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<br><br><div><div id="SkyDrivePlaceholder"></div>> Date: Thu, 27 Sep 2012 16:24:56 -0400<br>> From: tony_anderson@usa.net<br>> To: xxopxe@gmail.com<br>> CC: butia-list@fing.edu.uy; yamaplos@gmail.com; iaep@lists.sugarlabs.org; christoph.derndorfer@gmail.com<br>> Subject: Re: [IAEP] [Butia-list] XO robotics<br>> <br>> Hi,<br>> <br>> I would love to see you at the SF meeting to explain Butia to that audience.</div><div><br></div><div>+1 Caryl<br>> <br>> It was my understanding in Montevideo, that the robot is controlled <br>> directly from Turtle Art. For me, the really great thing you have done <br>> is to strap the laptop on the robot platform. This is not for cute <br>> pictures, it is really exciting for the student to see the robot obeying <br>> his or her instructions (right or wrong). The fact that the laptop is <br>> riding on the robot vehicle means that its movement is not limited by an <br>> umbilical cord.<br>> <br>> As Yama states, we really need (for me, in English) a parts list and set <br>> of instructions for building the robot so that it can be done by any <br>> deployment. I had hoped that such a session would be conducted in SF as <br>> I would dearly love to be able to set up a robot at the Saint Jacob <br>> school in Kigali in December. Naturally, we will also need some lesson <br>> plans for use of the robot to further the mandated curriculum in Science <br>> (and mathematics).<br>> <br>> My example would be to have the student program the robot to approach a <br>> wall as closely as possible without touching it. This would involve some <br>> understanding of the ratio of the wheel diameter to its circumference, <br>> the number of degrees the wheel advances for each forward step, and <br>> whole lot of other interesting concepts. For example, such a contest <br>> could lead to the issue of feedback; how to use a sensor so the robot <br>> knows when it is close. Should this be visual (camera) or acoustic or <br>> the bending of a wire or ....<br>> <br>> Tony<br>> <br>> On 09/27/2012 02:08 PM, Jorge wrote:<br>> > On 27/09/12 13:35, Yama Ploskonka wrote:> 1) I wouldn't say better...<br>> > rather, complementary, and certainly<br>> > > cheaper. Visiting the Butiá pages, the only picture I see showing an MCU<br>> > > http://www.fing.edu.uy/inco/proyectos/butia/images/pistaButia.jpg is<br>> > > showing an Arduino. Add a motor driver, and we are well above $30, plus<br>> > > shipping. The USBButiá board is maybe cheaper IF done in quantity by<br>> > > experts (then add labor).<br>> ><br>> > Besides the microcontroller the USBButiá board provides standard<br>> > connectors for attaching sensors. It allows autodetecting what sensor<br>> > you connected and were (something like the NXT brick, but with a wider<br>> > spectrum of attacheable stuff, more connectors, easier to hack, and<br>> > plug&play).<br>> ><br>> > We sidestepped the motor driver issue using digital servos.<br>> ><br>> > > MSP430 + (L293D OR some darlington array) can be "free" if you get them<br>> > > as samples from TI, or less than $5 when purchased, /plus shipping/, the<br>> > > old bane. the advantage of using a darlington driver is that then you<br>> > > may use plain DC motors, which can be free if lucky with old electronic<br>> > > parts (beautiful gear system available in old CDROM drives)<br>> > ><br>> > > 2) yop - the XO "drives" the vehicle with the MSP430 option also. Now, I<br>> > > put quote marks as I have no idea - yet - on how to send data direct<br>> > > realtime from the XO to the robot, bypassing the MCU. What seems to be<br>> > > happening is that Butiá depends on sending code/program to the Arduino,<br>> > > and the the 'duino does the brains of the robot.<br>> ><br>> > Nop, the control runs fully on the XO. MCU only interfaces<br>> > sensors&motors and supports the plug&play functionality. No user logic<br>> > runs on the MCU.<br>> > The user programs on the XO access sensors/actuators connected the MCU<br>> > and whatever the XO provides (mic, cam, accelerometer if there is one)<br>> > transparently. The most frequent programming environment is TurtleArte<br>> > (kisds already know it), but there are also Python and Lua environments<br>> > for when the problem or the user outgrows Turtle Art.<br>> ><br>> > In my opinion, what MCU is used is not actually important. What is<br>> > important is the programming environment, how it interfaces with<br>> > whatever your robot offers, and the mechanism you provide for adapting<br>> > your robot for solving different problems.<br>> ><br>> > Jorge<br>> > .<br>> ><br>> <br>> _______________________________________________<br>> IAEP -- It's An Education Project (not a laptop project!)<br>> IAEP@lists.sugarlabs.org<br>> http://lists.sugarlabs.org/listinfo/iaep<br></div> </div></body>
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