Post by leight on Jun 29, 2006 13:29:21 GMT 10
Hey guys,
Before you all go running off screaming "Newbie wants to take over the world!!!", let me first tell you that I'm not here to make a super hard robot that I expect everyone to code for me. I am a member of forums also, and I know how frustrating at tiems newbie's can be, so I'll try and avoid annoying the hell out of you.
Let me first say that I am completly new to robotics. How I got interested in it was through Sony's Qrio and Hondas Asimo. I saw those, and thought to myself "wow, I want to make a robot!". I don't have any electrical experience, but I do have tech experience (wood/metal/plastics) from school. I also can code a bit in VB, PHP, Actionscript and CSS. Those languages can't be used I know, however they give you an idea of the experience that I have (or lack thereof) with the Syntax and all.
Since I have very limited, ok no, knowledge in Robotics, I bought myself a robot kit from www.robotics.com.au, www.robotics.com.au/getpage.asp?PAGE=shop&cid=34&pid=316. It's a 'simple' 'ugly' (so my girlfriend reckons) looking spider that wonders around avoiding obstacles thanks to an Infra-Red sensing system. I bought this kit to help me understand a bit better the idea of Robotics, and how it all works together. It hasn't arrived in the post yet, but I can't wait for it to come!
What my goal is is to build up this Spider robot and learn. Once that robot is complete and working, I was wanting to make another robot, that roams (drives) around avoiding obstacles just like the Spider kit I bought. However, when the batteries start to get low, I would like it to drive itself back to the charger and charge itself up. Now for that to be able to happen I'm guessing it would somehow have to have a map of my house built in-side of it.
Ok, a typical newbie you say. Honestly, I have no idea on how hard that would be to create, that is why I'm here. To get direction on how far/how hard things are and how realistic I have to think. I'm not trying to say Robotics is simple by a complete newbie wanting to make some fancy robot, I'm just trying to get an idea of what its like to actually build one of these beauties
So what do you think? What do you recommend for my second robot? A driving around one (just drives. None of that charger stuff or the map), or something else?
Also, another thing. I'm a Mac user. Can I use my G5 iMac to write the code for the Robots? Or do I have to use my old PC (1.5ghz 128mb P4, XP) to code the Robot?
Thanks a lot guys, and sorry about the long post!
- leighton
Before you all go running off screaming "Newbie wants to take over the world!!!", let me first tell you that I'm not here to make a super hard robot that I expect everyone to code for me. I am a member of forums also, and I know how frustrating at tiems newbie's can be, so I'll try and avoid annoying the hell out of you.
Let me first say that I am completly new to robotics. How I got interested in it was through Sony's Qrio and Hondas Asimo. I saw those, and thought to myself "wow, I want to make a robot!". I don't have any electrical experience, but I do have tech experience (wood/metal/plastics) from school. I also can code a bit in VB, PHP, Actionscript and CSS. Those languages can't be used I know, however they give you an idea of the experience that I have (or lack thereof) with the Syntax and all.
Since I have very limited, ok no, knowledge in Robotics, I bought myself a robot kit from www.robotics.com.au, www.robotics.com.au/getpage.asp?PAGE=shop&cid=34&pid=316. It's a 'simple' 'ugly' (so my girlfriend reckons) looking spider that wonders around avoiding obstacles thanks to an Infra-Red sensing system. I bought this kit to help me understand a bit better the idea of Robotics, and how it all works together. It hasn't arrived in the post yet, but I can't wait for it to come!
What my goal is is to build up this Spider robot and learn. Once that robot is complete and working, I was wanting to make another robot, that roams (drives) around avoiding obstacles just like the Spider kit I bought. However, when the batteries start to get low, I would like it to drive itself back to the charger and charge itself up. Now for that to be able to happen I'm guessing it would somehow have to have a map of my house built in-side of it.
Ok, a typical newbie you say. Honestly, I have no idea on how hard that would be to create, that is why I'm here. To get direction on how far/how hard things are and how realistic I have to think. I'm not trying to say Robotics is simple by a complete newbie wanting to make some fancy robot, I'm just trying to get an idea of what its like to actually build one of these beauties
So what do you think? What do you recommend for my second robot? A driving around one (just drives. None of that charger stuff or the map), or something else?
Also, another thing. I'm a Mac user. Can I use my G5 iMac to write the code for the Robots? Or do I have to use my old PC (1.5ghz 128mb P4, XP) to code the Robot?
Thanks a lot guys, and sorry about the long post!
- leighton
