an SDK available for the FusionBrain (as opposed to the SDK for PIC)?
• Where can I find the source code? Is it on SourceForge? I have seen a couple of individual C# files posted in the forums, but not a build-able solution.
• Is the configuration file in XML format?
• Have you run your code through FxCop?

Here are your answers:


Hardware:
• Latching relays can be used with the Fusion Brain, but we do not sell them. They must be operated by 12 volts and not draw more than 500mA.
• The supplied relays are mechanical, to save on cost.
• The maximum run is as long as you'd like. Theoretically, you could probably run about 100 feet, but I don't see why you would. It is certainly long enough for anywhere in a car.
• The inputs are not optoisolated, but the PIC (the processor and data acquisition module) is socketed and replaceable. We will sell these replacements at cost. They will be • about $12. We elected not to opto-isolate the inputs, to save on cost and board size. If one were to blow the opto-isolator, it would need replacement. since the PICs are relatively inexpensive, might as well just replace that, rather than an opto-isolator.
• Multiple Fusion Brains can be run on one computer. Be sure to specify different firmwares (1, 2, 3, or 4) when ordering. Then, in software you will tell it which firmware to talk to for a specific input, if that makes sense.
• Yes, you can run the Fusion Brain through a USB hub. As far as we can tell, the difficulties stemmed from a low-quality hub. We have had only had one report of issues, and they were remedied with a newer hub. The hub should be a USB 2.0 hub.
• A tilt sensor is in the works, should be shipping in early July.

None of these questions are stupid. We are working on writing up a FAQ.


Software:

• Source Code: The source code is only hosted on our server. Right now all the configuration screens are useless because we switched to a fully dynamically built solution. However all the calls to the files are still in there. I am currently working on either getting rid of them, or getting them to work with the dynamic files
• Configuration XML: No it is not. It is in plain text ASCII. The file extension is *.skin and will open right up in notepad. There are 5 sections to the files. Main, Digital Outs, Digital Ins, Analogue Ins, and Other. Only certain functions can go in certain places. In the test skin file all the possibilities are used in different places. If it is not in there, it is not yet fully supported. There will be a full writeup on how it works in the near future.
• FxCop: No I have not. I have never even heard of it. I am self taught to horrible university teacher taught. He believed in the "static methods are god's gift to the earth" approach which I personally disagree with fully. This led me to learn off example and in doing such I am sure I have developed some bad programming habits, or forms (such as I do not follow naming conventions such as lowerUpper), but my software works! I have programmed quite a few applications for clients as well and they work perfectly. If you see something in the code which is destructive, please let me know. Of course the entire software is open source, and you are free to completely re-write it if needed. As of now, it relies heavily on strign manipulations and parsing. I know this is extremely inefficient, but for a full run through of the code it takes 8mS on a slow computer. Our device can only update at 30mS intervals, so it doesn't seem like a problem. I am however aware that that is slow for a program of this limited complexity and am open to suggestions.



We are currently overhauling our website. We think you'll like it a lot.

[greenman100]

Here is a good comparison of our product to Phidgets/Velleman:

http://fusioncontrolcentre.com/Fusion%20Brain.htm

[turbocad6]

I like the way you have "skinnable open sorce software" as just another comparison checkbox, but to me that alone puts this in a league that makes the others totally incomperable.... the software/hardware package as a whole has nothing out there that could be cosidered competition to this, at any price

[2k1Toaster]

Here is a good comparison of our product to Phidgets/Velleman:

http://fusioncontrolcentre.com/Fusion%20Brain.htm

This link will be depreciated in a couple weeks.



Until then it will still work, but for people reading in the future, like more than 2 weeks from now, it will be cast away into a glorious pit of virtual nothingness. The new direct link will now be:

http://www.fusioncontrolcentre.com/F...isonTable.html

[2k1Toaster]

I like the way you have "skinnable open sorce software" as just another comparison checkbox, but to me that alone puts this in a league that makes the others totally incomperable.... the software/hardware package as a whole has nothing out there that could be cosidered competition to this, at any price

Thankyou!

I mean it. It feels good to have made something someone feels is worth something!

[Volsfan]

Hey guys, looking very good. I like the last couple of items in the comparison chart

Any updates on the ship date ETA?

Cant wait to start playing.

Thank you all for the hard work!