How do you communicate from a VEX to a SCORBOT? When I hook it up using an optical isolater, there is no voltage.

Solution:

Lets set it up like this: VEX is the OUTPUT, and the SCORBOT is the INPUT. Always use a relay, optical isolator or just a switch; NEVER HOOK UP A POWERED DEVICE TO THE SCORBOT CONTROLLER.

The idea with the optical isolator is that there is no voltage, just a connection!  If you sent a voltage, if two machines are not compatible, bad things happen!  That’s why it is just a switch, open or closed, no voltage involved, and the reason why your multimeter does not see a voltage. If you were to set the meter on continuity, not voltage, it would beep.

Your scorbot is really just looking for a signal, and it doesn€™t matter from what, as long as it is hooked up correctly. That being said, NEVER HOOK UP A CORTEX/FT INTERFACE OR OTHER POWERD DEVICE TO THE CONTROLLER. This may damage all electronics involved. I€™ve heard: €œWell I do it all the time and it works fine!€ Good for you, I and my students never do. Better safe than sorry. I cannot afford new equipment.

One way to hook up your SCORBOT to a VEX controller is shown below. The Cortex is the Output, and the Robot is the input:

 Cortex is the Output

SCORBOT is the input

 To use in RobotC, just set the PRAGMA like this:

This way the SCORBOT can be told to wait for a signal, just like a Lynx arm as well!