I'm a has-been geek who grew up on C64s and Amigas. I have a non-professinoal background in programming from the late 80's. I'm bored with the whole PC realm and am fascinated with robotics. I believe that robotics is at the stage that PCs were during the late
70's. Only geeks at this point find them interesting. I figure within 20 years, we'll see a revolution in the industry just like we saw with PCs in the 90's at which point consumer robots will have a true use to mainstream society.
I'd like to get started as a hobbyist and am looking for advice on the best kit that will offer me the ability to upgrade and add on to my robot with cool stuff. My programming/software abilities are better than my hardware and engineering skillset. I was looking toward the Arrick Arobot. Is this a good one? I envision trying to develop something of a security robot to which I can mount a camera and have it roam the house and perhaps react upon motion.
I'v been working on how to builld robots from threaded dor and drilled plate, basically as mechano, its working out nicely, best of all , its pretty cheap. you can get the threaded rod at about any hardware store
Your best bet is to start your search by reading recent recommendations from people in this newsgroup regarding the more popular learning tools and the good and bad on each, from the Leggo Mindstorm, to the BASIC Stamp by Parallax, to vEx and even the carpet cleaner that plugs itself into the wall for recharge when the batteries run down. Also find new and used stuff on eBay.
Read my previous note regarding getting started with electromechanical toys.
it makes for pretty quick assembly of stuff once you get used to it.
the threaded rod can be picked up from any building supplies store, along with the nuts. you MIGHT be able to get punched plate from a sheet metal shop, but I cant, not in the quantities, hole size, and sheet gauge I want it, so I make it.
aluminum plate isn't too cheap do the trick is to make as much of it from the threaded rod as possable.
if you want, I can list some of the plate on ebay and paste a link, or other if your interested
dan
Jas> Where did you get this stuff?! It looks perfect for small bots : ) >
Charlie, me too. I started with computers and robotics in the mid 70's. But the software just was not able to make the robots do anything worthwhile back then, especially in 8 bit CP/M.
I was a programmer for 25 years but my brain decided to burn out the part needed to keep enough variables in mind to program in about 2000. Now I can do almost anything mechanical as long as I don't have to keep more than about 4 or 5 things "floating" in my brain at the same time. I have a small shop, can cut, weld, bend, and have lots of old computers and parts and tons of motors and hardware.
One project I have in mind is to take my old "baby bulldozer" (gasoline powered) and use it to cut grass on the steep slopes of my property.
I live on a mountain (at least in Maryland we call them mountains) and much of the ground is too steep to walk on. I also have a hillside which has started to be overgrown with small trees and briars and I can take the mower off the dozer (you may have seen them in the back of Mechanics Illustrated, the "Magnatrax") I think I have about the first one ever made. Two levers, left and right. Lever forward, that side goes forward, lever back, that side goes back. I am thinking of mounting about 3 of those weed wacker toothed cutting wheels on the front with the mower removed to cut the trees, then use heavy weed wacker lines next to keep the hill grass down to respectable height. With tracks, the darn thing can go anywhere (just not with me on it!).
All this would be remote control of course, I have cameras and Video RF equipment. I intend to sit in my easy chair and put on my "i-glasses" (which are for virtual reality games and such, I use them for relaxation) or just pipe the camera view to the TV if it is too hot outside.
There is no danger since no one can make it up the mountain to here undetected by the alarm system so no one can get hurt by the mower when it is cutting down the small tress in the first phase. Besides, I will probably be too chicken to be too far away from the bulldozer anyway. I will just have to set up an umbrella or something.
Sounds like with your software (I hate Windows) and my mechanical ability and my 30 by 50 shop, we would make a good pair. But looking at your routing in your server jumps, looks like maybe you are in or near Florida.
Oh well. You can email me direct if you wish, I don't buy these kits, I make everything myself, so can't help with that.
If you send email, send to snipped-for-privacy@marylandfred.net and just remove the word "maryland" (just so the automatic scanners can't pick it up).
Yeah, it's not cheap. At the Radio Shack 1/2 price sale it wasn't bad. At full price, you have to spend a bit of money. I'd say the prices are reasonable but it's a lot more than what you would pay buying bulk or scrap metal. For someone that doesn't want to do the metal work, it's a nice assortment of hardware.
For the metal parts, you can also buy the $80 kit which includes all the metal hardware and screws that comes in the VEX starter kit. That's better than trying to buy it piece by piece if you want an assortment to work with. And if you can still find one at a Radio Shack, it's only $40.
This may not be what everybody has in mind but this article does describe a good way to make a caterpiller treaded 1/5 vehicle from scratch. Maybe it could be of use to people who have thier own shop.
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