In Praise of the Humble Scribbler
Hey Everyone,
I just finished (a couple of weeks ago) three Scibbler Robot Camps. These camps were for high school students with no robotics experience. They were a huge success.
The reason I think they were so successful is the Parallax Scribbler and all it includes. It is a fantastic little robot. I would stack it against almost anything for value, features and ease of use. It has so much for so little money. The students could play right out of the box and could spend many many hours learning at you could do with the Scribbler.
The free documentation is excellent. A great Start Up guide (which comes with the Scribbler) show how to use all the programs that come preloaded. They demonstate the Scribbler's features.·A·couple of great PDF's for the GUI Program Maker and Basic Stamp Editor, and lots more are free·at Parallax's Scribbler Download section.
It is programmable with the GUI Program Maker and also the Basic Stamp Editor. You can also move from the GUI to the Basic Stamp Editor and back. It is hard to overstate how amazing the GUI software is. It is very powerful and keeps a novice out of trouble. If you've never looked at the GUI, you really must check it out. I was playing with it again tonight and it is fantastic.
The Scribbler and GUI, of course, have some limitations. But you just can't beat this robot to introduce·someone to·robotics. At it's heart (or·brains) is the·reliable Basic Stamp 2.·Full schematics, hackers info and lots more - including third party articles are all out there on the web.
I guess I just wanted to let·folks know not to overlook this product or think it is just a toy.·It is as fun as any toy, but also a serious beginner's robot.
I spent several hours playing with it tonight with my 9 year old son. Seeing him write·programs and·laugh and have fun is worth way more than a 100 bucks!
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Whit+
"We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we're curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths." - Walt Disney
Post Edited (Whit) : 6/17/2009 3:24:16 PM GMT
I just finished (a couple of weeks ago) three Scibbler Robot Camps. These camps were for high school students with no robotics experience. They were a huge success.
The reason I think they were so successful is the Parallax Scribbler and all it includes. It is a fantastic little robot. I would stack it against almost anything for value, features and ease of use. It has so much for so little money. The students could play right out of the box and could spend many many hours learning at you could do with the Scribbler.
The free documentation is excellent. A great Start Up guide (which comes with the Scribbler) show how to use all the programs that come preloaded. They demonstate the Scribbler's features.·A·couple of great PDF's for the GUI Program Maker and Basic Stamp Editor, and lots more are free·at Parallax's Scribbler Download section.
It is programmable with the GUI Program Maker and also the Basic Stamp Editor. You can also move from the GUI to the Basic Stamp Editor and back. It is hard to overstate how amazing the GUI software is. It is very powerful and keeps a novice out of trouble. If you've never looked at the GUI, you really must check it out. I was playing with it again tonight and it is fantastic.
The Scribbler and GUI, of course, have some limitations. But you just can't beat this robot to introduce·someone to·robotics. At it's heart (or·brains) is the·reliable Basic Stamp 2.·Full schematics, hackers info and lots more - including third party articles are all out there on the web.
I guess I just wanted to let·folks know not to overlook this product or think it is just a toy.·It is as fun as any toy, but also a serious beginner's robot.
I spent several hours playing with it tonight with my 9 year old son. Seeing him write·programs and·laugh and have fun is worth way more than a 100 bucks!
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Whit+
"We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we're curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths." - Walt Disney
Post Edited (Whit) : 6/17/2009 3:24:16 PM GMT
Comments
Congratulations on the Robot Camps and popularizing the outstanding
Scribbler Robot. I think it would be fun to develop lots of robotic apps
for this robot, and I agree - it's a real bargain considering the design,
included software, and support. It's always good to see fine products
that help young people get started in robotics and, at the same time,
serve to stimulate seasoned robot enthusiasts.
humanoido
First, we are always happy to hear of Scribbler successes! We at Parallax a continuously blown away by what you get your students to accomplish with the little bot. From what you have shared about the courses, you really push the kids and get them excited and eager to learn about robotics. It's great to see teachers who are willing to give that much, I sure wish I had the opportunities you present these kids when I was that age!
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Jessica Uelmen
Education Department
Parallax, Inc.
When I was high school, I got a Texas Instruments Calculator·that could add, subtract, multiply and divide. It cost $79.99 and it was amazing!
I would have died if we had robots!
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Whit+
"We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we're curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths." - Walt Disney
When I was in high school, I had a slide rule that could multiply and divide. It cost $49.95 and it was amazing!
I would have died if we had calculators!
____________________________________________________________
-Phil
When I was in college, I met a man who *still* did his surveying trigonometry with an abacus - He was amazing --- and, believe it or not, was faster and often more accurate than someone using a calculator. Go figure! (figuratively and literally speaking [noparse]:)[/noparse])
- H
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"This device contains recyclable materials, which can be re-decomposed
and re-integrated into brand new marvels... We strongly encourage you
to contact the provided information and recycle yourself always. "
@ Phil- LOL!
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Shawn Lowe
When all else fails.....procrastinate!
Is that a knights Templar cross on the breast plate of your avatar-robot?
Curious future robot historians want to know [noparse]:)[/noparse]
- Howard
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"This device contains recyclable materials, which can be re-decomposed
and re-integrated into brand new marvels... We strongly encourage you
to contact the provided information and recycle yourself always. "
It is the Episcopal Church's Shield. I am an priest. Mild mannered priest by day - robot builder by night!
I got my Robot Portrait done from this guy. He does the portrait, posts a video of him doing it and puts it all to music. He then mails you the original artwork. It is very cool! The site is·http://robotportrait.blogspot.com/
I was portrait #49 See here.
It is very cheap. I hope everybody else gets one too!
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Whit+
"We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we're curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths." - Walt Disney
Post Edited (Whit) : 6/17/2009 10:55:44 PM GMT
Oh, I should have recognized it.
> I am an priest. Mild mannered priest by day - robot builder by night!
Very Cool, Whit - you're getting the best of worlds, if you will - the spiritual and the physical !
The portrait thing is neat --- a friend of mine is an art teacher and a portrait artist, I'm sure he'll get a kick out of this.
cheers, and keep up the Good Work(s) [noparse]:)[/noparse]
- Howard
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"This device contains recyclable materials, which can be re-decomposed
and re-integrated into brand new marvels... We strongly encourage you
to contact the provided information and recycle yourself always. "
@ Phil - LOL! I played with the slide rule a bit, but never really mastered it.
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Whit+
"We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we're curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths." - Walt Disney
What I am wondering if there are any more help modules for the GUI development other than the first programs PDF.
I see GUI Code Samples v1.0, but there appears to be no supporting PDF for this. I wonder if one exists for this or something else that is available that builds on the First Programs package. Any help on pointers to teaching resource documentation would be great.
Thanks.
Scott
-Phil
No.
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·"If you build it, they will come."