Just wondering....

[crenn]

I'm currently looking at building a robot (the casing etc will be from scratch, electronics will be a mix) and I would like to know 2 things:

1. Can I put the worklog here even though it's not really a case mod?
2. Would anyone be interested in the worklog if I did put it up?


For those wondering, I'm looking at getting a Pico-ITX motherboard and making a fully functioning autonomous robot (it will be developed in stages) over the course of my uni work. Lots of home-built robots have been done in the past using Mini-ITX boards, but the ones I've seen are using Linux, I'm planning to use Windows XP Embedded. The program (for the robot) will be written, from scratch.

[Airbozo]

Sounds like a computer mod to me. Only it moves.

Check out the M$ robotics programming kit HERE (http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/robotics/default.aspx).

(not sure if you knew about it)

Anyone else?

[Ichbin]

OF COURSE!

any worklog is cool on TBCS. We're about hardware modding, which includes but isnt limited to PCs.

I would TOTALLY be interested :)

[BigJohnson]

Yeah I think everyone would definitely be interested in something like that. Any mod is usually welcome here. Especially if technology is involved.

[jdbnsn]

Absolutely, I'd love to watch a robot build. We saw some amazing robots out at the Maker's Faire in Cali. Airbozo was there too, he can tell you about it. The even had battle bots.

[Airbozo]

Absolutely, I'd love to watch a robot build. We saw some amazing robots out at the Maker's Faire in Cali. Airbozo was there too, he can tell you about it. The even had battle bots.

Hehe, My favorite was the 20' nose picker....

I would love to have that in my backyard, pointed at one particular neighbor.
"mommy, why is he pointing at his nose? And what is that green stuff?"

OK, so that one was not a tobor ;)

[slytherock]

I love robots.

Have you seen the Asimo (http://world.honda.com/ASIMO/) robot at that Maker's fair?

This robot (name after the one who invent the word robot: Isaac Asimov) is awesome

1CtKj25_dkI

[jdbnsn]

I don't know if I saw that, but the nose picker was for sale Terry.

[crenn]

Sounds like a computer mod to me. Only it moves.
Check out the M$ robotics programming kit HERE (http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/robotics/default.aspx).
(not sure if you knew about it)
Anyone else?
It's one of the things I'll be looking into, I haven't tried it out yet but I know it could provide several things I need for my development.


Absolutely, I'd love to watch a robot build. We saw some amazing robots out at the Maker's Faire in Cali. Airbozo was there too, he can tell you about it. The even had battle bots.
Robotics isn't as wide spread here, I normally read about them in magazines or watch them on Discovery Channel or youtube.


I love robots.
Have you seen the Asimo (http://world.honda.com/ASIMO/) robot at that Maker's fair?
This robot (name after the one who invent the word robot: Isaac Asimov) is awesome
Asimo is fairly famous robot, it was very famous when it had a mechanical failure during a live demonstration.



I'll start up a worklog if I manage to get the hardware (I'm looking at around AUD$1000 worth of hardware) and I'll also be showing you guys the programming as well as it develops plus plenty of videos.
The rough idea for stages is like this:
Stage 1. Get the software communicating with the hardware (I've never had to deal with communicating with serial ports in a programming language)
Stage 2. Get it moving by itself and integrating a Function to make implementation easier
Stage 3. Enable the chassis to be completely mobile (integrating all electronics and the batteries and charging system)
Stage 4. Get the robot to do a 'basic' program of avoiding objects.

After those stages, then I'll look into where to go from there.

[jdbnsn]

Robotics isn't as wide spread here, I normally read about them in magazines or watch them on Discovery Channel or youtube.


They were extremely cool at the Faire, I was mesmerized and building one looked like so much fun. I will say though it's a very expensive hobby.

[crenn]

Robotics is an expensive hobby, but doing a robotics project willingly helps you get good jobs later in life ;)

Building a robot is normally fun, can be a little stressful though. But.... programming a robot is normally very stressful. I know from experience. It's worse when you're in the middle of a class competition... and everything goes wrong.

[Airbozo]

......
Stage 1. Get the software communicating with the hardware (I've never had to deal with communicating with serial ports in a programming language)
.....

Easy stuff. I have written a couple of c++ programs to communicate with a video switcher over serial with a webpage as the control. You treat serial ports just like files. Open. Send data. Wait for data. Close. (not necessarily in that order but you get the idea)

The M$ robotics SDK makes it even easier since the calls are all written, you just define the variables and assign the ports.

Keep us updated!

[crenn]

As I've said, I've never worked with serial ports, the last robot I wrote software for, all functions were in the microcontroller (except for a couple of libraries I didn't need). I was looking at the robotics SDK, it seems like it's going to be an ideal initial development platform.

Currently the current problem is getting funds to get the components for the project (one of the reasons why I'm looking for a job) but some of the cheaper equipment (USB-I2C adapter and a couple of sonar boards) may be easier to get and I can start developing some of the structure and get a rough idea on what I need to do. Once I get the hardware, the software development will become more rapid.

[b4i7]

Robotics is an expensive hobby.


heh....there is no such thing as an inexpensive hobby

[crenn]

heh....there is no such thing as an inexpensive hobby

Yes there is! Extreme sleeping!

[noopypoop]

Yes there is! Extreme sleeping!
Hobby? Thats my job!:bunny: