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Dalek vs Soldering iron- simple modifications? — Parallax Forums

Dalek vs Soldering iron- simple modifications?

modbommodbom Posts: 2
edited 2007-08-13 16:30 in Robotics
I'm new to robotics. and I'd like to modify this toy I recently bought
http://www.whona.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=W&Product_Code=2006radiodalek&Category_Code=cotoys
There's lots of empty space inside and I'd love to try some modifications to it. I'd like to start by replacing the loud motors with something quieter. Maybe from here
http://www.hobbyengineering.com/
I would love to take advantage of the basic stamp starter kit I bought and do something more too. Does anyone have any suggestions that might help me get started?

Comments

  • latigerlillylatigerlilly Posts: 114
    edited 2007-02-10 06:13
    If you want to replace a motor, for ease of programming, use a continuous rotation servo. If you want to just control motors that are already present on the unit, then use relays to turn on and off the motors with the BS2. If you want quiet, just grease the gears a bit. Most toys are not built with and grease/lubricant on the gears as they are built with only a low sale price in mind. Teflon grease should be good.
  • Mike GreenMike Green Posts: 23,101
    edited 2007-02-10 06:37
    You don't want the Dalek to be too quiet. It might sneak up on the Doctor.

    latigerlilly is right, it's usually not the motor itself, but the gears that are noisy.

    You could get some cheap reed relays. I think even Radio Shack carries some that can be driven directly from a Stamp pin (#275-232 - $3). You do need a diode connected in reverse across the relay coil (a 1N4001 will do - also from Radio Shack if you want). See "What's a Microcontroller?" tutorial from Parallax for how to do this.
  • modbommodbom Posts: 2
    edited 2007-02-10 16:28
    grease?! That's too easy. HA. I will start there. Thanks for the tips. I was thinking of some kind of IR sensor to trigger voice sample playback ( Which it already has) whenever someone walks by. I think I'm going to end up buying 2 of these toys so that one can be cannibalized.
  • ToymakerToymaker Posts: 8
    edited 2007-07-27 15:57
    Hi Modbom

    Is this the kind of modified Dalek you are thinking about:

    http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=X7kygMHrYq8

    It uses the brilliant Sensory VR Stamp.

    Regards

    Toymaker

    To see Product Innovation - visit our website at www.conceptioneering.co.uk
  • Tim-MTim-M Posts: 522
    edited 2007-07-27 16:41
    Toymaker,

    Your youtube video is really impressive. Of what we see there, what functions are original verses the work that you have done with the VR-Stamp?

    Tim
  • ToymakerToymaker Posts: 8
    edited 2007-07-29 09:46
    Hi Tim

    All functions are new, I just used the toy's original motors everything else was rebuilt.

    Regards

    Toymaker

    To see Product Innovation - visit our website at www.conceptioneering.co.uk
  • Tim-MTim-M Posts: 522
    edited 2007-07-30 04:12
    Hi Toymaker,

    Thanks for writing back. I'm very interested in the capability VR-Stamp, particularly the speech recognition functions. A year and a half or so ago, I bought the Easy VR-Stamp Development System put out by MikroElektronika. A demo of synthesized music plays when the development board is powered up, but to date, I have not been able to do anything else with the system. I've tried working with MikroElektronika support, but the response is all but nonexistant and I feel like a software package may not have been included in the kit, but I can't even get those folks to confirm that. I don't know C or Assembler, but talking with Sensory confirms that software included with their ToolKit should allow demonstrations of the VR-Stamp speech recognition capability without previous experience with the programming languages. I'm considering the additional investment of $350 for the Sensory ToolKit, but really seems ashame to not be able to use the system that I already own. Having used the VR-Stamp, do you have any thoughts about this situation? I would appreciate any input that you may have.

    Tim
  • LilDiLilDi Posts: 229
    edited 2007-07-30 16:54
    I have purchased the Sensory VR Stamp Toolkit and I thank my lucky stars I didn't purchase the Easy VR-Stamp Development System from MikroElektronika. If you go to the MikroElektronika VR Stamp forum, you will see a ton of dissatisfied customers complaining about the lack of development tools (namely the T2SI-Lite software tools that ship with the Sensory VR Stamp Toolkit). I too am not a C programmer, but I have been able to tweak the sample programs and get it to do what I want as far as controlling I/O lines are concerned. The rest of the customization of the speech recognition and speech synthesis is a snap with the T2Si-Lite sofware tools.

    I would highly recommend the $350 Sensory VR Stamp Toolkit. On the upside, this toolkit from Sensory includes 2 VR Stamps. You will then have 3 of them to include in other projects.

    Good luck Tim-M
  • Tim-MTim-M Posts: 522
    edited 2007-07-30 18:10
    LILDI,

    I have to agree with other VR-Stamp forum members that you mentioned... the support from MikroElektronika seems to be anything but. I'll have to see if I can purchase the T2SI-Lite software tools seperately that you talk about, to make what I have fly, otherwise I'll make the additional investment into the OEM tools like I should have done to begin with.

    Thanks for your time, help, information and well wishes.

    Tim
  • LilDiLilDi Posts: 229
    edited 2007-07-30 19:04
    Tim-M,
    Sensory claims to provide the T2SI-Lite software for MikroElektronika to re-sell with MikroElektronika Easy VR Stamp Development System. The problem is it depends on who you talk to at Sensory. Some at Sensory are saying that they will never sell T2Si-Lite seperately. MikroElektronika repeatedly claims it will be available very soon. That was two years ago. You can purchase T2SI Pro for about $1000 with lots of additional features. It originally sold for $5000. Also check out the Fluent-Soft program from Sensory. Very cool.

    I hope you-all don't consider this a high jack.
  • Paul Sr.Paul Sr. Posts: 435
    edited 2007-07-30 19:10
    Tim-M said...
    Hi Toymaker,

    Thanks for writing back. I'm very interested in the capability VR-Stamp, particularly the speech recognition functions. A year and a half or so ago, I bought the Easy VR-Stamp Development System put out by MikroElektronika. A demo of synthesized music plays when the development board is powered up, but to date, I have not been able to do anything else with the system. I've tried working with MikroElektronika support, but the response is all but nonexistant and I feel like a software package may not have been included in the kit, but I can't even get those folks to confirm that. I don't know C or Assembler, but talking with Sensory confirms that software included with their ToolKit should allow demonstrations of the VR-Stamp speech recognition capability without previous experience with the programming languages. I'm considering the additional investment of $350 for the Sensory ToolKit, but really seems ashame to not be able to use the system that I already own. Having used the VR-Stamp, do you have any thoughts about this situation? I would appreciate any input that you may have.

    Tim

    Same here - mine is still collecting dust on the shelf - where it has been since it totally frustrated me! It would be great to get it working!
  • Tim-MTim-M Posts: 522
    edited 2007-07-30 19:15
    Moderator,

    I agree with LILDI in-that I think should have started a new thread when I brought up the topic of the VR-Stamp. Please edit this as you see fit and turn it into its own thread if that's best.

    My apologies,

    Tim

    Post Edited (Tim-M) : 7/30/2007 7:25:34 PM GMT
  • Tim-MTim-M Posts: 522
    edited 2007-07-30 19:22
    LILDI,

    Your additional information is great to know. At least now I have a clue as to why this has been such a frustration! MikroElektronika seems to have left the easy out of their Easy Development System, and I have made mental notes as to using anything from them in the future. They have told me that software would be available very soon as well... so much for the promises. I'll chalk this up to life experience and make the investment with Sensory.

    Tim
  • Tim-MTim-M Posts: 522
    edited 2007-07-30 19:30
    Hi Paul,

    We talked about this at that time didn't we? I'm sorry that you found the same dead end that I did... I feel somewhat responsible since I made a recomendation for the MikroElektronika product at the time, it really did look good. The VR-Stamp appears to be a wonderful product, which is why the frustration level that you mentioned is so high. I understand what you feel because I have two of them that I still can't even demo, much less use. I agree, it would be great to get them working.· I have to admit that I have not brought this subject up since·our previous discussion·because I've been embarased that I couldn't make any headway with it.

    Tim

    Post Edited (Tim-M) : 7/30/2007 7:43:21 PM GMT
  • Tim-MTim-M Posts: 522
    edited 2007-07-31 16:55
    Toymaker,

    Do I understand correctly that both the speech recognition and the speech source are produced by the VR-Stamp in your Dalek example? Is the Dalek speech synthesised or a recorded digital playback?

    Tim
  • Tim-MTim-M Posts: 522
    edited 2007-08-03 15:32
    As part of an on-going e-mail exchange with Sensory, I've been told that the T2SI-Lite software included with the VR-Stamp ToolKit has limitations of 50 builds and/or 180 days -- whatever comes first. As LILDI mentioned earlier, the upgrade from the Lite to Pro version of this software package is $1000. From what I understand, the Pro version is not only with out these limits but many additional features are made available as well. This all sounds well and good, but wow that's expensive and difficult to justifly on a hobbyist level. I'll post more details as I learn them.

    Tim
  • ToymakerToymaker Posts: 8
    edited 2007-08-04 09:10
    Hi Tim

    Yes, the VR Stamp can do sound output as well as voice recognition. We used "ring modulation" software to get the Dalek voice. We are now producing a half size (fully autonomous) Dalek with VR and a·lots of other cool sensors. The unfinished Dalek can be seen here on Youtube under radio control:

    http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=SNQXdKEwt34

    Regards

    Toymaker

    To see Product Innovation - visit our website at www.conceptioneering.co.uk
    ·
  • Tim-MTim-M Posts: 522
    edited 2007-08-05 21:51
    Hi Toymaker,

    Thanks for clearing up the sound output in regards to your smaller Dalek model.· I am aware that the VR Stamp can generate sound, I just wasn't sure if that was what you were generating the·sound output·with.· As far as your half size Dalek is concerned, all I can say is Wow, you do·beautiful work!· I look forward to seeing and hearing·the end result, please keep us posted as to its progress.· May I ask if that project is by contract or if you have developed it for sale?· Do you plan to produce more than one of the·half size units?

    Tim

    Edit: By the way, thank you for mentioning the "ring modulation" technique that you used for Dalek's voice, I like it.· I will look into·that when I receive my Sensory ToolKit.

    Post Edited (Tim-M) : 8/5/2007 9:56:51 PM GMT
  • ToymakerToymaker Posts: 8
    edited 2007-08-06 14:47
    Hi Tim

    Yes, me and a friend Steve Cole·are producing two half size Daleks that will be fully automonous and will·interact with each other. Steve is a brilliant model maker and my field is the electronics and technology. The new Daleks will have multiple sensors with simple thermal imaging and be totally voice controlled, we hope to give them the ability to do simple learning via an AI core. Steve also built the neat R2D2 also shown in the video. We are only doing the Daleks on a hobby basis, but they will be serious development platforms.

    Ring modulators are how the BBC did the original Dalek voices back in the sixties.

    Best Regards

    Toymaker

    To see Product Innovation - visit our website at www.conceptioneering.co.uk
  • Tim-MTim-M Posts: 522
    edited 2007-08-06 15:10
    Hi Toymaker,

    You and your friend Steve sound like a wonderful and winning collaboration! Combining those skill sets should make for success in the end. Please keep us posted as to the progress on your half size Daleks project, as that will be alot of fun for the rest of us to follow.

    Tim
  • Tim-MTim-M Posts: 522
    edited 2007-08-13 16:30
    Hi Everyone,

    This thread has gone quite off topic from the original posted questions. ·In respect for the original poster, I've started a new thread (a couple of days ago)·in the Sandbox for those who would like to continue in the discussion about voice recognition, the Sensory VR Stamp and its ToolKit.

    You can find the new thread here:
    http://forums.parallax.com/showthread.php?p=666989

    Thanks,

    Tim

    Post Edited (Tim-M) : 8/13/2007 4:36:08 PM GMT
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