Wow, that looks like it will be a big success with kids. I wish I could have had one of those when I was 8. Any specs? Will it basicly just be the boe-bot in a different chasiss?
Rebekah wrote:
My dad took him to a huge public library a while back, and Kelie walked out with a stack of books with titles like "Junkbots, Bugbots & Bots on Wheels"...
This is one of the best books ever for a budding robotics hacker. I love it. Nothing against digital, but it is amazing the behaviors you can get from digital electronics if you force it to operate in a non-digital way! Using Schmitt trigger inverters looped to create "nervous neurons" is fascinating and has much room for research. And the use of free and cheap junk electronics is great! My favorite project was a photovore I built from two casette tape transports, optical sensors hacked from a computer mouse, and an LM 386 that came from an old phone answering machine that controlled the motors. I put it on my treadmill with a lamp at the front, and had it chasing the light for miles!
Whatever happened to Mark Tilden anyway? There's Ph.D. material in this realm [noparse]:)[/noparse]
Enjoy, Kelie, and welcome to a fun and rewarding world.
One of the most remarkable sources I found for surplus equipment is throw aways from the medical industry. An ex of mine worked for a home health care company, and the pumps for IVs would get thrown away when they break, because its cheaper to replace them than send away for repair. Those had 3 HDLG-2416s ($20 4 charactor 5 x 7 LED displays) 4x4+1 keypad, 68030 cpu, 6AH 12V SLA brick, DC gearboxed motor with belt and transfer gears, hall effect sensor, slotted optical switch, and a couple other goodies. What was wrong with it? the battery need recharging and it did so quite happily.
I have heard of surplus electonic stores in Silicon Valley, and I drool at the prospect of going in one. If anyone knows a place within 2 hrs drive from DC please let me know.
But your description of the book sounds interesting, perhaps I will pick up a copy.
Mark Tilden is still around, his last big thing was bio-bugs which was released late summer '01, then September 11 and the anthrax scare that followed prompted the manufacturer to pull it because of the product name's new connotation. I remember seeing an interview of him describing how he·was being pressured·to convert his·completely analog·design with digital, because fear of PRC knockoffs and his protest that digital didn't have any beauty.
Post Edited (Paul Baker) : 3/15/2005 5:47:43 AM GMT
···· Hi guys, I'm just letting you know that I'm still here.· I havent written for a while but will try later on today. ··· Thanks for all of the info., It alll sounds so cool!
Paul: I suppose you alread know about the "Electronics Plus" store in Beltsville, just outside DC? They sell all kinds of electronics parts. I only found out about them in my 30's -- wish I'd known earlier. I think their closeness to the University of Maryland keeps them in business.
servo's are very easy to control, and you don't have to worry (too much) about messing them up. stepper motors, are also very easy to control, and reasonably cheep. They can usually be slavaged from discarded floppy drives (you like takeing stuff appart right) Unfortunatly, they require some external electronics to drive. 4 pins of your controller each, if you control them dirrectly. I like to use allegro micro stepper motor drivers (http://www.allegromicro.com/ic/motor.asp) for my projects. they handle prettymuch everything, and reduce the number of pins required to 2 (step, and dirrection) THey can occasionally be gotten for free when allegro is feeling like letting people SAMPLE parts.
2 steppers, 2 switches, and a BasicStamp, and you could easyily create a wall hugger type bot. some LED's and light sensors, and you could make a line follower. no sensors and you can make a bot that goes in a pre-determined path, and experiment with various sensors from there. Have fun, there is a lot of exciting stuff to keep yourself busy.
· ···· Hi guys!· I probably won't have a lot to say until my BOE BOT comes in the mail.·· I'm sure I'll have tons of questions once its here.· ···I was wondering if anyone would have any cool·ideas about what to build once I'm done with the boe bot experiments?· Maybe a robot·that can recharge it, and that would run away from any movement.··That sounds pretty cool. ··I have been·doing allot of research and have looked at the schematics of the boe and the basic stamp, and I have figured out allot about the programming, and how the basic stamp works.· ·····Would anyone have any simple information about programming they could give me?··I was looking at that CAD picture of the·kids·robot, and·I was wondering,·why does everyone except me have·a cad program?· I have always wanted it to design some of my inventions.· ··· Also, I would like to say thanks to Joe I will also be receiving an SSIR module to hook up to my bot. ·
Thanks,
Not only are you getting an SSIR module, you will receive a Memsic accelerometer with the Boe-Bot. It should arrive pretty soon since it left Parallax on Tuesday. So, with this additional component you should be able to do these things:
If you want to make some headway before the robot arrives, just download the Robotics with the Boe-Bot text and read portions of it. Search our web site for Boe-Dar and see if you can understand how that program works, too.
I really have enjoyed this thread and the support you have received. It reminds me a little
bit about myself 20 or so years ago. Discovering what you can do with electronics can be
very exciting at times, and very frustrating at times. Be patient and don't give up. Many
amazing things have happened in the field of Electronics by people that start out just like you.
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Beau Schwabe - Mask Designer III
Once you devour the book for the BOE-Bot and finish all the experiments in it, you may want to wander over to the Stamps In Class forum and look through it. Pay particular attention to the ones authored by Andy Lindsay, he provides many "mini-courses" on different things you can do with your stamp and BOE-Bot. His writeups are thorough and very informative. They usually cover only a very specific topic, but if your at all like me after reading a few you say "Wait I can use that to do..." and you'll find yourself completely absorbed in this new·project for a good while.
Paul
·______ I too didn't fully understand PID until I read his article.
|
V
Post Edited (Paul Baker) : 3/18/2005 12:04:08 AM GMT
·· Yes, Andy's articles are very focused.· When learning it helps some people to focus on a specific task or concept when learning new things.· I myself have learned much from them, including some information on PID.
Uh, guys.........I don't think Kelie's going to post for a day or two.· His Boe-Bot got here today, and I had to use it as bribery·so he would get his·homework done quickly.· He also started track practices at school this week, so now he's going to have·a little less free time.· I just turned the package over to him a little while ago, and he's in nerd heaven.· He made me take his picture while he opened it.· It thought you might enjoy it.·
I want to personally thank the person who gave Kelie his setup.
By your generosity, you have made his day and jump started his career. We could be looking at the next Von Braun.
I share in his excitement for the BASIC stamp. I received the discovery kit about 2 months ago and have fell in love with it.
I had no idea the scope of things that it can do. I have only begun to scratch the surface.
····Well, well, well.· Hi guys!· I'm just checking in real quick. I've been really busy at school, and track, and I even went to a school board meeting today to talk about Lego robots, and I even gave a real quick demo of my Boe-Bot! · I've done various experiments with the bot.· I thought the table edge drop off detector circuit was pretty cool.· It stopped working, and I finally figured out that one of my IR diodes went dead!· Oh well, just another trip to radio shack. · I also had allot of fun with the accelerometer that came with the boe bot.··I think our·truck pulled a half a G.··I just got in the Swanson SSIR module that Joe sent me, and it didn't come with the source code CD, so I'll·have to·try and get that.· · I've been having a blast with my Boe-Bot, and I think it is changing what I will pursue in the future! · Thanks for what you said Erik, I cant believe what everyone is saying about me, and you couldn’t believe how grateful I am. By the way, thanks for all of the cool Ideas! ·
Have a VERY close look at compilers that say they support interrupts in BASIC ... what you'll find is that they're doing what the BS2p does.· In order to make sure that a time-critical fuction (e.g., SERIN/SEROUT, etc.) doesn't get trashed due to an interrupt, they must be suspended.· SX/B on the other hand, gives you full control -- you can allow interrupts to happen any time understanding full well the possible implications.
Robert Schwartz said...
The only thing that dissapoints me about the stamps is the lack of interupts.Sure, the BS2P's have polled interupts, but I would like to see them throughout the stamp lineup.
▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ Jon Williams Applications Engineer, Parallax
Dallas, TX· USA
Couldn't you implement a system that will watch for the interrupt, and then take action after the current command is done? Or is that what polled interupts are?
Yes, that's what polled interrupts do. It's a small piece of 'true' interrupt driven code "under the covers", which sets a bit, which is then checked by the "poll" code after the current PBasic Token finishes executing. If it is found as 'set', then the 'Pollxxx' code calls another Basic routine.
And yes, please Kelie, start another thread.· Three 'pages' of messages is long enough.
Post Edited (allanlane5) : 3/23/2005 2:23:00 PM GMT
Comments
As soon as we're ready to release it, we'll distribute a lot of information about this robot.
Whether for kids learning to program or for hackers willing to get access to the BASIC Stamp inside it.
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Aristides Alvarez
Education and Technical Support Manager
aalvarez@parallax.com
Parallax, Inc. www.parallax.com
Post Edited (Aristides Alvarez (Parallax)) : 3/14/2005 5:11:56 AM GMT
My dad took him to a huge public library a while back, and Kelie walked out with a stack of books with titles like "Junkbots, Bugbots & Bots on Wheels"...
This is one of the best books ever for a budding robotics hacker. I love it. Nothing against digital, but it is amazing the behaviors you can get from digital electronics if you force it to operate in a non-digital way! Using Schmitt trigger inverters looped to create "nervous neurons" is fascinating and has much room for research. And the use of free and cheap junk electronics is great! My favorite project was a photovore I built from two casette tape transports, optical sensors hacked from a computer mouse, and an LM 386 that came from an old phone answering machine that controlled the motors. I put it on my treadmill with a lamp at the front, and had it chasing the light for miles!
Whatever happened to Mark Tilden anyway? There's Ph.D. material in this realm [noparse]:)[/noparse]
Enjoy, Kelie, and welcome to a fun and rewarding world.
▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
Name: Bruce Clemens
Work:· Clemensb@otc.edu
Good Stuff on my Blog: http://theDeadBug.journalspace.com
I have heard of surplus electonic stores in Silicon Valley, and I drool at the prospect of going in one. If anyone knows a place within 2 hrs drive from DC please let me know.
But your description of the book sounds interesting, perhaps I will pick up a copy.
Mark Tilden is still around, his last big thing was bio-bugs which was released late summer '01, then September 11 and the anthrax scare that followed prompted the manufacturer to pull it because of the product name's new connotation. I remember seeing an interview of him describing how he·was being pressured·to convert his·completely analog·design with digital, because fear of PRC knockoffs and his protest that digital didn't have any beauty.
Post Edited (Paul Baker) : 3/15/2005 5:47:43 AM GMT
··· Thanks for all of the info., It alll sounds so cool!
thanks,··
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the NERD, Kelie B.
2 steppers, 2 switches, and a BasicStamp, and you could easyily create a wall hugger type bot. some LED's and light sensors, and you could make a line follower. no sensors and you can make a bot that goes in a pre-determined path, and experiment with various sensors from there. Have fun, there is a lot of exciting stuff to keep yourself busy.
···· Hi guys!· I probably won't have a lot to say until my BOE BOT comes in the mail.·· I'm sure I'll have tons of questions once its here.·
···I was wondering if anyone would have any cool·ideas about what to build once I'm done with the boe bot experiments?· Maybe a robot·that can recharge it, and that would run away from any movement.··That sounds pretty cool.
· ·I have been·doing allot of research and have looked at the schematics of the boe and the basic stamp, and I have figured out allot about the programming, and how the basic stamp works.·
·····Would anyone have any simple information about programming they could give me?··I was looking at that CAD picture of the·kids·robot, and·I was wondering,·why does everyone except me have·a cad program?· I have always wanted it to design some of my inventions.·
··· Also, I would like to say thanks to Joe I will also be receiving an SSIR module to hook up to my bot.
·
Thanks,
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the NERD, Kelie B.
Not only are you getting an SSIR module, you will receive a Memsic accelerometer with the Boe-Bot. It should arrive pretty soon since it left Parallax on Tuesday. So, with this additional component you should be able to do these things:
http://forums.parallax.com/forums/default.aspx?f=6&m=62053 - neat project and 33 questions you can answer
http://forums.parallax.com/forums/default.aspx?f=6&m=60112 - Boe-Bot Hill climber with more questions, projects, etc.
If you want to make some headway before the robot arrives, just download the Robotics with the Boe-Bot text and read portions of it. Search our web site for Boe-Dar and see if you can understand how that program works, too.
Ken Gracey
Parallax, Inc.
Man I wish I had some of that cool stuff!!!
I really have enjoyed this thread and the support you have received. It reminds me a little
bit about myself 20 or so years ago. Discovering what you can do with electronics can be
very exciting at times, and very frustrating at times. Be patient and don't give up. Many
amazing things have happened in the field of Electronics by people that start out just like you.
▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
Beau Schwabe - Mask Designer III
National Semiconductor Corporation
Latest Company News
(Communication Interface Division)
500 Pinnacle Court, Suite 525
Mail Stop GA1
Norcross,GA 30071
Once you devour the book for the BOE-Bot and finish all the experiments in it, you may want to wander over to the Stamps In Class forum and look through it. Pay particular attention to the ones authored by Andy Lindsay, he provides many "mini-courses" on different things you can do with your stamp and BOE-Bot. His writeups are thorough and very informative. They usually cover only a very specific topic, but if your at all like me after reading a few you say "Wait I can use that to do..." and you'll find yourself completely absorbed in this new·project for a good while.
Paul
·______ I too didn't fully understand PID until I read his article.
|
V
Post Edited (Paul Baker) : 3/18/2005 12:04:08 AM GMT
·· Yes, Andy's articles are very focused.· When learning it helps some people to focus on a specific task or concept when learning new things.· I myself have learned much from them, including some information on PID.
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Chris Savage
Parallax Tech Support
csavage@parallax.com
BTW, is the Forrest who posted in here Forrest Mims III? Just curious.
Ryan
Rebekah Bailey (the mommy)
By your generosity, you have made his day and jump started his career. We could be looking at the next Von Braun.
I share in his excitement for the BASIC stamp. I received the discovery kit about 2 months ago and have fell in love with it.
I had no idea the scope of things that it can do. I have only begun to scratch the surface.
On a side note,
Congratulations Kelie !!!
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**************
daniel woolston
Teksystems Inc.
www.danwoolston.com
**************
· I've done various experiments with the bot.· I thought the table edge drop off detector circuit was pretty cool.· It stopped working, and I finally figured out that one of my IR diodes went dead!· Oh well, just another trip to radio shack.
· I also had allot of fun with the accelerometer that came with the boe bot.··I think our·truck pulled a half a G.··I just got in the Swanson SSIR module that Joe sent me, and it didn't come with the source code CD, so I'll·have to·try and get that.·
· I've been having a blast with my Boe-Bot, and I think it is changing what I will pursue in the future!
· Thanks for what you said Erik, I cant believe what everyone is saying about me, and you couldn’t believe how grateful I am. By the way, thanks for all of the cool Ideas!
·
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the NERD, Kelie B.
the Nerd
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the NERD, Kelie B.
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Jon Williams
Applications Engineer, Parallax
Dallas, TX· USA
And yes, please Kelie, start another thread.· Three 'pages' of messages is long enough.
Post Edited (allanlane5) : 3/23/2005 2:23:00 PM GMT
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the NERD, Kelie B.