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Another 'Bot — Parallax Forums

Another 'Bot

ajwardajward Posts: 1,130
edited 2011-12-11 14:38 in General Discussion
Just bought an S1 robot from eBay. Just what's needed, another mechanical critter running around... well, yeah... really it is. ;-)

@

Comments

  • LoopyBytelooseLoopyByteloose Posts: 12,537
    edited 2011-12-05 07:31
    I am rebuilding my Parallax Toddler - complete with Twinkle Toes and down looking IR sensors to prevent walking off of tables and ledges. After 4 days of search for my Allen wrench, I bought an new set. I couldn't get the legs off for refinishing the chassis.

    At this point I have the Toddler, a BoEBot, a Pololu line follower and another small robot that are complete. There are a few unfinished builds as well.
  • doggiedocdoggiedoc Posts: 2,245
    edited 2011-12-05 07:47
    I actually got my S1 down the other day.... it's still sitting right where I put it. I too am rebuilding my Toddler as Loopy noted - I'm pretty sure I have twinkle toes parts around somewhere.

    @ajward - What are you planning to do with your S1?

    Paul
  • Martin_HMartin_H Posts: 4,051
    edited 2011-12-05 08:43
    Yeah for some reason Scribbler, CBA, Penguin, ArmBot, and TankBot are not enough bots. The problem is that three of the five use BS2's, one uses a propeller, and the other uses that other brand of microcontroller. So I am getting started on another bot which uses a propeller chip and possibly a chumby board for wifi.
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,259
    edited 2011-12-05 09:53
    You know, the S1 is still a great and very useful robot. S2 is obviously far more capable, yet the simplicity of programming S1's BS2 (say that 10x fast) still captivates me. The S2 object and GUI are incredibly well done (way to go PhiPi) and the Propeller object exchange is a tremendous resource for rapidly getting something working. Having said that...

    When ICs came on the hobbyist scene in the 1970s, they were met with a bit of resistance from the DIY set, who prefered discrete components. Stringing together a bunch of premade black chips was just cheatin'... Well we see who won that argument today (ICs, natch) for LSI applications. But also today, there is still an elegant simplicity and pureness to using discrete parts, as demonstrated by the minimalist BEAM/junkbot/bugbot movement.

    That's a bit how I feel about the S1/S2. I find it very satisfying to program a new app or "behavior" entirely from scratch, and it's obviously much easier to do that on the S1 than S2. Here's my latest, and the brief code is attached in the comments:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_M4sPnuu37U
  • ajwardajward Posts: 1,130
    edited 2011-12-05 18:48
    Another 'bot in the house. Now there is Bob, Ted, Orville, Percival and, now... Sid.

    @Loopy B - Please post some pictures of your Toddler 'bot!!!

    @doggiedoc - At first just seeing what he's capable of doing and then, maybe, a peek inside to see what makes him tick.

    @Martin_H - How many 'bots are enough? ;-)

    @erco - The S1 seemed a decent deal... an S2 is down the road! I learned electronics in the mid 60's... lots of glass tubes and huge transformers. My first silicon project involved the CK722 transistor. I used it to build a low power AM transmitter. Used it to broadcast music from my record player around the neighborhood.

    Amanda
  • LoopyBytelooseLoopyByteloose Posts: 12,537
    edited 2011-12-06 09:34
    Sorry, no pictures right now as my Toddler bot is all in pieces for refinishing. But this will motivate me to get something to show real soon.
  • doggiedocdoggiedoc Posts: 2,245
    edited 2011-12-06 15:22
    Take it apart! Take it apart!! I may want to do the same with mine. I've got no reservations about taking things apart although sometimes I never get them back together again. :D
  • ajwardajward Posts: 1,130
    edited 2011-12-09 21:46
    Sid is in the house... no thanks to UPS (again!). We've run a couple of the demo programs and he's pretty neat! More tinkering is needed!

    @
  • ajwardajward Posts: 1,130
    edited 2011-12-11 14:38
    Got into programming Sid this weekend. I kind of like the GUI, but it's neat to switch from the GUI screen to the stamp code to see what was generated. Wow!
    Have him running some decent timed routes around the house. Gonna start working with the IR later on.

    @
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