Sub $500 Robot and $587 need to cut costs

Wow, I have over a dozen motors here and all have at least an 1/8 of an inch.

Even an 1/8 of an inch?

What's it going to teach them? Motor control, programming, operating systems, computer math, electronics, etc.

The only difference is "programming a microcontroller." I'm not sure of the singular value of this.

This is clearly an opinion, you are free to have it, but I don't subscribe to it.

I see a different project.

Maybe.

Why?

It is impossible for anyone to create anything that doesn't reflect their background.

I have a year or so old EPIA 800 board. You can get faster than that these days. I think I sent a link to find the power supply.

I've seen 128M sticks for $9.99us, its insane.

Net boot is very cool, but dhcp, bootp, and tftp is too much to ask of your audiance.

I wouldn't touch Windows in an embeded application.

Cool, what did those run you?

Me neither. Just an interesting note.

I thought it was a neat novelty.

Rich

This website will create a boot floppy image for pretty much any network card. I haven't tried it myself but I have seen several reputable websites refer to it.

I think that the adapters were less than $20 per from Logic Supply

The CF disk drive was the expensive one at over $200.

However, with Stuart I was concerned with battery power because I'm not overpowering (24 or 48 volts) and then going down with a DC-DC converter.

-- D. Jay Newman

Nope. A solid metal for a backing.

-- D. Jay Newman

That sucks. I'm using much cheaper motors, maybe that's the difference.

It's not a question of cost -- it really just depends on the motor. I have a boatload of DC gear motors, and some have an exposed aramture shaft, and some don't -- I generally go surplus, and you're pretty much stuck with what's available. Sometimes there's even a glut of suitable motors with built in encoders -- you just never know. I don't think I'd assume an armature shaft is available unless you are designing with a specific motor in mind -- or at least have a plan b.

Thailand

could also hang a few 8255 (or similar) chips off the parallel port to expand it. They are cheap enough.Futurlec sell them for US$3.90 but should be able to get them cheap, surplus.

Could also do the same with some of the usb chips / modules.

Alex