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  4. Intergrating VL53L1x Range Finder with VOXL2

Intergrating VL53L1x Range Finder with VOXL2

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  • Jetson NanoJ Jetson Nano

    @modaltb I tried detecting in all i2c bus, 0 to 5, it wasn't detected, I got three devices in 4, but it was UU and I think it is the cameras.

    Jetson NanoJ Offline
    Jetson NanoJ Offline
    Jetson Nano
    Veteran
    wrote on last edited by
    #10

    @modaltb

    70308483-ccc3-4068-b59f-bc44b2608a01-image.png
    cf541698-4c24-4180-aad6-79d543f3c9c3-image.png

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    • modaltbM Offline
      modaltbM Offline
      modaltb
      ModalAI Team
      wrote on last edited by
      #11

      Hi @Jetson-Nano

      OK we'd expect something on the bus like this:

      b67f6f17-672e-4d9e-94a7-6dc803bd8e97-image.png

      Can you describe your wiring setup?

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      • Jetson NanoJ Offline
        Jetson NanoJ Offline
        Jetson Nano
        Veteran
        wrote on last edited by
        #12

        This is the wiring diagram of the sensor with the USB Expansion Board.
        Screenshot 2024-07-26 at 3.52.05 PM.png

        Jetson NanoJ 1 Reply Last reply
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        • Jetson NanoJ Jetson Nano

          This is the wiring diagram of the sensor with the USB Expansion Board.
          Screenshot 2024-07-26 at 3.52.05 PM.png

          Jetson NanoJ Offline
          Jetson NanoJ Offline
          Jetson Nano
          Veteran
          wrote on last edited by
          #13

          @modaltb Is there any specific SDK we could check for the working of Range-Finder with?

          modaltbM 1 Reply Last reply
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          • Jetson NanoJ Jetson Nano

            @modaltb Is there any specific SDK we could check for the working of Range-Finder with?

            modaltbM Offline
            modaltbM Offline
            modaltb
            ModalAI Team
            wrote on last edited by
            #14

            @Jetson-Nano are you using our M0070 board like this? https://docs.modalai.com/rangefinders/#single-rangefinder-using-m0141-expansion-board

            Or custom? If custom check pin 5, which on our M0070 board is pulled up to 3.3VDC.

            5639b8e2-b569-4c3e-934e-6ab3816e4ab5-image.png

            Jetson NanoJ 1 Reply Last reply
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            • modaltbM modaltb

              @Jetson-Nano are you using our M0070 board like this? https://docs.modalai.com/rangefinders/#single-rangefinder-using-m0141-expansion-board

              Or custom? If custom check pin 5, which on our M0070 board is pulled up to 3.3VDC.

              5639b8e2-b569-4c3e-934e-6ab3816e4ab5-image.png

              Jetson NanoJ Offline
              Jetson NanoJ Offline
              Jetson Nano
              Veteran
              wrote on last edited by
              #15

              @modaltb I'm using M0141 expansion board.

              modaltbM 1 Reply Last reply
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              • Jetson NanoJ Jetson Nano

                @modaltb I'm using M0141 expansion board.

                modaltbM Offline
                modaltbM Offline
                modaltb
                ModalAI Team
                wrote on last edited by
                #16

                @Jetson-Nano what is the VL53L1X on?

                Jetson NanoJ 1 Reply Last reply
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                • modaltbM modaltb

                  @Jetson-Nano what is the VL53L1X on?

                  Jetson NanoJ Offline
                  Jetson NanoJ Offline
                  Jetson Nano
                  Veteran
                  wrote on last edited by Jetson Nano
                  #17

                  @modaltb is connected on J5 port of M0141.

                  modaltbM 1 Reply Last reply
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                  • Jetson NanoJ Jetson Nano

                    @modaltb is connected on J5 port of M0141.

                    modaltbM Offline
                    modaltbM Offline
                    modaltb
                    ModalAI Team
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #18

                    @Jetson-Nano can you take a picture? for example, we make a M0070 board that has this sensor on it. Are you making your own carrier board for the sensor?

                    0b5bffdb-4c2d-495a-96db-d42e6dd0c8cb-image.png

                    Jetson NanoJ 1 Reply Last reply
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                    • modaltbM modaltb

                      @Jetson-Nano can you take a picture? for example, we make a M0070 board that has this sensor on it. Are you making your own carrier board for the sensor?

                      0b5bffdb-4c2d-495a-96db-d42e6dd0c8cb-image.png

                      Jetson NanoJ Offline
                      Jetson NanoJ Offline
                      Jetson Nano
                      Veteran
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #19

                      @modaltb This is our setup,

                      IMG_3702.jpg
                      IMG_3703.jpg
                      IMG_3701.jpg

                      VinnyV 1 Reply Last reply
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                      • Jetson NanoJ Jetson Nano

                        @modaltb This is our setup,

                        IMG_3702.jpg
                        IMG_3703.jpg
                        IMG_3701.jpg

                        VinnyV Offline
                        VinnyV Offline
                        Vinny
                        ModalAI Team
                        wrote on last edited by Vinny
                        #20

                        HI @Jetson-Nano
                        We have not seen that module before.
                        Is there a product link you can share so we can investigate for voltage and signal compatibility?

                        Thanks!

                        Jetson NanoJ 1 Reply Last reply
                        0
                        • VinnyV Vinny

                          HI @Jetson-Nano
                          We have not seen that module before.
                          Is there a product link you can share so we can investigate for voltage and signal compatibility?

                          Thanks!

                          Jetson NanoJ Offline
                          Jetson NanoJ Offline
                          Jetson Nano
                          Veteran
                          wrote on last edited by
                          #21

                          @Vinny @modaltb Here is the link of the product

                          Just a moment...

                          favicon

                          (www.ktron.in)

                          Thanks!

                          VinnyV 1 Reply Last reply
                          0
                          • Jetson NanoJ Jetson Nano

                            @Vinny @modaltb Here is the link of the product

                            Just a moment...

                            favicon

                            (www.ktron.in)

                            Thanks!

                            VinnyV Offline
                            VinnyV Offline
                            Vinny
                            ModalAI Team
                            wrote on last edited by
                            #22

                            Thanks @Jetson-Nano
                            Can you help us find schematics?
                            I do not know what these parts are doing and could be leading to some of your issues...
                            c8740441-8344-4eda-b26d-9762e267bcf4-image.png
                            That site only has the link for the original datasheet.
                            Without more detail, I cannot offer much help aside from speculation.

                            Thanks!

                            Jetson NanoJ 1 Reply Last reply
                            0
                            • VinnyV Vinny

                              Thanks @Jetson-Nano
                              Can you help us find schematics?
                              I do not know what these parts are doing and could be leading to some of your issues...
                              c8740441-8344-4eda-b26d-9762e267bcf4-image.png
                              That site only has the link for the original datasheet.
                              Without more detail, I cannot offer much help aside from speculation.

                              Thanks!

                              Jetson NanoJ Offline
                              Jetson NanoJ Offline
                              Jetson Nano
                              Veteran
                              wrote on last edited by
                              #23

                              @Vinny I was not able to get the schematics. But when I tested this sensor with a Pixhawk flight controller running PX4, I was able to get it working on I2C.

                              VinnyV 1 Reply Last reply
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                              • Jetson NanoJ Jetson Nano

                                @Vinny I was not able to get the schematics. But when I tested this sensor with a Pixhawk flight controller running PX4, I was able to get it working on I2C.

                                VinnyV Offline
                                VinnyV Offline
                                Vinny
                                ModalAI Team
                                wrote on last edited by
                                #24

                                Hi @Jetson-Nano
                                Pixhawk ports are 5V voltage output, we provide 3.3V.

                                77c90398-23c8-4f39-b1d1-324977798bc6-image.png
                                So, that data point does not help me from the HW viewpoint. I am assuming you knew you had 5V VREF from Pixhawk and converted to 3.3V.

                                However, if we had the SCH of that module, that will tell me if they are actually trying to do voltage conversion of the I2C bus down to 1.8V (the default operating mode of these ST ToF units), which most likely is not compatible with our ports.
                                aa868fe7-8fd0-4d78-b7f1-a33c75f8b832-image.png

                                Most hobby electronics shops do not plan for all variations of translators, and most voltage translators do not like being cascaded. With a pixhawk, you are native 3.3V from the micro-controller w/o a level translator, so going through 1 level translator down to either 1.8V or 2.8V is no issue.
                                On VOXL 2 and VOXL 2 Mini, all of our JST ports have been translated up from 1.8V to 3.3V, which can limit the signal level translators we can work with since we end up with cascaded translators and that can be problematic if not designed correctly, especially I2C.
                                So, the SCH for that module is required for me to help further.
                                Sorry, but I can't do much else.

                                Jetson NanoJ 1 Reply Last reply
                                0
                                • VinnyV Vinny

                                  Hi @Jetson-Nano
                                  Pixhawk ports are 5V voltage output, we provide 3.3V.

                                  77c90398-23c8-4f39-b1d1-324977798bc6-image.png
                                  So, that data point does not help me from the HW viewpoint. I am assuming you knew you had 5V VREF from Pixhawk and converted to 3.3V.

                                  However, if we had the SCH of that module, that will tell me if they are actually trying to do voltage conversion of the I2C bus down to 1.8V (the default operating mode of these ST ToF units), which most likely is not compatible with our ports.
                                  aa868fe7-8fd0-4d78-b7f1-a33c75f8b832-image.png

                                  Most hobby electronics shops do not plan for all variations of translators, and most voltage translators do not like being cascaded. With a pixhawk, you are native 3.3V from the micro-controller w/o a level translator, so going through 1 level translator down to either 1.8V or 2.8V is no issue.
                                  On VOXL 2 and VOXL 2 Mini, all of our JST ports have been translated up from 1.8V to 3.3V, which can limit the signal level translators we can work with since we end up with cascaded translators and that can be problematic if not designed correctly, especially I2C.
                                  So, the SCH for that module is required for me to help further.
                                  Sorry, but I can't do much else.

                                  Jetson NanoJ Offline
                                  Jetson NanoJ Offline
                                  Jetson Nano
                                  Veteran
                                  wrote on last edited by
                                  #25

                                  @Vinny Is there any other carrier board you recommend, because modalai doesn't have the rangefinder for sale yet?

                                  VinnyV 1 Reply Last reply
                                  0
                                  • Jetson NanoJ Jetson Nano

                                    @Vinny Is there any other carrier board you recommend, because modalai doesn't have the rangefinder for sale yet?

                                    VinnyV Offline
                                    VinnyV Offline
                                    Vinny
                                    ModalAI Team
                                    wrote on last edited by
                                    #26

                                    Hi @Jetson-Nano
                                    Every time we try an OTS product, it is flakey due to level translation issues. So we have done our own internally, but not yet made it available standalone. It is on our roadmap to support these ST ToF modules, not just the VL53L1x, but others as well.

                                    The Starling V2 Front End has one of these, but we have not made that little board a standalone product yet: https://docs.modalai.com/M0173/#downward-range-finder-and-flir-lepton

                                    Jetson NanoJ 1 Reply Last reply
                                    0
                                    • VinnyV Vinny

                                      Hi @Jetson-Nano
                                      Every time we try an OTS product, it is flakey due to level translation issues. So we have done our own internally, but not yet made it available standalone. It is on our roadmap to support these ST ToF modules, not just the VL53L1x, but others as well.

                                      The Starling V2 Front End has one of these, but we have not made that little board a standalone product yet: https://docs.modalai.com/M0173/#downward-range-finder-and-flir-lepton

                                      Jetson NanoJ Offline
                                      Jetson NanoJ Offline
                                      Jetson Nano
                                      Veteran
                                      wrote on last edited by
                                      #27

                                      @Vinny Thanks!

                                      VinnyV 1 Reply Last reply
                                      0
                                      • Jetson NanoJ Jetson Nano

                                        @Vinny Thanks!

                                        VinnyV Offline
                                        VinnyV Offline
                                        Vinny
                                        ModalAI Team
                                        wrote on last edited by
                                        #28

                                        @Jetson-Nano
                                        I'll try my best to tag you once we make the M0157 for sale individually, but it relies specifically on the hardware circuits on M0173 to work.
                                        Again lots of interface nuances with these little ST sensors, and the newer ones are more painful to integrate since they are dual voltage. We are working that aspect now for future efforts. I know this does not help you now, but rest assured we are on it!

                                        Jetson NanoJ 1 Reply Last reply
                                        0
                                        • VinnyV Vinny

                                          @Jetson-Nano
                                          I'll try my best to tag you once we make the M0157 for sale individually, but it relies specifically on the hardware circuits on M0173 to work.
                                          Again lots of interface nuances with these little ST sensors, and the newer ones are more painful to integrate since they are dual voltage. We are working that aspect now for future efforts. I know this does not help you now, but rest assured we are on it!

                                          Jetson NanoJ Offline
                                          Jetson NanoJ Offline
                                          Jetson Nano
                                          Veteran
                                          wrote on last edited by
                                          #29

                                          @Vinny I saw that M0173 is available in the modalai website. If I get that board with the new image sensors and use it with voxl 2, can I get the VIO running with three tracking cameras?

                                          VinnyV 1 Reply Last reply
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