Subject:
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Re: Service pack 5111 - Wires - no longer available
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.robotics
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Date:
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Mon, 2 Sep 2002 18:14:50 GMT
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Original-From:
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Steve Baker <sjbaker1@NOMORESPAMairmail.net>
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Reply-To:
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sjbaker1@airmail^avoidspam^.net
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Viewed:
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997 times
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Andy Gombos wrote:
> I'll care what the voltage is, becuase I have to buy batteries for it/use a
> wall wart. Higher voltage == more batteries/more expensive batteries, and
> also more space.
But the total *energy* stored per battery doesn't change - so if there are
more batteries then the time between battery changes will be larger. To at
least a first approximation, you'll use the same number of batteries no matter
which voltage the thing runs on.
Higher voltage just implies a longer period between battery swaps.
Obviously there are savings with lower voltages in that the robot can be
smaller and lighter - which extends battery life somewhat - but if the
battery life drops significantly, I'm not sure that's an advantage.
> So, it seems to me (since the RCX/siblings are already
> fairly large on a Lego scale), that the voltage can only get lower. I have
> not seen the spybotics sets, so I don't know how good they are. However, by
> lowering the voltage, you lose backwards compatibility with existing pieces,
> assuming a connectiviy plan to hook them together.
But that's the point - with Spybotics (and Micro-scout and every other set
since Mindstorms), there is *NO* connectivity because everything is inside
the one box. Hence backwards, forwards and sideways compatibility is not
an issue.
You could see how Lego might like that.
Small, lightweight sets could contain a 4.5 volt system - heavier, more
complex sets could be 6 or 9 volts internally...and if they have some
bizarre need for 12v, they can do that on a one-off basis.
This *sucks* - but it makes sense if you are a going down that path.
> I agree with you - the beauty of Lego is the ability to build anything you
> want. With 2 motors 180º apart, fixed into position 6 studs apart, the
> creative applications are limited.
...especially if your 'bump sensor' is permenantly nailed to the front of
the machine and the only rotation sensor is permenantly connected to the motor
or something.
Once you lose that flexibility, you are hardly able to innovate at all and
the Lego robotics community slowly dies.
> Perhaps then better power transfer
> styles ala the flexible axles will be developed.
That's not gonna help much. Fixed motors (and worse, fixed sensors) makes
the whole business of creative robot building much less interesting.
----------------------------- Steve Baker -------------------------------
Mail : <sjbaker1@airmail.net> WorkMail: <sjbaker@link.com>
URLs : http://www.sjbaker.org
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Message has 1 Reply:
 | | Re: Service pack 5111 - Wires - no longer available
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| (...) at (...) matter (...) Huh? Say I only use AA batteries (1.5V) How will I use the same number of batteries for a 4.5V, a 9V, and a 12V system? You need more batteries to get the higher voltage (or a step-up transformer to raise the voltage, but (...) (22 years ago, 2-Sep-02, to lugnet.robotics)
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Message is in Reply To:
| | Re: Service pack 5111 - Wires - no longer available
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| I'll care what the voltage is, becuase I have to buy batteries for it/use a wall wart. Higher voltage == more batteries/more expensive batteries, and also more space. So, it seems to me (since the RCX/siblings are already fairly large on a Lego (...) (22 years ago, 2-Sep-02, to lugnet.robotics)
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