Society of Robots - Robot Forum
Electronics => Electronics => Topic started by: Parth on June 04, 2008, 01:31:41 PM
-
Hi all! I just have a quick question. I'm hoping to become a robotics engineer and I've been getting into robot building. So, should I stick with the microcontroller that is used in the $50 robot or just buy a microcontroller for my future robots? Thanks in advance!
-
If you decide to build the board you will end up learning more, but you may get overly frustrated too. I would recommend buying a board because of my experience with the $50 robot. I built the board twice, and couldn't make it work (I probably fried something). I ended up just buying an arduino diecimila and love it.
If you have a desire to build the board though you should go for it. You will learn more and have a greater appreciation if you can make one yourself. Thats how I felt. I just screwed mine up and bought a board to end my frustration lol.
-
Oh and if you're going to be a robotics engineer you should know it's called an augmented microcontroller, not just a microcontroller.
A microcontroller is just the IC.
-
I disagree.
I think that buiding and understanding the augmented microcontroller for the $50 robot is a valuable lesson.
I would say that it will give you a better knowledge and understanding of the concepts and allow you to adapt and expand upon the basics.
As a future producer of commercial robotics boards, i dont want to put you off from buying them its just that i think that it can help you understand what you want from an augmented mcu.
-
Thanks you guys! I'll try to make it myself and hopefully, it'll work. BTW, I guess I should have been more specific by saying it was an augmented microcontroller, but I'm just too used to calling it a microcontroller. Once again, thanks for the help!