Ohbot for Python (Windows Version)

Background

These instructions allow you to program your Ohbot using Python on a Windows PC.

More information about Ohbot can be found on ohbot.co.uk.

Setup

Install the latest version of Python from here.

We chose version 3.6 Windows x86-64 executable installer.

Tick the option to Add Python 3.6 to PATH then click on Install Now.

Once install is complete type “Command” into the Windows search box. Right click on Command Prompt and select Run as administrator.

This will open a command prompt window.

Type the folloing:

pip install ohbotWin

To upgrade to the latest version of the library run the following in the console: sudo pip3 install ohbotWin --upgrade

Installing more voices (optional)

The Ohbot Python library will default to using SAPI voices which are the voices that are available through Windows Control Panel:Speech Propeties.

You can change this to espeak or espeak-ng by calling ohbot.setSynthesiser (“espeak”) or ohbot.setSynthesizer (“espeak-ng”).

Install the espeak library from here.

Install espeak and then copy the espeak.exe file in Windows File Explorer from

C:\Program Files (x86)\eSpeak\command_line

To

C:\Program Files\Python36

To use the espeak-ng library install it from here.

Install espeak-ng and then copy the espeak-ng.exe and espeak-ng.dll files in Windows File Explorer from

C:\Program Files\eSpeak NG

To

C:\Program Files\Python36

That should be it for the setup.

Dependencies

The pip install ohbotWin command will install the following libraries:

To upgrade to the latest version of the library run the following in the console: pip install ohbotWin -- upgrade

Ohbot library files (these will be installed with the pip install ohbotWin command above):

Note: The text to speech module will generate an audio file, ‘ohbotspeech.wav’ and a text file ‘phonemes.txt’ inside your working folder.

Hardware

Required:

• PC Running Windows.
• Ohbot
• USB Y Cable
• A 5 volt 1 amp USB power supply (for Ohbot)
• Speakers/headphones.

Setup:

Plug the middle of USB Y cable into the PC and the other large USB plug into the power adaptor. Then plug the mini USB into Ohbot.

Starting Python Programs

Go to the Windows Menu and run IDLE from the Python folder:

Select New from the File menu.

Go to the hellworldohbot example on Github, copy the code and paste it into the new Python window.

Select Run Module from the Run menu.

Ohbot should speak and move.

More example programs can be found here.

Functions

ohbot.init(portName)

Called internally looking for a port with name containing "USB Serial Device" but if your port is different you can call it and override this port name. It returns True if the port is found and opened successfully, otherwise it returns false. This is likely with a versions of Windows in languages other than English.

ohbot.move(m, pos, speed=3)

For Example:

ohbot.move(1,7)

or

ohbot.move(2,3,1) 

or you can use a constant from the library to specify the motor:

ohbot.move(ohbot.EYETURN,3,1) 

Motor index reference:

ohbot.say(text, untilDone=True, lipSync=True, hdmiAudio=False, soundDelay=0)

For Example:

ohbot.say('Hello I am Ohbot')

ohbot.say('Goodbye',False,False)

ohbot.say('Goodbye',False,False,True)

ohbot.say('Goodbye',soundDelay = 0.3)

ohbot.wait(seconds)

Seconds - float or int required wait time. ohbot.wait(1.5)

For Example:

ohbot.wait(2)

ohbot.wait(0.5)

Note: It is important to use ohbot.wait() commands between motor sequential commands for the same motor.

For Example:

ohbot.move(1,7,2)

ohbot.wait(2)

ohbot.move(1,4,2)

ohbot.eyeColour(r, g, b, swapRandG=False)

Set the colour of Ohbot’s eyes.

For Example:

ohbot.eyeColour(2,3,8)

or

ohbot.eyeColour(2,3,8,True)

ohbot.reset()

Resets Ohbot’s motors back to rest positions and turns off Ohbot’s eyes. Useful to start programs with this. You may need an ohbot.wait() after this to give time for the motors to move.

For Example:

ohbot.reset()
ohbot.move(1,7,2)
ohbot.wait(1)
ohbot.move(1,1)
...

ohbot.close()

Call to detach all Ohbot’s motors which stops them using power, you can call ohbot.attach(m) or ohbot.detach(m) for individual motors.

For Example:

ohbot.move(1,7,2)
ohbot.wait(1)
ohbot.move(1,1)

ohbot.close()

ohbot.readSensor(sensorNumber)

Seconds - float or int required wait time. ohbot.wait(1.5)

returns the value as a float 0 - 10.

For Example:

reading = ohbot.readSensor(3)

ohbot.move(ohbot.HEADTURN, reading)

ohbot.setSynthesizer(synth)

For Example:

ohbot.setSynthesizer("espeak")

Note that the SAPI speech uses the voices available in Control Panel:Text to Speech. It can’t use Cortana voices.

ohbot.setVoice(voice)

Use ohbot.setVoice() to set the voice depending on the synthesizer:

Using SAPI

Use any of the following arguments:

For Example:

ohbot.setVoice("-a82 -r12 -vzira")

Using ESPEAK

http://espeak.sourceforge.net/commands.html

Examples:

More examples can be found in our voices example program.

Using ESPEAK-NG

Supports some of the ESPEAK parameters but some are missing.