Subject:
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RE: What's Mindstorms Futures? or Re: How Many Mindstorms Have Been Sold?
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.robotics
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Date:
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Sun, 18 Jan 2004 04:48:18 GMT
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Original-From:
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Michael Summers <wfrobozz@hotmail#spamcake#.com>
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Viewed:
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1191 times
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> A Vision for "RCX 3.0"
> =================
> If there ever is a RCX 3.0, I think it'll have to be a less expensive,
> but still powerful entry level product with a compelling set of
> expansion sets that enable new functionality. I think it should be
> priced under $100 price so that can be carried in the mass market retail
> stores.
A lower price would help a great deal. Who wants to dish out $200 for
something when you could just as easily buy the individual motors, sensors,
etc and then a BASIC Stamp from Parallax and use that.
> enhancements. What I envision is a single unit containing processor and
> two motors, several built-in light sensors, and an expansion port. Add
> $0.50 to put 64K of RAM, add a aingle expansion port capability, make
> the case a little different so you can actually build custom models.
> Maybe some fiber optic cables that plug into the unit so that you can
> position the built-in light sensors differently on your model. I'd be
> content with something like this if it meant the product was successful.
Some of that would be useful like the extra memory and an expansion port.
But
it'd have to depend on whether or not the Hitachi H8 can support more or
not.
If it can't, you'd have to spend time designing a new rcx which would be
expensive. Not only that, but languages written for it that rely on the H8
assembly
would most likely cease to work.
The built-in motors and sensors would make it weaker if anything else. It'd
be bulky then and also more expensive if they were to sell it by itself.
It'd
really be better for them to add more ports (maybe on the sides?).
> There are several low cost alternatives for an expansion port. One is
> simply re-use of the existing VLL serial link. It would use fiber optic
> cable to connect to the expansion unit; I'd prefer something faster than
> 9600 baud but it would probably do the job. A second alternative is a
> I2C interface. It only takes some software (already implemented in RCX
> to drive the LCD display) and two I/O pins that are properly
> electrically protected from damage.
With expansion, why not use a regular slot like that found on a Commodore
64 (the one it uses for game cartridges)?
> I don't really use the RCX LCD display and think it could be eliminated
> to save cost. I prefer a PC-based interface that interrogates RCX for
> data rather than trying to display anything in five digits. A few LEDs,
> as in Spybotics, would be acceptable.
I agree that the LCD isn't that useful. Maybe have it so that it is an
upgrade
for the expansion port? And that way it could be bigger.
> Maybe the infrared tower is replaced with the serial cable used in
> Spybotics assuming that this is a lower cost alternative.
Why not radio? It works for controlling toy cars and you wouldn't have to
worry about a direct line of sight. :)
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