[IAEP] [Butia-list] XO robotics

[Christoph Derndorfer]

On Fri, Sep 28, 2012 at 4:39 AM, Caryl Bigenho <cbigenho at hotmail.com> wrote:

>
>
> > Date: Thu, 27 Sep 2012 16:24:56 -0400
> > From: tony_anderson at usa.net
> > To: xxopxe at gmail.com
> > CC: butia-list at fing.edu.uy; yamaplos at gmail.com; iaep at lists.sugarlabs.org;
> christoph.derndorfer at gmail.com
> > Subject: Re: [IAEP] [Butia-list] XO robotics
>
> >
> > Hi,
> >
> > I would love to see you at the SF meeting to explain Butia to that
> audience.
>
> +1 Caryl
>

FWIW: I've been in touch with Andres Aguirre and the Butía team regarding
such a session as I had heard that one of them had submitted a proposal to
the summit organizers. Last I heard (but I still have to follow up with
them to confirm) is that it looks like they unfortunately will have to
participate via Skype as the cost of the trip is simply too high (flight
alone costs ~$1400 according to Kayak). They have however sent me a full
parts list and we were discussing maybe shipping a set of all the
components to San Francisco so we could assemble a Butia during the summit
(or Sugar Camp). Again, all of this was just under discussion and I've yet
to follow up with them to figure out all the details.

Oh, last but not least: Tony suggested that I take some time to translate
the Spanish setup instructions and associated documentation to English. So
this is certainly an item that's on my to-do list for the Sugar Camp in San
Francisco. At the same time I think that if we get around to building
ourselves a butia while we're in town we could also document the process
with a video and tons of photos. :-)

Cheers,
Christoph


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



-- 
Christoph Derndorfer

volunteer, OLPC (Austria) [www.olpc.at]
editor, OLPC News [www.olpcnews.com]
contributor, TechnikBasteln [www.technikbasteln.net]

e-mail: christoph at derndorfer.eu
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