Subject:
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RE: Brainstorms
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.robotics
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Date:
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Sat, 10 Aug 2002 16:49:42 GMT
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Reply-To:
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<rhempel@bmts.^NoSpam^com>
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Viewed:
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650 times
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Wayne wrote (in his first post no less!)
> http://web.gramlich.net/projects/robobricks/index.html
<snip>
> We did *not* standardize on a central processor. Instead,
> we let the user choose among a variety of processors.
> One of our boards uses a PIC16F876 and another uses a
> Basic-Stamp 2 from Parallax. Any chip that is pin compatible
> with the Basic Stamp 2 can plug into our BS2Hub8 board.
> There are now 3 or 4 pin BS2 pin compatibles including at least
> one that uses Java as its native language. Longer term we
> expect there to be a total glut of inexpensive old PDA's
> (e.g. old Palm Pilots) on EBay that will take over the job of
> central behavior.
<snip>
This is more like it. I've snipped out the juicy bits on the
serial comms channel and modular power connector.
The comms channel sounds a bit slow, but then again the fire
alarm system I designed (in real life) can control about 1000
points on a multi-drop 485 protocol running at 19200 or 9600
baud.
The key thing with comms is that you need to provide a secure protocol
that delivers messages in order, in a timely fashion, and tolerated
dropped or garbled packets. Some kind of auto addressing is also
needed.
The idea of using a standard 2400 baud interface means that the
user can choose the controller brains to suit his needs (I like
the Palm Pilot) without the vendor running into the standard
problems of configuring a system for everyone.
Now all they need to do is provide a decent comms spec and library
and then anyone can buy as many mnodules as they neeed to get the
job done.
Most projects don't need timing more accurate than about 1/10
second so this should not be a big issue.
Good luck Wayne - you may encounter some resistance from the
purists, but overall your system sounds like it has merit...
Cheers Ralph Hempel
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Reply to: rhempel at bmts dot com
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Message is in Reply To:
 | | Re: Brainstorms
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| All: I think the project that I am working, called RoboBricks, on is quite relevant to this topic. Since this is my first post to this group, I should introduce myself as a very active member of the Home Brew Robitics Club based out of San Jose, (...) (22 years ago, 10-Aug-02, to lugnet.robotics)
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