Just Starting out

[QwiXux]

Hi All
Just wanting to let you all know that in the coming months I am going to irritate the heck out of this forum with numerous questions, hopefully pertinent ones.
I retired (Very Early retirement) some time ago and have been going into my childs primary school completing technology talks. The idea is to try to sow a seed for future engineers. They are fascinated by the robot parts I take in including sensors, arms, eyes, and brains. I then bought a lego Mindstorms and used this for my talks. Time moves on so now it is Robobuilders chance to shine.
I am also considering setting up a ROBOT SCHOOL in Derbyshire to achieve the same goal of seed sowing.
I understand the complexities of Industrial machinery and robots, this was my field of expertise, travelling the world upgrading repairing and completing things on machinery that manufacturers said could not be done.
I have an understanding of many programming platforms so should have a good base to start from.
Anyhow wish me luck and the forum GURU's please be gentle if I ask what appears to be a no brainer. In return I can regail you with my amusing Nephlometric Turbity Unit robot interface. LOL

[PedroR]

Hi QuiXux

You are most welcome.

Considering your background I am assuming you'll be doing your own custom development.

Feel free to share ideas and or goals and we'll be happy to contribute with how/what we believe will be useful to help achieve your goals

Regards
Pedro.

[l3v3rz]

If you're interested in programming Robobuilder you might want to check out my opensource libraries and firmware. Basic is a very easy language for kids to learn as well. (I learnt it as kid so I speak from experience!). The manual may also give you some ideas for thing to try.

cheers

Main page
http://code.google.com/p/robobuilderlib/

Basic manual
http://robobuilderlib.googlecode.com/fi ... V2.2.2.pdf

Latest firmware for robot
http://robobuilderlib.googlecode.com/files/Basic452.hex

[QwiXux]

Thanks for the replies, I will indeed look at these.
My box arrived today, less than 24hours after ordering, well happy except for.......... my 10 year old son is off school (Inset day arrrgggg) so is in charge of hardware. The agreement was me software development and him creative hardware, hoped to have a day to get my head around it but there you go.
I am already looking at configurations for various ideas my son has had. I have the luck of a Rapid prototype machine at our disposal for bespoke brackets and shims etc so should be able to stretch this baby somewhat.......
Walking first though lets open the box!!!!!

Many thanks again and will have numerous questions / ideas soon

[QwiXux]

Hi all,
My son built the Robot in 6 hours with no help, which is pretty good for a 10 year old! It then broke one of the arm connectors as he had inserted the wrong bolt and not zeroed all motors.
I then disconnected all axis and zero'd them and then re-assembled, and wow I am like a kid on b numbers!!!!! We have already programmed using the robo software and are about to start learning Actionbuilder.
I digress (normal for me, originally from Liverpool and cannot stop talking!)
We are all big iPhone users and not a sniff of an android anywhere, I know little about any of them so was hoping for a bit of a shortcut from someone to reduce research time.
Can I buy a damaged android tablet or phone as long as the bluetooth is working?
If so or if not does anyone have any recommendations, is a pad better for controlling Isaac(My sons pet name for Robobuilder (From Dead Space))?
I do not want to spend too much as the savings pot is starting to grow for a Bioloid ))
My sons first program was a Usain Bolt stance which he programmed pretty quick, we have also downloaded some others from here and Korea. I have been teaching how to take a program and make it better.
I will look at posting these on here for information, if we have modified someone elses program or used it as a starting point is the infringement issues or is it all in the name of develpoment?

Any how thanks for the replies so far, I am off to add the hip joints and do some development into better shoulder articulation.

Cheers

[PedroR]

Hi QwiXux

In the current version of the software, a Phone or a Tablet would be just the same.

We know a new version is being finalized which should implement ActionBuilder and MotionBuilder but that's not out yet.
A Beta has been released (and published here) but still functionality is still missing.

Once the new version is out a tablet might probably offer a better User Experience if you want to use if for programming.
In either case just make sure to get one running at least Android 2.3 (which is the minimum requirement for the latest Beta that we've published).

If you're teaching your son how to program you might want to check out these 2 projects:

- BASIC interpreter for Robobuilder (to program it in Basic): http://robosavvy.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=32739
- .Net Libraries (in case you're teaching him some basic .Net; it works with VB.Net Express 2010 and C# Express which are free): http://code.google.com/p/robobuildervc/
(I believe these had already been posted above by l3v3rz, the author of these nice projects)

Regards
Pedro

[QwiXux]

Cheers PedroR for the reply

I will start trawling ebay for a tablet.

Thanks for the links I will start us both on them soonest. I started programming on VB DOS back, way way back, so cobwebs away for me.

Cheers