Subject:
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Is there any interest in a tiny scout-like brick?
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.robotics
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Date:
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Thu, 17 Apr 2003 05:01:26 GMT
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Viewed:
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2916 times
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I've been working on a tiny robot brick that I've nicknamed the "picoscout".
The goal is to fit the key features of the Scout brick (the blue one) in a
package the size of a light sensor. The plan is to have one pigtail for
power, and 2 electrical pads on the top AND bottom for a total of 2 sensor
inputs (probably touch only) and 2 motor outputs. I haven't quite figured
out how to let you choose which builtin program to run, but it will probably
be a recessed button on the bottom that you hold down when you apply power.
Besides tiny robots (limited more by the size of the 9v-battery box)
possible applications include a slave module for an RCX (put it on a motor
output, apply power when you want a standard drive/bump/turn robot, turn it
off when one of the RCX's three sensors see something and act with 2
remaining motors) or a touch-switch limted motor that cycles back and forth
(panning a sensor, for example). I'm also hoping to write a neural net
based learning program which will let you hook up the IO to any robot and
have it figure out how to avoid hitting things while still moving.
Anyway, I've returned to lugnet.robotics after a long hiatus to find, well,
everyone else is on hiatus! The robotics forum isn't hopping like it once
was. So I'm wondering if I should be buying enough parts to be able to sell
picoscouts to other enthusiasts, or if I should stick to my current supply
(enough for the big one on the breadboard, plus 2 finished size, muaha!).
Would anyone want to buy one of these? I can't see making it a kit (much
fiddly soldering) and even greatly undervaluing my assembly time they'd have
to cost $40-50. And eBay tells me you can get a real scout (maybe even an
RCX) for that much now.
Personally I think LEGO should ditch the microscout and the new blinky
vehicle crap and make these (which in volume they could do for $5-10 tops)
and include them in every set with a motor.
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Message has 5 Replies:
 | | Re: Is there any interest in a tiny scout-like brick?
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| (...) This sounds like an interesting idea. If you are looking for potential users try the train groups. Allot of the train builders are trying various remote control ideas for driving trains and operating track switches. If I were thinking up a (...) (22 years ago, 17-Apr-03, to lugnet.robotics)
| | | Re: Is there any interest in a tiny scout-like brick?
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| (...) This sounds really cool! Just to be able to pack all that functionality into a brick that size would be very useful. I'd buy a couple from you for sure. I assume you'd have IR on the thing, so you could always use the remote or commands from (...) (22 years ago, 17-Apr-03, to lugnet.robotics)
| | | Re: Is there any interest in a tiny scout-like brick?
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| I'd be very interested indeed to buy a couple of those, assuming the price is reasonable! Bert www.vandam.tk Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (...) "picoscout". (...) probably (...) power. (...) it (...) forth (...) well, (...) sell (...) (22 years ago, 17-Apr-03, to lugnet.robotics)
| | | Re: Is there any interest in a tiny scout-like brick?
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| In an effort to not take 2+ years to get pictures from my camera to my website, here's a brief photo update on the project: (URL) mangled, er, adapted only my second 2x8 electrical plate to make it 4 individual 2x2 pads, I'm starting to think that (...) (22 years ago, 19-Apr-03, to lugnet.robotics)
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