Subject:
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Re: Help getting up to speed on robot electronics
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.robotics
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Date:
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Fri, 5 May 2006 19:37:57 GMT
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Viewed:
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2635 times
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In lugnet.robotics, Jeff Garbers wrote:
> I'm a newcomer to robotics, with 30 years of experience in software
> and nearly nothing at all on the hardware / electronics side. I'd like
> to learn how to get stuff working with my Vex controller other than
> the Vex-branded parts -- things like speech synthesizers, infrared or
> other wireless communications technologies, and so on. Can anyone
> suggest a book, online course, kit, or other way to help me get up to
> speed on the necessary skills? I'm more than willing to start with
> whatever basic theory-type stuff is relevant.
>
> I've seen some of the Parallax kits, such as the BASIC Stamp Activity
> Kit, but I'm not sure if that'd be the right approach. The package
> seems to emphasize the programming aspects of the projects, which I
> don't need help on.
>
> I have a feeling our kids are going to want to experiment with this
> stuff, so I better start getting up to speed now so I can stay ahead
> of them and look credible for at least a few weeks!
>
> Thanks in advance for any suggestions you might have!
Hi Jeff,
I am also in software, but have dabbled for years with the hardware side of
things. Maybe a place to start on a little crash course in interfacing are the
R. A. Penfold books, which have stuff on interfacing with a PIC Micro (but is
applicable to other applications), stuff on building sensors and just the basics
really.
A lot of interfacing with the more sophisticated stuff you described like speech
synths and wireless communication mediums, may actually be based on serial
interfacing or other bus communication, in which case the hardware tends to be
based on finding suitable free IO ports and then the real work goes into
programming them. Most of those kits/devices will come with datasheets, or have
datasheets available online.
Can I suggest you lurk around on a few forums/mailing lists, including this one.
My suggestions would be the ooPIC mailing list, the DPRG list as well as sites
like robots.net and orionrobots.co.uk. There is often discussions about things
like "interfacing the devantech compass module". Also, take a look around at
some of the sites sporting various robotic modules/kits, for example
totalrobots.com. I have a list of robot stores that I have compiled (with
contributions) on the directory section of orionrobots.
Welcome to the hobby, you will find most people here, and on the other sites are
fairly encouraging of each other and pretty keen to help out, if on the
condition that you post photos or movies of really cool stuff you do so they can
enjoy seeing it in action.
Danny
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Message is in Reply To:
 | | Help getting up to speed on robot electronics
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| I'm a newcomer to robotics, with 30 years of experience in software and nearly nothing at all on the hardware / electronics side. I'd like to learn how to get stuff working with my Vex controller other than the Vex-branded parts -- things like (...) (19 years ago, 5-May-06, to lugnet.robotics)
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