BlendMicro App (inventor)

[Tobi]

Hi there,

First: I’m a newby, just did some things with Arduino to control some LEDs etc but not much more before.

What’s my plan: I actually ‘ld lik to control some servos/LEDs via my smartphone (remote control for a micro RC Truck). That’s why I bought a Blend Micro. I followed the instructions on their website (installed both their RBL nRF8001 and the Nordic BLE SDK for Android) and managed to control the board with the example sketch and their BLE Controller app as well the nrf Hello World sketch.

Now, the next big step is the App… I just stumbled on MIT App Inventor, and yeah I know it’s under your level, but it’s quite nice for me :D I was even more happy when I realized that there’s a BLE function, written for Adruino 101.

That’s the example code for using it with a app: github.com/.../BattMon_not_root.ino

But this system seems to be different to the one used by Nordic/RedBearLab. At least the Arduino code. So I am wondering if I can combine the two “systems”? Is it completely different or is it just a different way to tell the Bluetoothchip (nRF8001) what to do? I mean, the way my phone and the Arduino communicate should be the same since there is just “one BLE” isn’t it?

I know and understand that a lot of people don’t like to make an “extra tutorial” for guys like me. But I would appreciate if you make your answer a bit more detailed so I have a chance of understanding it;) Thank you

[Hung Bui]

@Tobi: If your app can interface with BLE, it should be able to interface with the nRF8001. You just need to make sure your connect to the right device, write/read/enable notification with the right characteristic/service (the UUID).

Note that the BLE chip on the Adruino 101 may not be the nRF8001, we don't know which chip is inside that Curie module. But it doesn't matter as BLE is a standard and your app should work with any BLE chip.

[Tobi]

Hey, thank you. How do I get the serviceUIID/characteristicUIID? I'm using one of the RedBearLab Arduino-examples, and it looks quite simple wherefore I wanna try it with this first.

github.com/.../SimpleControls.ino

There is no UIID definied in this sketch. How can it communicate with the suitable app?

I know about your Tutorials here, but they are not about Arduino and I think it should be possible to get that without extra software and hardware, shouldn't it?

[Tobi]

I meant UUID;)

[Hung Bui]

@Tobi: You can find the UUID by using our nRF Master Control Panel app. You can download the app from Google play or Play Store. Your question is similar to this. And by following it you can find this

[Tobi]

thank you a lot. Took me some time to get that there is indeed a small different in the service and characteristic UUID, haha. Just have the problem that all variables i send get changed. If I send a byte, it gets multiplied by 1000, and int/string get 48 added. (when i read it with the serial monitor). A bit weird, but I guess it's an app-inventor or RedBearLab issue (I use parts of the simpleControls sketch). Just saying, maybe someone here knows about it;)