Subject:
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Re: Cybermaster for show-me training & What LEGO should create
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.robotics
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Date:
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Thu, 9 Sep 1999 21:56:54 GMT
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Original-From:
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Laurentino Martins <LAU@MAILihatespam.TELEPAC.PT>
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Viewed:
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534 times
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At 21:00 09-09-1999 Thursday , you wrote:
> Does the CyberMaster allow reading the tachometers even when the motors are in
> the "float" off state, or only when they are on?
You can see the values change (by pooling) if you rotate the motors by hand, even if there is no program running at all.
> > [...] There's only one catch, you don't know the direction they are
> > rotating. But then again, neither the RCX
>
> Not true -- with an appropriate resistor network the zero-point can be biased
> such that one direction of rotation produces a positive deviation and the other
> direction produces a negative deviation. You have to do this anyway, because
> the sensor input voltage has to be non-negative and the (hypothetical) driven
> motor is capable of generating a negative voltage. The same approach would
> probably work on Cybermaster.
This can be overcome with a little cheating! ;-D
The PC could ask after each step what were the directions the motors run. This method has also the advantage that is readily available to anyone.
On the other hand, I think I prefer your way... :-)
...
Now about the external motor, unfortunately after a few tests I've found that what it reads is in fact the power consumption of the motor and NOT the power generated by the motor (motors also work as generators).
This means that it has no use in this case. :-(
On the other hand this is great if you want to create an intelligent-like robot since you actually have real-time feedback of the strength the motor is doing.
This can be used for instants to give human-like sensibility to a gripper so if can firmly grab objects with the right amount of strength independent of their form and size.
CyberMaster has so many neat things that would fit nicely in a future RCX...
Now imagine the RCX 3.0, using all the _already_developed_ hardware (no need for more!), with all the best the RCX has today, plus some stuff from the CyberMaster:
1. Radio link to the PC
2. External motors that come with integrated tachometers (neat!!)
3. Outputs that can read the power consumption of the motors
This may seem too simple things to ask, but the potential is bigger than you probably realize. Some examples:
Do you know it's easy to create a bot that avoids walls without a single touch sensor? Yes, use the CyberMaster tachometers to monitor the speed.
Do you know you can easily detect a stalled external motor without a single touch sensor? Yes, use the CyberMaster to monitor the power of external output.
Only these simple things would free a few inputs and could make the RCX a much better computer!! :-)))
No electronics wizard ever thought about taking an RCX and a CyberMaster apart and create something new with the best of both worlds? :-)
(sorry the English)
Laurentino Martins
[ mailto:lau@mail.telepac.pt ]
[ http://www.terravista.pt/Enseada/2808/ ]
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Message is in Reply To:
 | | Re: show-me training
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| I know that the RCX is the state of the art LEGO computer, but I happen to have a CyberMaster and I noticed all you have said about the Show-me Training (R) applies perfectly to the CyberMaster and much better than the RCX since no extra inputs need (...) (25 years ago, 9-Sep-99, to lugnet.robotics)
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