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  4. Intergrating VL53L1x Range Finder with VOXL2

Intergrating VL53L1x Range Finder with VOXL2

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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?

    1 Reply Last reply
    0
    • 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
      0
      • 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
        0
        • 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
          0
          • 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
                  0
                  • 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
                    0
                    • 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
                            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
                              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
                                        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
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