Programming Oculus – Introduction

The Oculus-Java application is an extension of the open source Red5 streaming media server, which includes the Apache Tomcat web server.

Because the Oculus hardware is an open Arduino based platform controlled by a full desktop OS, there are numerous approaches to programming it and adding your own functionality, including:

• Interact with the Oculus Java Application using almost any programming language, via the powerful socket based Telnet Programming Interface. With it you can use dozens of Oculus text commands, reference Oculus STATE variables, and manipulate configuration settings.

• Extend the open-source Oculus Java software itself. A guide to getting started in Eclipse is here

• Run RoboRealm on the robot, instead of or along-with Oculus-Java, using the Oculus Module included with purchase of RoboRealm. RoboRealm is a rich computer vision toolkit, with a powerful scripting language. It also offers a telnet/socket API, so you can can use any programming language to interact with RoboRealm and Oculus-Java simultaneously

• Take a lower-level direct approach, and modify the ArduinOculus microcontroller firmware (source). You can upload new firmware to it with the Arduino IDE, choosing ‘Duemillenove’ as board type

• Many other approaches are available. With Windows or Linux as the controlling OS you can explore the Microsoft Robotics Developer Studio, or ROS – The Robot Operating System, or take advantage of the powerful OpenCV – Open Source Computer Vision libraries.

Also in this section:
    The Telnet Programming Interface
    Example PYTHON Telnet Program – React to Noise
    Example RUBY Telnet Program – React to Draining Battery
    Example PYTHON Telnet Program – Rotate until Find Dock
    Example PYTHON Telnet Program – Ultimate Surveillance
    Oculus Command Reference
    STATE variables
    The OCULUS_SETTINGS.TXT Config File
    Sending mail with the email command