DroidScript GUI for BusPirate

Description

DroidScriptBusPirate is a User Inferface for the BusPirate^ (pocket electronics bench tool) which runs in the DroidScript app on Android phones. It simplifies talking to the BP (BusPirate) via USB OTG by providing a list of commands and setup wizards for the commands which require parameters. As a result, you don't have to remember the cryptic command codes.

BusPirate is a little open source device that connects a USB host device (PC, MAC, or cellphone / tablet via USB OTG) to electronic stuff. It can speak with several different busses (I2C, SPI, UART, etc...) and devices (LCDs, servos, AVRs, FPGAs, CPLDs, etc...) and can inject signals, or measure voltages. It's a little test bench in your pocket for less than $30.
http://dangerousprototypes.com/docs/Bus_Pirate

DroidScript is a free app for Android that lets you write apps in JavaScript / HTML5 /on your phone or tablet/.

Components

1 × BusPirate (~$30) http://dangerousprototypes.com/docs/Bus_Pirate

1 × USB OTG cable ($5 and up) It's good to get one that allows external power for the device... that keeps your SmartPhone battery from draining quickly.

1 × Android Smartphone with USB OTG support. Android OS version 3.1 or higher, and physical support in the phone (look for the icon) or google the model number.

1 × DroidScript app (free) https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.smartphoneremote.androidscriptfree

Project Logs

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Useful as a voltmeter with addition of a trim pot
James Newton • 01/16/2016 at 20:52 • 0 comments

Big update! Adds a scaling factor to the value displayed in Voltmeter mode, and a calibrate button which powers up the internal supplies and explains how to connect a potentiometer so that the input voltage can be scaled, and the +5 power supply can be used as a voltage reference to calibrate the potentiometer.

In order to automatically turn on the power supply, the app now tracks the BusPirate mode, and if it's in HiZ, it automatically switches to 1-Wire (can't turn on power in HiZ) and then switches back when finished.
So then you can connect the external voltage through the pot as a resistor divider and read the actual voltage on the display, when the voltage is more than the 6v range of the BusPirate ADC. E.g. you can measure a 12 or 24 or 100 volt signal without frying the thing.

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Discussions

James Newton wrote 05/16/2017 at 19:18

Arduino users might be interested in this:

https://gist.github.com/JamesNewton/8b994528ff3ce69e60bbb67c40954cd2

Simple Arduino script to set pins high, low, input, pull up, or analog/servo, clock out data with timing, and read all or a single pin back via serial IO.

Written for the tiny-circuits.com TinyDuino in the end effector of the Dexter robot from HDRobotic.com, but generally useful to turn the Arduino into a tool for generating test signals, and reading back results. Not as powerful as the busPirate, but more flexible in some ways and much easier to operate. Not a replacement for Firmata as this is intended to be used by a human directly via serial monitor or terminal, not from a program.

Are you sure? yes | no

James Newton wrote 08/16/2016 at 01:42

I would really like some suggestions for how to extend the usefulness of this project.

Specifically, it seems like there should be a way to make a low cost but useful "front end" for the meter function supporting other functions like measuring resistance, capacitance, maybe even inductance.

Or perhaps there are common bus communications that need to be visualized?

Are you sure? yes | no

DroidScript GUI for BusPirate

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Useful as a voltmeter with addition of a trim pot

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