newbie...building bot

[crazydude1]

     I am interested to build my first robot. i had gone through the site tutorials and even some books...thanks for excellent info..anyway i am thinkin of building  similar to maze solving one (i don't know whether the micromouse can find paths when it faces canyons... though if not i have my own idea to overcome the problem) nd expecting my bot to overcome climbing slopes,canyons and detecting obstacles.
    as i am new to this field i cant decide specifications for my robot ... which microcontroller to use?and motors,servos etc(i cant get the calculations for finding the suitable motors)... i am thinkin to use C/C++ as u recommended
    can u suggest the best microcontroller....nd can i know the list of parts nd s/w's like simulators ..etc (i use a windows XP nd AMD processor) i require for it ....  at least recommend some stuff were can i refer for the info
   
Thanks in advance

[nathan25]

Try checking out Lynxmotion, the SSC-32 Servo Controller is a great controller... http://www.lynxmotion.com/Product.aspx?productID=395&CategoryID=52 ... thats the site. but theres a thing that it doesn't support sensors... which i'm researching into, so if u want sensors your gonna have to go with the ABB (atomic bot board) http://www.lynxmotion.com/Product.aspx?productID=252&CategoryID=66 ... thats the ABB and then you'll need the BASIC Atom 28 Pin, http://www.lynxmotion.com/Product.aspx?productID=269&CategoryID=66 ... thats it... but the problem is like we all kno is price... me and my buddy have narrowed it down that its one of the best priced, next to free samples from the manufactures themselves...
worth a try... lynxmotion.com

Nate

[crazydude1]

thanks Nate.... using ABB and BASIC Atom 28 Pin is helpful for me than SSC-32 Servo Controller as it doesn't support sensors which a micromouse should compulsory have..... but my problem is the cost of BASIC Atom 28 Pin ... can i found the alternative nd cheaper than it... though i doesn't expect the new1 to be more efficient thn da parts u mentioned

[nathan25]

See thats the problem i'm having too, i'm a student... with a student budget. so i too am looking into a cheaper alternative than the BASIC Atom 28 pin. So far my search has led me to a company called microchip where i'm trying to get a processor outta them for cheap... your best bet is to look at the BASIC Atom, find out what the specs are for it and then find a reprogrammable processor with roughly the same specs. But my buddy says why go with anything BUT the BASIC Atom 28 Pin... also try going to parallax, the company that manufactures the BASIC Stamp, apparently thats a good chip to start off with. If you just look and find the part u want and research the manufacture you may end up finding a much cheaper price... and maybe get a few free samples for your "buisness"

Nate

[SeagullOne]

A great robotics kit for beginners and students is the Vex Robotic kit. That's what I started out with. What's interesting about the Vex robotics kit is that it teaches you some robotics by letting you do it, not just by learning or reading up on it. The starter kit (you can expand on it with other project) gives you everything you need to build your first RC robot. There's also a programming Vex add-on kit for autonomous behaviors. You can buy chain and sprocket kits, tracks kits, sensors like infrared, ultrasound, contact sensors, things like that. You can also incorporate a vision system by using an inexpensive webcam and using a free, very user-friendly robotics vision software called roborealm, which has a module for the Vex microcontroller (I've never used the vision system with the vex design before.) You could probably design and program a robot pretty easily to find its way through a maze with an infrared sensor and some programming.

[nathan25]

That kit sounds good and all if you just wanna make a robot for fun, whereas some of us are building robots for school projects and evrything has to be made by u or at least put together by u without a kit. it will probably teach you alotta but it just wouldnt cut it to teachers and professors, it sounds to much like lego

[awally88]

This was already posted on another thread  (link i can't currently find) but you can get free microcontrollers from microchip http://samples.microchip.com, if your register yourself as a business. I'm currently in the process of getting a couple of chips from them myself!

It cant get any cheaper than free!

Happy building

[nathan25]

Or if they pay u to use it!!

[h3ro]

awally88:
Sorry for the off topic question, but it somehow relates I guess. I was wondering if you could recommend a few good chips for Beginners from that site? Is it possible to get a free programmer as well? I could not find any.

[awally88]

awally88:
Sorry for the off topic question, but it somehow relates I guess. I was wondering if you could recommend a few good chips for Beginners from that site? Is it possible to get a free programmer as well? I could not find any.

Sorry I cant offer much advice on this as im only a newbie at this too! Im currently talking to people about what which of these chips to get.  Currently I havent found a free programmer yet and I'm doubtful that I will be able to find one, the free samples are targeted at businesses who the companies are trying to encourage to use their chips and businesses which are doing this sort of stuff would probably buy or make their own.

I think I'm going to be using the PIC family for my robots as it sounds like it is one that is actually used in industry , I know people that use them and they are easily available in Australia. Also I know that I can get the free ones from microchip 

The programmer that I'm looking at is PIC Kit 1 (Part number #DV164101 frommicrochip) or maybe PIC KIT 2 are  relativly cheap for Australia, or you can use the programmer that Admin suggests in the $50 robot tutorial.  I looked at making my own programmer and found some good schematics on the net but it looks like it would be too difficult to make easily when I can buy one which is fully configured and working and not ghetto for a maximum of $80-100

Sorry I cant be of much more help, let me know how you go with everything
Awally88

[h3ro]

Hey, thank you for you reply. I spent some time on the microchip sample website today, and didn't have any luck with finding a free programmer.
I tried to ask for a free programmer on an other site (the one that delivers the microchip for the 50$ robot. AVR or something), not sure if I get one, but at least I have a company, so that might give me some credibility. 

If you find any newbee friendly which is given away as a sample, please PM me or something