boebot too easy for 11 yr old son, new suggestions?

[stan]

I bought my 11yr. son BoeBot from parallax.......He built it,programmed it with no problems. Now he wants to build his own bot with a more advanced controller than the basic stamp of BoeBot . He thinks he wants to program in c. I just need an idea on controller chips or controller boards.....He eventually wants a bot with voice control and voice feedback with a sizable memory.


admin edit: Changed subject from "help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" to something more informative

[airman00]

Hello

Have a close look at this site
http://www.societyofrobots.com/ 

Read the tutorials, especially the step by step 50 dollar robot tutorial

[stan]

oh and my son is building his own sumo bot out the junkbot book..and he is planning his next bot in the process....seems every one has a different opinion of which chip is the best... I had a die hard stamp person email me and tried to talk me out of pic chips.....so thats why I asking for help

[dsheller]

Personally I use AVR chips, and I love them. I am using an ATmega168 which is a great chip, nice amount of features and quick as well (20 MHz with an external crystal). Also, unlike PIC, they have a free compiler for C code. Either way you go you'll have a lot of users out there willing to help you... but if your son is new to programming, I imagine he is, then jumping into microcontroller programming isn't that great an idea. There are a few boards out there, Arduino is one, that are cheap and easy to use because of their librarys. I would recommend the Axon -- but it is most likely major overkill for someone who isn't going to be building anything too hardcore.

[stan]

my kid from day one has said he wants to go to MIT for robotics......I'm now just letting him take over my work bench with his robot stuff. He memorized the the parallax programming manual (most be nice to have a photographic memory and an over achiever) ...I thought he would struggle...oops silly me it only encouraged him.....he has looked at a c programming book and says it looks easy. I think I'm going to need a second job for his college choice

I think the axon may work out in the long run.....he can use it for several robot projects.....

[dsheller]

Ok, well the Axon isn't just a chip it is an augmented board, so it has a lot of stuff you wouldn't get if you just bought a chip and a programmer. Takes care of a lot of things for you that you otherwise have to build yourself. Just FYI.

[stan]

Thank you!

[slo]

I think it is great that you are supporting his interest early on and helping supply him with the resources he needs to reach his goal.  It is hard to overstate the value of this early support in a child's future confidence, drive, esteem, and ability.  Not to mention the ease with which he can now answer "What do you want to be when you grow up?".  Answering that early on and believing he can do it makes it more likely that he will someday be able to pay you back that tuition.  Regarding that, MIT is certainly a fine school.  Considering his aptitudes have him look at Carnegie Melon.  They also have programs for interested High School students I believe.

[Admin]

These might be helpful:
http://www.societyofrobots.com/robot_faq.shtml#best_microcontroller
http://www.societyofrobots.com/robot_faq.shtml#best_robot_college