For Windows is there any API or interface outside PixyMon I can use to talk to Pixy with lets say in maybe Visual Studio? I intend to use a microcontroller later but for now practicing on the PC would be nice. Even if there is nothing “official” an idea on what I could use over the USB link to get the data and maybe set the servos like you would over I2C or SPI to make my own interface would be helpful.
We don’t have any API to use outside of Pixymon yet, but I think that will be something we’ll want to add later on.
As for an ‘unofficial’ way to communicate with Pixy, it would be difficult. Pixy uses “Chirp”:https://github.com/charmedlabs/pixy/blob/master/common/chirp.cpp over USB, which is basically just a library for making remote procedure calls. You could try looking at how Chirp is used “here”:https://github.com/charmedlabs/pixy/blob/master/host/pixymon/interpreter.cpp to see how you could connect and communicate with Pixy, but it may take more work than you’re hoping to put in.
I’ll talk with Rich about providing a PC-side API for Pixy.
Thanks!
Scott
Can’t you use Serial protocols through an Arduino to communicate with Visual Studio? It would make the Arduino a bit of a middleman but it’s way to go.
yeah, wow - totally missed the boat for any robotic uses I had in mind. This is like beyond basics.
Something simple - like if I enclosed the board with no access to the ‘button’, you are basically saying this can not be used.
If the robot is PC powered, I can’t imagine adding an arduino just for this, that makes no sense.
Scott Robinson wrote:
We don’t have any API to use outside of Pixymon yet, but I think that will be something we’ll want to add later on.
The API really needs to be there if you want a broad base of people working with it and testing concepts.
Mike Partain wrote:
Something simple - like if I enclosed the board with no access to the ‘button’, you are basically saying this can not be used.
Totally agree with Mike that the button should have a way of being “pushed” via SIMPLE programming. He is working with one of the two units we bought. I had already planned to electronically “push” the button remotely outside of the programming for now. But that is not a good option for everyone (nor should it be).
The unit needs to be totally controlled by programming for all functions. Including good control access to the PWM outputs.
What? Waited a year and saw how E.A.S.Y. Pixy is supposed to be. I took it as a Duh! Of course there will be an API. There is for everything. Even a refrigerator and every radio on down to single fpga or mcu and ???
You whiz bang CMU guys and associates really - after all this time and our money - do not have an API?
I’m lost too for robotics. This was not expected to be directly plug and play But ---- we have to wait for your supplying the color codes now, and the face recognition which – has been out for ??? years on other items like OpenCV. Surely we don’t loose all the dual core fast whiz bang of your large board to treat this as a dumb camera attached to an Arduino?
Sorry ---- I’m feeling pretty S.T.U.P.I.D. right now really seeing I took for granted there would be an API and did expect face recognition and some other. I assumed (yeah, yeah ass u me d) this would easily do what the others basically do and I would not have to chew and gnaw out a program from scratch. Uh, yeah! I do not really program but, hack around. An API on anything embedded. It IS expected to have an API. Its like a car without away to open the door, turn it on, steer, move, etc…
Did I miss the whole thing here about the whiz, pop, wow and coolio?
bah! Good night… 
Hi all,
We understand your frustrations, and we know this is a big deal to people, so we’re doing all that we can to fulfill requests. For the past two weeks we’ve been shipping Pixy’s to backers, and will continue to do so for the next few weeks. We really do appreciate your patience while we get everything in order. Once the majority of orders have been filled we’ll be able to get back to improving Pixy, so please keep the suggestions coming!
Thanks!
Scott
Thanks Scott, (and sorry for the slow reply, we have a new baby here so I’m a tad distracted) I don’t really “need” a PC API for interfacing I was just wondering if there was anything hidden in PixyMon I could use to experiment with. For instance in my case your pan-tilt demo in PixyMon was not compatible with my big Acroname/ServoCity pan-tilt rig (I suspect because the servo movement directions in at least one axis is not the same as your design.) In the end I mostly wanted to just demo it to my son and get a sense of how to tweak the settings to get the best detection/control out of it. I guess though if there was a way to change the pan/tilt servo tracking behavior via some parameters in PixyMon that would work though I think long term a way to get at Pixy via some API or scripting interface would be nice but to be clear would not call either a “need”. I would rather see face detection or more connectivity APIs and examples to common controllers. Ex.: tutorials for devices other than Arduino like BeagleBone, Raspberry Pi , etc. (I am staring at my Cypress PSoC board (FreeSoC) and deciding if I would like to use it, or use pixy as an excuse to get a Arduino Yun. I am leaning towards the Yun because built-in WiFi robot control and programming is very tempting.)
hehe
Hi Jonathan,
First of all, congrats on the new baby! I’d like to say I’m busy too, but probably not half as busy as you are now 
The API is important, so its definitely on the to-do list. As for priority between that, face detection, and other features, we’ll probably have the community help us determine once color codes are finished. We’re also discussing plans for Raspberry Pi support, but more on that later.
I’m not familiar with your pan-tilt module, but if you haven’t already, you might try modifying the demo (“here”:https://github.com/charmedlabs/pixy/blob/master/arduino/libraries/Pixy/examples/pantilt/pantilt.ino) if you think its a controls issue.
Good luck!
Scott
hi Jonathan,
Did you try using Yun with Pixy, how that went?,
The data exchange between Pixy happens via Wifi or a cable is needed?
Thanks,
Swamy
Yes, I got it to work just fine using the Pixy and a Adafruit servo shield in my robot. I have not put much effort into it in awhile though it has been on my mind. I plan to try installing the Blynk libraries on the Yun next as they were pretty easy to get going on my Particle.IO Photon when I was building a WiFi garage door opener/monitor.
hi Jonathan,
Np, will let you how it went after testing.
Thanks,
Swamy