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Bluetooth and Accelerometer

Hello All,

 

I'm working on a project to collect data using a spp accelerometer called GeneActiv Wireless and I want to bluetooth stream the data onto my computer using LabView. I've already created a VI to search for and collect devices that are connected via bluetooth, however, I'm confused on several aspects to help me further create my application and I need help. First, is it possible to connect my accelerometer via bluetooth to my VI application that I created?  Secondly, can I collect and bluetooth stream the data from my accelerometer onto my computer without using a DAQ? Third, if I do need a DAQ, can I use a NI USB-6000 to perform the tasks? And lastly, if I am capable of building a VI Application that will allow me to connect the device and collect/stream the data onto the computer, what type of chart/graph will be best for me to use? I hope I was clear enough in explaining my questions; if anyone needs me to elaborate more I'll be gladly to do so. Thanks

 

Theopolis

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This accelerometer looks like it's a watch. Is the watch sending accelerometer data via Bluetooth or are there wires to the accelerometer? The USB-6000 would only be able to acquire data if there were wires to connect to it, but the USB-6000 doesn't have an easy acceleration measurement capability.

 

Does the the GeneActiv have an API? Because if it does, you could look through that API and see if there are ways to ask for data from the accelerometer.

Mathew H.
Applications Engineer
National Instruments
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Scmave,

 

Thanks for the response! So just to make sure I understand correctly, if I were using the NI USB-6000 to acquire data from the accelerometer it would have to be connected via wires and not through bluetooth stream correct? Secondly, I haven't been able to test the watch to examine how exactly the accelerometer sends data because I had to send it back to the manufacturer to repair some technical issues; I guess I just wanted to know with certainty if it was possible. What I truly want to know is do I actually need to use a DAQ to acquire data via bluetooth streaming with LabView? Can I acquire data from an accelerometer without using a DAQ device (my main question)? Lastly, I'm not sure if the accelerometer does have an API. Is there any way I could check the device to see if does have it?

 

Thanks

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@Theopolis wrote:

Hello All,

 

I'm working on a project to collect data using a spp accelerometer called GeneActiv Wireless and I want to bluetooth stream the data onto my computer using LabView. I've already created a VI to search for and collect devices that are connected via bluetooth, however, I'm confused on several aspects to help me further create my application and I need help. First, is it possible to connect my accelerometer via bluetooth to my VI application that I created?  Secondly, can I collect and bluetooth stream the data from my accelerometer onto my computer without using a DAQ? Third, if I do need a DAQ, can I use a NI USB-6000 to perform the tasks? And lastly, if I am capable of building a VI Application that will allow me to connect the device and collect/stream the data onto the computer, what type of chart/graph will be best for me to use? I hope I was clear enough in explaining my questions; if anyone needs me to elaborate more I'll be gladly to do so. Thanks

 

Theopolis


When you say SPP accelerometer you mean a Bluetooth accelerometer that uses Bluetooth Serial Port Profile to comunicate?

 

 

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=== Engineer Ambiguously ===
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Yes. It uses a Bluetooth Serial Port Profile to communicate
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@Theopolis wrote:
Yes. It uses a Bluetooth Serial Port Profile to communicate

So first you will need a BT adaptor on your computer that also can use SPP and installs a virtual Com port

 

Pair the two BT devices after that the BT adaptors are transparent

 

 Use VISA Configure Port to set your baud, bytes, parity, etc. and read and write using VISA Read and VISA write  just like with any other serial device.

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=== Engineer Ambiguously ===
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Theopolis,

If you're trying to acquire through a bluetooth stream, then RTSLUV is right. You would use VISA commands to communicate to the device once you've found and connected to it.

You wouldn't be able to use the DAQ device to read from something wirelessly. It is only for hardwired devices.

Mathew H.
Applications Engineer
National Instruments
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Why would the use of a BT adaptor be helpful? Do I need to use a BT adaptor if my computer initially is installed with BT Accessibility? 

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Would I need to use BT Command functions along with VISA Command functions, or just VISA Command functions? Also, what is the purpose of using the VISA Command function in LabView?

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@Theopolis wrote:

Why would the use of a BT adaptor be helpful? Do I need to use a BT adaptor if my computer initially is installed with BT Accessibility? 


@Theopolis wrote:

Would I need to use BT Command functions along with VISA Command functions, or just VISA Command functions? Also, what is the purpose of using the VISA Command function in LabView?


Well if you already have a Bluetooth adaptor in your computer then no, you don't need another one.

 

No as I said before once you pair the device and your computer the Bluetooth is transparent and your device will appear to be connected on a Com port just like if it was plugged directly into a serial port on your computer. So you communicate with it just like any other serial device on a com port, the fact that you are using  Bluetooth is now irrelevant.

 

Well I don't have time to teach you LabVIEW. If you do not know what VISA is or how to use it I suggest you step back from your project and take a LabVIEW class or at least follow some of the LabVIEW tutorials to learn the basics you will need to be successful in LabVIEW programming.

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=== Engineer Ambiguously ===
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