I seconded Home Automation! I badly want to replace my X-10 (not so much the modules as the master control). (...and I'm sure I'll do it badly the first couple of times!)
I'll third the nomination to fast-trick this one. The old Stamp Activity Board had an X-10 jack and examples, so Parallax has only to dust that off and they'll be half way there.
Sounds like an injection molding machine would just about fit in a corner of Ken's garage. Track links and sprockets would make a perfect first project!
@Gordon: I thought I was the only guy who owns a Stamp Activity Board! I was certain it was a rare one-off that would fetch a cool million at Antiques Roadshow. If you have one, that drops my twins' college fund to just $500K.
UAV kit for the hard to find components – airbot (mindrobots: post #8)
Arm and Gripper (erco: post #9)
Touch Screen / case assembly ($WMc%: post #112)
Propeller Camera Processor (Bean: post #30)
Walking Robot (iDave: post #31)
Battery Voltage Monitor (sam_sam_sam: post #6)
QuickStart mini SD (Maxwin: post #42)
Quick Start daughter boards KB, RCA etc. (Maxwin: post #43)
Weather Station (GordonMcComb: post #46)
5v and 3.3 v Power supply for breadboarding (GordonMcComb: post #46)
Home automation (Vern: post #86)
Walking Robot (Penquin Replacement) (W9GF0: post #69)
Power-point Propeller Presenter (Ahle2: post #84)
Xy rotated base (NikosG: post #101)
Hexapod kit (vanmunch: post #102)
Prop PLC (Maxwin: post #125)
LION Extension (Jay B. Harlow: post #147)
Quality Robot Track Solution (zoopydogsit: post #153)
YMMV (and if anyone doesn't want their prize, I would be glad to have it!)
I'll third the nomination to fast-trick this one. The old Stamp Activity Board had an X-10 jack and examples, so Parallax has only to dust that off and they'll be half way there.
I love the home automation idea. I really want to have a web-based automation server so I can do things like turn the heat on when I'm on my way home.
NikosG described a pan/tilt turret (which I suggested (to go along with a camera) in an earlier post). I don't know who gets the credit.
P.S. Sorry if I seem kind of greedy because I'm trying to take credit for others ideas. Truth is, a lot of these ideas are similar to stuff that other people (including me) have posted
P.P.S I want my Piiiiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnnnnngggggggggggg (if I ended up winning, that is)
P.P.P.S. As DaveJenson stated, if anyone doesn't want their prize, I would be glad to have it!
May have to ask Parallax which one they picked. Post #6 seemed to ask for a Microcontrolled power supply which would need voltage and current monitoring. Certainly a cool project.
If they are talking about a battery monitor for mobile devices, robots, etc then perhaps post #41 applies...
Not so fast, my young Padawan! I suggested the solar tracker from the very start, which is definitely built on an XY rotated base pan/tilt assembly, which would clearly be outdoors at HOME, AUTOMATICALLY monitoring the sun & weather, generating 5v & 3.3V, while monitoring, charging and extending LION batteries, so I lay claim all these categories:
xy rotated base, battery voltage monitor, weather station, 5 & 3.3V voltage supply for breadboarding, home automation, and LION extension
Hmmm. That's only six. Sorry if I seem kind of greedy, but I need to win TEN PINGs to fill up the MadeUSA base. So obviously it's implied that my solar tracker would have a touch screen, Propeller Camera Processor, a UAV tender, and the whole shebang is mobile, rolling on quality robot tracks. Surely I didn't have to spell those out!
I thought I was the only guy who owns a Stamp Activity Board! I was certain it was a rare one-off that would fetch a cool million at Antiques Roadshow. If you have one, that drops my twins' college fund to just $500K.
You're safe because I don't plan on selling mine. I still use it! Very handy for checking code. The BS2 development board is the much richer offering, but the old SAB was and still is a solid performer.
From the list I'm also excited at the possibility of an X/Y gantry table. Moves us that much closer to a homebrew 3D printer.
Touch screen, GPS, digital compass, USB memory, ADC, RS-422 link, accellerometer, and so on. IT is a 'brave new world'. Time to consider providing more that mere modules.
I was hoping for metal tracks,5 feet in length. for a 2 foot platform with 6 inches of travel at least.
They already sell those for snowmobiles, industrial snow blowers, and so on. Outfits like EMT sell this size range for combat and research robots, so this scale is already pretty well provided. If you're not sold on metal there are heavy-duty rubber track conversion kits for snow blowers that are easy to adapt for robotics.
What's less available is the step up from what Tamiya offers in the rubber track kit. Lynxmotion has something similar, but something with a choice of tread widths would be handy. The JohnnyRobot tracks are hard plastic only, and need pieces of rubber glued onto them for traveling over hard surfaces. The Vex tracks are nice, but I'm not sure if they are rugged enough for heavier robots.
My second idea would be a Parallax high temp, and high pressure sensor for "in cylinder" measuring of real-time combustion pressures, for hi-performance gasoline and diesel engines up to and beyond 10,000 rpm range.
They already sell those for snowmobiles, industrial snow blowers, and so on. Outfits like EMT sell this size range for combat and research robots, so this scale is already pretty well provided. If you're not sold on metal there are heavy-duty rubber track conversion kits for snow blowers that are easy to adapt for robotics.
What's less available is the step up from what Tamiya offers in the rubber track kit. Lynxmotion has something similar, but something with a choice of tread widths would be handy. The JohnnyRobot tracks are hard plastic only, and need pieces of rubber glued onto them for traveling over hard surfaces. The Vex tracks are nice, but I'm not sure if they are rugged enough for heavier robots.
@Graffix: That Ripsaw is fast & impressive. The real test of treads is how they work when a rock gets picked up inside a tread. One small rock can lock up a powerful tread, it looks like Ripsaw has suspended bogies which is very good..
How about a little CNC machine. I just finished searching the net for info on small CNC machines and the possibility of buying a little kit or plans or making my own. When I thought Parallax works with all the materials needed to make one. Why don't they make one I would defiantly buy one from them, then I remembered this thread. So here is my idea.
I wouldn't know, but more than one person on these forums has mentioned that the Propeller(P8X32A) makes for a good CNC controller. Seems like a match to me. You could possibly bring in a whole group of CNC hobbyist.
Ok, here's the "Final List" of winning entries... (please let me know if there's a discrepancy or error).
Even though you may not have won - you're input is invaluable to our Marketing and Engineering teams here - thanks for all your suggestions!
UAV kit for the hard to find components airbot = Post #8 mindrobots
Arm and Gripper = Post #9 erco
Touch Screen / case assembly = Post #16 mindrobots
Propeller Camera Processor = Post #30 Bean
Walking Robot = Post #31 idave
Battery Voltage Monitor = Post #6 sam_sam_sam + variation Post #41 Robotworkshop
QuickStart mini SD = Post #42 maxwin
Quick Start daughter boards KB, RCA etc. = Post #43 maxwin
Weather Station = Post #46 Gordon McComb
5v and 3.3 v Power supply for breadboarding = Post #47 Gordon McComb
Home automation = Post #47 localroger
Walking Robot (Penquin Replacement) = Post #81 Publison
Power-point Propeller Presenter = Post #84 Ahle2
Xy rotated base = Post #101 NikosG
Hexapod kit = Post #102 vanmunch
Prop PLC = Post #125 maxwin
LION Extension = Post #10 erco + variation Post #147 Jay B. Harlow
Quality Robot Track Solution = Post #153 zoopydogsit
The "variations" noted above will also get a prize, because the variation added to the original idea - which made the original idea even better.
Although it wasn't in the "Rules", those who won more than one "idea", will get multiple prizes - example: maxwin submitted (3) winning entries, he'll get (3) prizes!
I'll let this list settle for the next 24 hours (barring any corrections) - and then we'll ship!
Wow! That's so nice! Yes, Matt, the Forums are incredibly awesome! I'm so glad I joined!
Now I'm going to say how I was introduced to this awesome place.
In 2006, I got a copy of ROBOT Magazine, and in it there was a Parallax ad. I read some descriptions of the products that were featured, and the good ol' BOE-Bot caught my eye. The ad said that it was great for beginners to robotics and programming, which was exactly what I needed. Then, finally, in December 2010, I got the BOE-Bot. I loved it, and I spent most of my free time working through the book (great job, Andy Lindsay!).
Anyway, I thought that I should check out the BOE-Bot company's website, Parallax Inc. Soon, I found my way to the forums. I browsed anonymously for quite some time, thinking about joining. Then I realized that there was the occasionnal contests (the Robot Base Kit naming). And I joined.
Again, thank you so much erco, for offering me the PING. I accept!
And you too, Parallax, for creating the Forums.
P.S. I didn't join the forums for the contests. It was more like, "They have contests, too?"
Comments
I'll third the nomination to fast-trick this one. The old Stamp Activity Board had an X-10 jack and examples, so Parallax has only to dust that off and they'll be half way there.
Or something like that. :cool:
Sounds like an injection molding machine would just about fit in a corner of Ken's garage. Track links and sprockets would make a perfect first project!
-- Gordon
http://lib.store.yahoo.net/lib/e-clec-tech/bsab.pdf
UAV kit for the hard to find components – airbot (mindrobots: post #8)
Arm and Gripper (erco: post #9)
Touch Screen / case assembly ($WMc%: post #112)
Propeller Camera Processor (Bean: post #30)
Walking Robot (iDave: post #31)
Battery Voltage Monitor (sam_sam_sam: post #6)
QuickStart mini SD (Maxwin: post #42)
Quick Start daughter boards KB, RCA etc. (Maxwin: post #43)
Weather Station (GordonMcComb: post #46)
5v and 3.3 v Power supply for breadboarding (GordonMcComb: post #46)
Home automation (Vern: post #86)
Walking Robot (Penquin Replacement) (W9GF0: post #69)
Power-point Propeller Presenter (Ahle2: post #84)
Xy rotated base (NikosG: post #101)
Hexapod kit (vanmunch: post #102)
Prop PLC (Maxwin: post #125)
LION Extension (Jay B. Harlow: post #147)
Quality Robot Track Solution (zoopydogsit: post #153)
YMMV (and if anyone doesn't want their prize, I would be glad to have it!)
Yeah, I guess. I'm just excited.
I love the home automation idea. I really want to have a web-based automation server so I can do things like turn the heat on when I'm on my way home.
NikosG described a pan/tilt turret (which I suggested (to go along with a camera) in an earlier post). I don't know who gets the credit.
P.S. Sorry if I seem kind of greedy because I'm trying to take credit for others ideas. Truth is, a lot of these ideas are similar to stuff that other people (including me) have posted
P.P.S I want my Piiiiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnnnnngggggggggggg (if I ended up winning, that is)
P.P.P.S. As DaveJenson stated, if anyone doesn't want their prize, I would be glad to have it!
May have to ask Parallax which one they picked. Post #6 seemed to ask for a Microcontrolled power supply which would need voltage and current monitoring. Certainly a cool project.
If they are talking about a battery monitor for mobile devices, robots, etc then perhaps post #41 applies...
Robert
Not so fast, my young Padawan! I suggested the solar tracker from the very start, which is definitely built on an XY rotated base pan/tilt assembly, which would clearly be outdoors at HOME, AUTOMATICALLY monitoring the sun & weather, generating 5v & 3.3V, while monitoring, charging and extending LION batteries, so I lay claim all these categories:
xy rotated base, battery voltage monitor, weather station, 5 & 3.3V voltage supply for breadboarding, home automation, and LION extension
Hmmm. That's only six. Sorry if I seem kind of greedy, but I need to win TEN PINGs to fill up the MadeUSA base. So obviously it's implied that my solar tracker would have a touch screen, Propeller Camera Processor, a UAV tender, and the whole shebang is mobile, rolling on quality robot tracks. Surely I didn't have to spell those out!
Matt, you DO have my mailing address, right?
@erco,
No, no, no! The p in Ping stands for plastic!
I brought home automation up in post #47.
So would my post #157 be the one?
-dan
You're safe because I don't plan on selling mine. I still use it! Very handy for checking code. The BS2 development board is the much richer offering, but the old SAB was and still is a solid performer.
From the list I'm also excited at the possibility of an X/Y gantry table. Moves us that much closer to a homebrew 3D printer.
-- Gordon
Touch screen, GPS, digital compass, USB memory, ADC, RS-422 link, accellerometer, and so on. IT is a 'brave new world'. Time to consider providing more that mere modules.
They already sell those for snowmobiles, industrial snow blowers, and so on. Outfits like EMT sell this size range for combat and research robots, so this scale is already pretty well provided. If you're not sold on metal there are heavy-duty rubber track conversion kits for snow blowers that are easy to adapt for robotics.
What's less available is the step up from what Tamiya offers in the rubber track kit. Lynxmotion has something similar, but something with a choice of tread widths would be handy. The JohnnyRobot tracks are hard plastic only, and need pieces of rubber glued onto them for traveling over hard surfaces. The Vex tracks are nice, but I'm not sure if they are rugged enough for heavier robots.
-- Gordon
EMT?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2dq8XQHVNAI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XwizLJV5kl8
I still say this old 6-link tractor tread is one of the most amazing things I have ever seen: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6u4ptksD1s
I would love to see a vehicle with 4 wheels like that.
Lots of questions about who was "first" on which winning product. I'll be sorting all that out this weekend, and posting the
"official list" Tuesday.
In the mean time - thanks for all YOUR input about who was "first" :-)
-Matt
I wouldn't know, but more than one person on these forums has mentioned that the Propeller(P8X32A) makes for a good CNC controller. Seems like a match to me. You could possibly bring in a whole group of CNC hobbyist.
Ron
Even though you may not have won - you're input is invaluable to our Marketing and Engineering teams here - thanks for all your suggestions!
UAV kit for the hard to find components airbot = Post #8 mindrobots
Arm and Gripper = Post #9 erco
Touch Screen / case assembly = Post #16 mindrobots
Propeller Camera Processor = Post #30 Bean
Walking Robot = Post #31 idave
Battery Voltage Monitor = Post #6 sam_sam_sam + variation Post #41 Robotworkshop
QuickStart mini SD = Post #42 maxwin
Quick Start daughter boards KB, RCA etc. = Post #43 maxwin
Weather Station = Post #46 Gordon McComb
5v and 3.3 v Power supply for breadboarding = Post #47 Gordon McComb
Home automation = Post #47 localroger
Walking Robot (Penquin Replacement) = Post #81 Publison
Power-point Propeller Presenter = Post #84 Ahle2
Xy rotated base = Post #101 NikosG
Hexapod kit = Post #102 vanmunch
Prop PLC = Post #125 maxwin
LION Extension = Post #10 erco + variation Post #147 Jay B. Harlow
Quality Robot Track Solution = Post #153 zoopydogsit
The "variations" noted above will also get a prize, because the variation added to the original idea - which made the original idea even better.
Although it wasn't in the "Rules", those who won more than one "idea", will get multiple prizes - example: maxwin submitted (3) winning entries, he'll get (3) prizes!
I'll let this list settle for the next 24 hours (barring any corrections) - and then we'll ship!
-Matt
But Matt, if there are two prizes for erco, please redirect one of them to THAT guy. I admire his spirit and enthusiasm!
erco! Your true feelings deceive you - you really do have a heart
Hear that THAT guy? - are these Forums a great place to be, or what?
-Matt
Wow! That's so nice! Yes, Matt, the Forums are incredibly awesome! I'm so glad I joined!
Now I'm going to say how I was introduced to this awesome place.
In 2006, I got a copy of ROBOT Magazine, and in it there was a Parallax ad. I read some descriptions of the products that were featured, and the good ol' BOE-Bot caught my eye. The ad said that it was great for beginners to robotics and programming, which was exactly what I needed. Then, finally, in December 2010, I got the BOE-Bot. I loved it, and I spent most of my free time working through the book (great job, Andy Lindsay!).
Anyway, I thought that I should check out the BOE-Bot company's website, Parallax Inc. Soon, I found my way to the forums. I browsed anonymously for quite some time, thinking about joining. Then I realized that there was the occasionnal contests (the Robot Base Kit naming). And I joined.
Again, thank you so much erco, for offering me the PING. I accept!
And you too, Parallax, for creating the Forums.
P.S. I didn't join the forums for the contests. It was more like, "They have contests, too?"