$50 Robot tutorial status update

[Admin]

I know I promised to have the next tutorial published by now . . . apologies! Been crazy busy, its tax season, got a big trip coming up too . . .

Anyway, here is the current status:
I finished ordering all the parts today. I have about half the parts already . . .
Schematics are drawn up, and I have code written that compiles but isnt tested yet.
Got most of the major software tested and working (the most current version of WinAVR is so buggy it doesnt work, had to figure out work arounds ).

Ive decided to build all my future robots based on this robot AVR controller and code, so now it will be even easier for people to reverse engineer my documented robots

Anyway, since the only way I can verify that my circuit works is to also fully program it, the last two tutorials (circuit and programming) will come out about the same time. So the electronics one will be delayed another maybe 2 weeks . . . sorry!!!

I promise no matter what (even if I have to lose sleep) to get it all finished by early March . . . going on a big trip after that . . .

[ed1380]

Thanks you. I'm looking forward to the tutorial. meanwhile i'm going to be reading 2300 pages worth of pdf files on electronics, robotics and programming. If anyone would like, i could post links where to get them. The 2 of the files have alot of practice electronic projects in the book.

[Somchaya]

Yeah, posting the links to the pdfs would be greatly appreciated 

[ed1380]

http://www.kingsasquatch.com/pubupload2/files/Beginning_Java_Programming_For_Dummies_Printable__2005_-_Wiley_.pdf
http://www.kingsasquatch.com/pubupload2/files/Mcgraw-Hill_-_The_Robot_Builder_s_Bonanza.pdf
http://www.kingsasquatch.com/pubupload2/files/Teach_Yourself_Electricity___Electronics.pdf
http://www.kingsasquatch.com/pubupload2/files/Wiley_-_Electronics_For_Dummies_-_2005_-__By_Laxxuss_.pdf
I'll see if there are more

[Admin]

whoaaaa . . .

so officially, all those files are illegal copies by definition . . .

unofficially, i highly recommend getting the robot builders bonanza one and reading it beginning to end
you should also buy it if you like it . . .

[Somchaya]

Ohh.. yeah I've read the Robot Builder's Bonanza before.. I think it's nice to read and very informative.. but, I think borrowing it from the library is a lot more useful, cos the library usually has a section for such books, so finding one book leads you to many other useful books!

[ed1380]

whoaaaa . . .

so officially, all those files are illegal copies by definition . . .

unofficially, i highly recommend getting the robot builders bonanza one and reading it beginning to end
you should also buy it if you like it . . .

Sorry. I guess you would like me to remove those links? I'd get it from the library except I have no way of getting there. no car, no public transportation, noone to drive me.

[Admin]

ehhh but public libraries wont have any useful books on robotics . . . everything outdates really really fast. even robot toys today were state-of-the-art 10 years ago. im willing to make a bet that if you go to your local public library, you wouldnt find more than a single book related to robot building, and it would probably be outdated

the CMU E&S library has good up to date useful stuff on robotics, but most people arent lucky enough to have access . . .

[robotnoob]

um im a little bit unsure what parts i need for this prodject. if someone could tell me what parts i need and what type of servo i need it would be grately apriciated thx

[Admin]

haha oops forgot to post the parts list . . . its now posted in step 1:

http://www.societyofrobots.com/step_by_step_robot_step1.shtml

[trigger]

Also, I'm surprised no one has mentioned that the link to photovore.zip in part 4 of the tutorial is unavailable. The page says

Error 404

Wrong page.

/downloads/sbs_source_photovore_v1.zip does not exist.

Contact me if you believe this to be an error on my part.

[Admin]

hmmmm not entirely sure how this happened but i somehow named the file sbs_source_photovore_v1.zip.zip . . .

its corrected now!

i leave for italy tomorrow so im glad you guys are finding these mistakes now before i go . . .

[ed1380]

This might be a given, but I want to be sure. Do the plugs for teh photosensor go to the deaders near the serial cable headers?

[Admin]

The photoresistor plugs into any analog port you want on the microcontroller (so therefore a header next to that port). I just chose those particular ports so as to match the software I wrote, but you can change it to however you want.