Ad-hoc wireless and SMiRF

Nathan,

I know its been a long time since we last spoke. We met in Seattle at the robothon. I am from tenneessee technological university. I’ve recently resumed work on creating an ad-hoc wireless network using the SMiRF transcievers. I just thought that you would be interested in an update. I have made some major changes to the firmware and currently have a fairly well working version. Currently there I am working on a code library required to use more than two of the devices in the system. Essentially I have modeled my methodology after TCP/IP. The SMiRF is simply the data-link layer and physical layer. Although in my model they are called something else. The code library I am working on provides the functionality of the network layer, transmission layer, etc… Of course the eventual goal is to integrate this code into the firmware and allow for a menuing system to set up IP addresses and such. This would leave only the application layer to the software designer and the application could be written in another language or compiler.

I should have a working version within the next couple of weeks. At least I better have a working version because my thesis is due in four weeks. So I need this code to be finished or else I’m in a lot of trouble. At least for my thesis I only need to develop a version using the external code library. I want to find someone interested in assisting me in continuing the developement of this code. Otherwise I may not get back to it until I start my dissertation. It will probably lead to a journal publication. Which is interesting.

So I guess the big questions I have are first of all do you know anyone interested in co-developing this code with me. Second is I want a license for the cc5x compiler. But its kind of expensive. You wouldn’t happen to be able to pull any strings would you. I dont mind paying for it but I am just a poor college student. If you can’t thats cool I understand. But if you know someone interested in working with me let me know.

Hey Joe,

I do remember! I just found your card last night.

As for co-authoring the code, you’ve got your audience. Let’s hope someone perks up.

I cannot pull any strings with Bengt - nice guy, but he’s got to make his living. The student version is about the limit of free that anyone can get, even lowly Spark Fun.

In the mean time, Nordic has come out with some new, exciting chips that implement a stack that appears to be a knock-off of the Zigbee protocol. I haven’t had time to take a serious look at it, as we just got the new nRF2401A ICs in and I’m playing with them at the moment.

By all means, please keep us updated! Maybe we’ll see you at Robothon again this year!

-Nathan

Hi Joe,

I’m not sure if you would be interested, but today I saw a posting on one of the PIC mailing lists I subscribe to and it was from a student who got a free unrestricted copy of CCS PIC C compiler. He contacted them directly and they supplied him with a license in return for him allowing CCS to use his finished code as examples.

Maybe you can work out a deal like that with CCS too?