-----Original Message-----
From: King, Jonathan [mailto:KingJ@SHARPSEC.COM]
Sent: Thursday, January 06, 2000 8:03 AM
To: PICLIST@MITVMA.MIT.EDU
Subject: Re: Robotics for Father/Son Project? [OT]

At the Microchip Masters conference last year, there was a robot-building
contest using the Lego robot set, and everyone had a ton of fun with it.
The stuff works, it's got enough flexibility and complexity to keep a
roomful of experienced engineers playing for two days, but it's within the
grasp of kids.

The only problem with it is that the Lego engineers made the regrettable
error of buying their processor from some contemptible competitor of
Microchip.  While this was greatly lamented by all present (especially the
Microchip folks), we did not let this one faux pas prevent us from
thoroughly enjoying the event.

With no experience in electronics, I would suggest the Lego Mindstorm
Robotics Invention System.
http://www.rentron.com/Lego_Mindstorms.htm

They include a "controller" brick that is programmable from Windows software
that they provide as well as sensors, motors and other miscellaneous parts
that all can be assembled in the traditional Lego way.  Everything you would
need to build a simple robot.  They are a little expensive (the base kit is
~ $200).  You can also buy various themed expansion packs.

I personally have not used it, but everything I've heard about it has been
very positive.  I chose to build from scratch, but I have a 4 year EE degree
and a fair amount of practical experience so I wanted a bit more of a
challenge.  I have been seriously considering buying one of these to work on
with my kids.

Hope this helps,
Jonathan

>
> I have a brother-in-law who has expressed interest in a father-son
> robotics
> project for him and his son.  (Finally!)  They're both pretty smart but
> have
> no experience in electronics.  His son is 13.  I'm debating what to direct
> them to.  I'm looking at 3 projects:  1)  Robert Nansel's breadbot robot
> series of articles in Nuts & Volts, 2)  Myke Predko's IR Tank robot using
> Tamiya parts or 3) Parallax's Growbot.  For a brain they could use
> Stamps/clones (BX-24?) or PICs.  My strategy would be to provide them a
> project with software they could build & get up and running and then go on
> to learn to modify the software.  Stamps may be easier to learn since they
> use BASIC but couldn't they also use the PICs with the help of the Easy
> Pic'
> n books?  Any of these options I think are within their budget.
>
> Has anybody been down this path or know what might work best?  Any
> recommendations would be appreciated.  Thanks.  Dave Scott