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  4. Intergrating VL53L1x Range Finder with VOXL2

Intergrating VL53L1x Range Finder with VOXL2

Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved VOXL 2
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  • 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
      0
      • 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
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        • 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
                  0
                  • Jetson NanoJ Jetson Nano

                    @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 Offline
                    VinnyV Offline
                    Vinny
                    ModalAI Team
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #30

                    Hi @Jetson-Nano
                    Sorry, not my area of expertise.

                    @modaltb, are you able to offer guidance here?
                    Thanks!

                    modaltbM 1 Reply Last reply
                    0
                    • VinnyV Vinny

                      Hi @Jetson-Nano
                      Sorry, not my area of expertise.

                      @modaltb, are you able to offer guidance here?
                      Thanks!

                      modaltbM Offline
                      modaltbM Offline
                      modaltb
                      ModalAI Team
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #31

                      @Jetson-Nano not at this time and not with QVIO. We are working on multi cam VIO but can't provide any details or release dates really at this time.

                      Jetson NanoJ 1 Reply Last reply
                      1
                      • modaltbM modaltb

                        @Jetson-Nano not at this time and not with QVIO. We are working on multi cam VIO but can't provide any details or release dates really at this time.

                        Jetson NanoJ Offline
                        Jetson NanoJ Offline
                        Jetson Nano
                        Veteran
                        wrote on last edited by
                        #32

                        @modaltb Thank you for the update

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