Subject:
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Re: Brute Force Brick
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.robotics
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Date:
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Thu, 29 Jan 2004 17:52:40 GMT
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Viewed:
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839 times
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In lugnet.robotics, Mark Tarrabain wrote:
> As long as we're wishing... I'd prefer something that had an open bus
> with several slots into which miscellaneous cards could be inserted
> (perhaps something like PCI or PCMCIA), each capable of controlling some
> number of devices for input or output. You could have sensor cards that
> can each manage some number of sensors and motor controller cards that
> could each manage some number of motors. You could mix and match them
> in any quantity (up to the limit on the number of total slots, of
> course) as desired for the robot's purpose.
I have always listened, with great interest, to all the various threads that pop
up on this subject. Its one of those subjects which compells many people to
express their opinions and also seems to attract almost as many different
opinions.
Over the last three years I have assembled a number of prototype "controllers"
intended for integration with Lego motors, sensors and other studded and
studless parts.
Everything has been done within the constraint of my personal prime directive -
"it shall appear to be mechanically and electrically compatible with existing
Lego parts".
In devising "realistically makeable" enclosures which sport either pigtail wires
or electric plating, I have not yet come up with a "nice" way to make use of
commercial interconnection technologies like PCMCIA or CompactFlash. The
mechanical limitations of these types of systems don't "mesh" with Lego
stackable connectors, which are, themselves, far from miniature.
I see no easy way around the style, employed by TLC in its designs of battery
boxes and RCX type bricks, of putting areas of electric plating for I/O.
I have built end to end stackable modules using non-(Lego)standard connection
technologies - each module supporting four motor outputs, 8 sensor inputs and a
local CPU to "do the local business". All the CPUs in the chain of stacked
modules communicate via a serial bus which also happens to extend via a "root"
module which connects to a PC serial port. This system has been to a couple of
BrickFests and the occasional train show. Now it collects dust. It is just not
aesthetically right.
> Sensor and motor cards would only be the beginning... you could have
> cards that interface with more conventional computer equipment via USB
> or firewire buses, ethernet or wireless networking cards, pretty much
> anything you could imagine.
Well, the handyboard has been around for a while and we don't hear much about it
being used with Lego parts although I am sure there are a few handy individuals
plugging away. Is this because its all wires and ports and boards and doesn't
look or feel or connect like a truely Lego compatible device might? I have often
wondered. There are all sorts of nifty commercial boards and stamps out there,
but I have yet to see them really become integrated with Lego robotics.
> And of course, all this would be encapsulated in a nice, friendly,
> Lego-compatible case that is rugged enough to be used in less than
> perfect environmental conditions, as LEGO should be.
I rest my case(work) ;)
> I can't see it ever actually happenning though. Parents would never buy
> such a thing for their kids because it would simply be too expensive.
> Mindstorms is already pushing the price envelope as it is. The device
> I've described above would likely be, even by itself, more than twice as
> expensive as even the most expensive retail LEGO set.
TLG will never do something like this. They are, primarily, a toy company and
what you (we) want is not a toy! It's real serious robotics at the compute level
most people would like to play at while at the same time taking advantage of
Lego's tremendously powerful electro-mechanical prototyping system.
So the only thing you won't get is the kind of electronics you'd like in a brick
in a package with the Lego name on the outside. That says nothing about what you
might get in a brick from elsewhere however.
JB
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Message is in Reply To:
 | | Re: Brute Force Brick
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| (...) As long as we're wishing... I'd prefer something that had an open bus with several slots into which miscellaneous cards could be inserted (perhaps something like PCI or PCMCIA), each capable of controlling some number of devices for input or (...) (20 years ago, 28-Jan-04, to lugnet.robotics)
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