Subject:
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RE: LEGO robotics dis'd in CACM Forum.
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.robotics
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Date:
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Wed, 6 Oct 1999 21:03:30 GMT
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Original-From:
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Tilman Sporkert <tilman@activesw.comIHATESPAM>
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Viewed:
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617 times
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> Anyhoo, it's an interesting point. I'm not aware of other kits that
> are mechanically superior *and* as flexible as LEGO. I always assumed
> that the flexiblility and reusibility were the keys, as well as
> teaching general problem-solving.
Fischer-Technik is mechanically far superior and more flexible than Lego. It
uses metal axles, allows variable positioning (not studs), and is much
stronger overall. You can build mechanisms that do real work without
worrying about plastic axles bending or parts coming off. Building a cable
car with a base station weighted down with books on the floor and another
station clamped to the top of a book shelf is no problem. Or building a
construction crane that lifts real weights.
But it lacks in availability, variety, refinement and fool-proofness. Here
in the US, Fischer-Technik is very hard to come by. There's no equivalent of
S@H, no sets at your local Target, Fry's Electronic, or Toys'R'Us. No
integrated wiring system that you can't get wrong. No trains. No DUPLO. No
$25 submarine sets with air tanks. Even in Germany (where it comes from),
you find Fischer Technik only in the hobby section of larger toy stores,
next to the model trains and remote control airplanes. Store inventory is
usually very limited. Their equivalent of the RCX isn't much more than a
circuit board with plug connectors on the inputs and outputs. You have to
fiddle with individual wires and ribbon cables.
Reminds me a little of the Beta vs. VHS situation.
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Message has 2 Replies:
 | | Re: LEGO robotics dis'd in CACM Forum.
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| (...) Either of your examples are possible with Lego... at least for sufficiently small quantities of "weights". Seriously, I always liked the engineering challenge that Lego provides. Solving the structural and mechanical issues generally carries (...) (25 years ago, 6-Oct-99, to lugnet.robotics)
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Message is in Reply To:
| | LEGO robotics dis'd in CACM Forum.
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| Howdy, Has anyone seen the October issue of Communications of the ACM? On page 13 is a letter critical of the recent article, "Using Autonomous Robotics to Teach Science and Engineering," that appeared in the June '99, page 85. The article is all (...) (25 years ago, 6-Oct-99, to lugnet.robotics)
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