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Smartlab Rover — Parallax Forums

Smartlab Rover

Too_Many_ToolsToo_Many_Tools Posts: 765
in Robotics
I recently found a Smartlab rover in a thrift shop.

http://cybertoy.net/2012/04/17/smart-lab-recon-6-0-programmable-rover/

Can anyone point me to an internal review of this robot?

How about a teardown/hacking discussion?

I have looked and have found next to nothing but canned reviews promoting its purchase.

Thanks

Comments

  • ercoerco Posts: 20,255
    Dang, now I want one, TMT!
  • xanaduxanadu Posts: 3,347
    Looks pretty cool for $50. Amazon has some videos in the reviews, nothing on hacking it though.
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,255
    edited 2015-12-06 00:29
    duplicate post, mods please delete
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,255
    edited 2015-12-06 00:28
    Hopefully this enlightened Parallax crowd is the exception, but when "hackers" take a toy apart, it's almost always a one-way trip. They usually never go back together, much less get "hacked" into a better toy. Every toy has its shortcomings and has room for improvement, but most people get bored about halfway through the job and toss them in the trash. Maybe they learn something along the way. Like "don't kill another toy"!

    $29 shipped: http://www.ebay.com/itm/221947385231

    TMT, you paid what, maybe $5 in a thrift shop? SCORE!

    Or for $27 you can have a mint vintage 1984 Tomy Omnibot....



    antenna!

    http://www.ebay.com/itm/261926457281

  • MikeDYurMikeDYur Posts: 2,176
    I have taken a number of the Chinese radio controlled vehicles apart, like New Brite, they should have a sticker on them, "No User Serviceable Parts Inside", if you don't pull the print off the board doing any rework, you run into some part permanently epoxied. It is a wonder they work in the first place, with something comprised of what looks like inferior components.
  • WhitWhit Posts: 4,191
    https://www.smartlabtoys.com/media/pdf/instructions/ins-recon_rover.pdf

  • Duane DegnDuane Degn Posts: 10,588
    erco wrote: »
    Hopefully this enlightened Parallax crowd is the exception, but when "hackers" take a toy apart, it's almost always a one-way trip. They usually never go back together, much less get "hacked" into a better toy.

    I hacked a Roboni-I (you made me buy) and greatly improved its performance. I added encoders to the wheels (added to one of the gears). I got rid of the "gerbilling" and added proportional control.

    I also changed the bi-colored LEDs into RGB LEDs with fun patterns based on various functions of the robot (driving speed or obstacle detection).

    I didn't make a video when I was driving it around but next time I put it back together (I'm waiting on a part for the next upgrade), I'll be sure and make a video of it in action.

    Does this mean I'm "enlightened".
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,255
    Yes Sir Duane, you have earned both Illuminatti and Preferetti status here.
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