Subject:
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Re: Future versions of handyboard?
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.robotics.handyboard
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Date:
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Thu, 3 Jul 1997 06:20:34 GMT
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Original-From:
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Chuck McManis <[cmcmanis@]nomorespam[netcom.com]>
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Viewed:
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869 times
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Keith the wonder wookie wrote:
> Are there any plans in the works now for future versions of the
> handyboard?
> What new features would people like to see?
I suspect there probably aren't such plans. One of the problems is the
amount of infra-structure needed for a successful board. Basically you
need a good board and a good
development environment, and you have to be as inexpensive as possible
to get critical
mass. Basically it costs money to develop a system and there is no way
to recover that
investment so the Handyboard, which was the progeny basically of the
6.270 board
whose development was funded by the need for a board to support a class.
That being said, if you can find someone who is willing to add robotics
features to
a board they are designing for some other reason it can work.
If I were to design such a board I would probably upgrade at least one
pair of the
motor drivers to something in the 5 - 9A range and probably add a 32K
EEPROM
and eliminate the RAM memory backup. I'd also consider going with a
68HC12.
I've spent a bit of time designing "ultimate I/O" pins for such a
system, basically
programmable I/O that are programmed as either inputs or outputs, and
then
either digital or analog. The question is always how fast you want your
analog I/O.
Ideally we could get a mixed signal ASIC built (perhaps using techniques
like the
Amateur Radio folks use to get satellites into orbit) I've tried to get
Maxim
interested but they want a 500K/yr commitment.
--Chuck
--
--Chuck McManis http://www.professionals.com/~cmcmanis/index.html
All opinions in this message are those of the author. No warranty as to
the suitability or accuracy is stated or implied. Use at your own risk.
cmcmanis@netcom.com +1.408.524.4805
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