Integrating Space Navigator into a custom robot control box.

[kwchan]

I am interested in considering the Space Navigator as a user interface into an embedded VxWorks real-time application running within a robotic control unit. This seems to be a possibility for enabling resolved motion on our robotic arm.

Do you have suggestions on how the Navigator can be physically integrated into a control box (mounting points maybe)?

What are the tolerance specs of the Navigator (heat, max force on the unit, lifetime, etc)?

We would also need it to interface directly to a serial link in our electronics, which could be RS232 or RS422. Do you have a suggestion on how to do this? We don't have a USB interface in our setup.

Will your SDK work with the GNU compiler? If not, can you provide the protocol and packet structure for the Navigator?

Does the navigator simply stream the same packet over and over again, such that the packet contains the complete state of switch actuation? Or does it only send what changed?

Thank you.

[ngomes]

Hi kwchan,

We would also need it to interface directly to a serial link in our electronics, which could be RS232 or RS422.

This requirement could be a show-stopper.

Currently, our devices are only available as USB products. Although it is possible to easily purchase a USB-to-Serial adapter (USB on computer and serial on device), the other around is a lot more difficult.

We're not aware of any such adapters but, even if they exist, they are bound to be expensive.