.. _alinfrared:

ALInfrared
==========

.. toctree::
    :hidden:
    :maxdepth: 1

    alinfrared-api
    alinfrared-tuto

Overview | :ref:`API <alinfrared-api>` | :ref:`Tutorial <alinfrared-tuto>`

.. seealso::

   - :ref:`naoqi-sensors`
   - :ref:`IR (Infra-Red) Hardware <hardware-infrared>`
   - :ref:`alinfrared-remote-control`

What it does
------------

**ALInfrared** allows IR (Infra-Red) communication with NAO. It has 3 different purposes:

- use NAO as a remote control,

- set NAO to receive orders from a remote control,

- make several NAOs communicate together (not recommended).


How it works
------------

ALInfrared works with `"Linux Infrared Remote Control" (LIRC)
<http://www.lirc.org/>`_ in order to emit/receive IR (Infra-Red) remote keys or
to emit/receive IR information to/from another NAO.

Performance and Limitations
---------------------------

- ALInfrared only works on the robot. You can't use it on a local NAOqi.
- Using infra-red to make two NAOs communicate with each other is generally
  ill-advised: wifi allows communication with greater range and throughput
  and without line-of-sight restriction.

Getting started
---------------

To implement an IR communication:

1. Find or create the configuration file of the remote control you want to use.

   For further details, see sections: :ref:`webpage-search-create-remote-control-conf`.

2. Add and enable the configuration file of the remote control in NAO settings.

   For further details, see sections: :ref:`webpage-add-remove-remote-control`
   and :ref:`webpage-enable-disable-remote-control`.

3. Check Key names, in order to be able to use them when programming.

   For further details, see sections: :ref:`webpage-check-remote-keys`.

4. Use Choregraphe **Communication > Infrared** Boxes or the bound methods of
   ALInfrared module.

   For further details, see section: :ref:`alinfrared-tuto`.