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Subject: 
Re: Mindstorms 3.0 Wish List
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.robotics
Date: 
Mon, 3 Nov 2003 23:01:11 GMT
Viewed: 
2140 times
  
In lugnet.robotics, Jordan Bradford wrote:
   So, please tell me what else the RCX needs and what other sensors would be good to have. I’ll still take mechanical improvements, too. Thanks.

Well, this whole thread has been visited before as has been pointed out, but it never hurts to air the subject again. And of course, I couldn’t resist joining in ;)


As far as the RCX goes and in concert with most other respondees, more resources are really what’s needed. In order of importance to me, I think I/O followed by memory capacity followed by CPU speed would do it for me.

My opinion on sensors is probably well known - you need lots of different types! But however many you make, someone will always come up with “yet another sensor” :)

The other issues not touched on by others in this thread, so far as I am aware, are;

Should Mindstorms 3.0 be backward compatible with earlier versions as far as sensor interfaces go?

How much I/O is there room for on a modest sized brick - or collection of daisey chained modules. I’ve studied this issue myself. Think of an I/O count you might like - say 8 motors and 16 sensors. Each motor and sensor connector is a 2x2 site with one side not crowded by other connectors so there’s room for the wire so call it 2x3. Try making a fake Ver. 3.0 RCX with 24 connector sites. You’ll be amazed how big it gets.

How much power is there room for. If you have eight motor ports, your AAs won’t last long. Try seeing how much space six C size batteries take.

I’ve been grappling with these challenges for a while. I’ve built monster bricks with C cells, I’ve built “slices” which connect end to end and add motor and sensor ports. I’ve never made more than a few prototypes of each kind since the overall feel wasn’t right.

I, for one, would not like to be the guy at TLC who gets to have to finally decide. ‘Cos I know 50% of the lugnet robotics community would jump all over me whichever way I decided to go.

... which leaves me most intrigued to see what TLC do finally offer.

JB



Message has 2 Replies:
  Re: Mindstorms 3.0 Wish List
 
(...) John, (and group) IM(very)HO, I've always felt a more distributed modular "brick" would be the way to go, AND still follow the original design of the concept of the core brick. these guys are my inspiration: (URL) a future RCX, some sort of (...) (21 years ago, 4-Nov-03, to lugnet.robotics)
  More Speed? Re: Mindstorms 3.0 Wish List
 
(...) I can see the need for more I/O from the RCX, but I really don't understand why everyone thinks it needs more memory and CPU speed. I'm interested to hear about any projects that people have attempted which required more of either. Steve (21 years ago, 5-Nov-03, to lugnet.robotics, FTX)

Message is in Reply To:
  Mindstorms 3.0 Wish List
 
I'm giving a presentation about Mindstorms on Wednesday. I have a slide near the end that talks about all the stuff I know people want to see added. Here's what I have so far: RCX === RC communication (but keep the IR port, too) more I/O ports (...) (21 years ago, 3-Nov-03, to lugnet.robotics, lugnet.technic, lugnet.trains, lugnet.dacta, lugnet.edu, lugnet.dear-lego, lugnet.general, FTX)

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