A Linux extension board for e-puck robot

- Installation of Linux on the extenstion board

Before you start, make sure you have access to a PC with dual boot system: windows XP and Ubuntu linux, or two seperate PC. You may also need some tools listed below. You can then follow this instruction (contributed by Jean-Charles Antonioli) to install the bootloaders and the linux file system

- Tools you need

a bluetooth dongle if the computer doesn't have built-in bluetooth

a home-made serial cable, instructions can be found here

a usb-serial port adapter if the computer doesn't have COM port

a card reader and one micro SD adpater

- Hardware design files

schematics (Epuck_Linux.pdf)
gerber and assembly files (linux_e_puck.zip)
components list (component.xls)

- Software

first bootloader (at91sam9260ek-dataflashboot-2.4.bin)
second bootloader (u-boot.bin)
linux kernel image (uImage.gz)
linux kernel source code (linux-2.6.26.3-linuxpucks.tgz)
linux root file system image (epuck46_linux_20100218.backup)
epuck side program (epuck.hex)

- Some useful Links

E-puck robot The home of the e-puck robots. You can find the design files for the basic epuck robot and some extension boards.
Linux4sam A good place to get familiar with the installation of bootloaders, linux kernels for ATMEL AT91 Smart ARM-based Microcontrollers
U-boot Home of the second bootloader.
build-root You may need this to set up you cross compiling tool-chain.
Atmel The place you can find all relevant information about the AT91SAM9260 microcontroller, including the tools for uploading the first bootloader.

- Reference

Wenguo Liu and Alan F.T. Winfield, 'Open-hardware e-puck Linux extension board for experimental swarm robotics research', Microprocessors and Microsystems, 35 (1), 2011, doi: 10.1016/j.micpro.2010.08.002

Any questions, please contact wenguo.liu--at--brl.ac.uk