Basic stamp bots

I know nothing about this robot so I''ll comment on the microcontroller.

BASIC stamp is very neat. Make sure you get the manual with it.

Alternatively, consider one built around the popular Motorola 68HC11 architecture.

Resist everyone
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I build a crappy little basic stamp robot from a basic stamp I (), a broken CD drive, some wood, an RC servo, and some other various little parts. Pretty fun stuff to work with.

If you want, you can puck up free sample chips to build a basic stamp from National Semiconductor. I recieved the basic stamp II microcontroller a few days ago for free (PIC16C57C).

I''d feel like I was cheating if I bought a kit or something premade. I think part of the coolness of hardware is figuring it out. I probably wouldn''t try to build my own processor, using ICs is fine for learning basic hardware, but I''d want buy, configure, and program the components on my own and not by just following step by step instructions. Part of the fun of doing something new is the discovery, and it sounds like the kits kind of take away from that.

Thanks both for the information. I'll be sure to look into the Motorola 68HC11, Ravuya. Xtremehobo, I must press that I really have little/no electronics/engineering background though it's always been a desire of mine to remedy that. What would you suggest I research or pick up to be more comfortable with a simple project like the one you mentioned? I mean, would it be wise to pick up one of the kits I've mentioned with a community and manuals behind them to help me or should I begin immediately with a few books and a few parts I choose? Cheers.

EDIT:
Hmmm, I think Extrarius hit a concern of mine square on the head. The main cause for my consideration of the basic stamp kit is that if I just picked up the stamp I'd have no idea how to work with it or what other devices to grab.

[edited by - Woodsman on January 1, 2004 5:17:05 PM]

Well, a basic stamp is extremey straight forward. Hook up a 9v battery, plug it into the parallel port with it''s cord (if its a BS-1) or to the serial port (if its a BS-2) and you use the supplied software to program it in it''s BASIC-like language.

You could hook the output pins directly up to LED''s and play with those, but if you plan on driving any motors you''ll need a motor driver chip. I bought a couple from Digikey but forgot which model they were. You could probably find a free sample from the chip manufacturers site though.

Look into motor driver schematics. Google is your friend for this

I don''t know of any good books related to simple digital electronics but isit a local radioshack if you''re near one and look through these little Engineer''s mini notebooks written by a guy named Forrest Mimms. They''ve got simple hand drawn schematics sometimes using IC''s and nice little explanations on how they work.

Go with the stamp, there is lots of support behind it as well as vast amounts of tutorials. The electronics knowledge needed to operate the stamp and construct auxilary components is does not have to be much since most of the technical aspects are taken care of you. IMHO you will learn the electronics knowledge anyway and much faster going this route since when you start something you want results fast.

After you learn about this microcontroller you can go into PICs and then to processors - I''m quite partial to the 68K processor myself.

Good luck

Ok, I'll probably end up just getting the basic stamp alone (theres the parallax $160 kit for about $100 at an auction) and look around for some simple web tutorials on how to make some simple set ups.

EDIT: Hmmm, perhaps a daft question, but it says here that the kit doesnt have a power source... how are they powered?

[edited by - Woodsman on January 1, 2004 6:22:15 PM]

I''m really intressted in all this. Would be alot of fun to make an own little robot.

I''m gonna get the XGameStation and learn from it(it comes with an eBook explaining everything). I''d be great to learn how to program a electonical device to do something.

/MindWipe

I was also considering the XGS and will probably get it myself. It''s more things like this that fancy me, though.

Wow. Little robots that walk around. I''d rather look at a roach.

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Original post by temp_ie_cant_thinkof_name
Wow. Little robots that walk around. I''d rather look at a roach.

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Well, to be honest I would too, I find them fascinating. Other than that I don''t really see the point in your post, save maybe to up your post count.

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Hmmm, perhaps a daft question, but it says here that the kit doesnt have a power source... how are they powered?

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Parallax sells power supplies for their kits but the kits usually have an onboard power connection utilizing a 9v battery, they have an onboard 5v regulator. (Yep, upper left of the programming bard has the connectors)

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Wow. Little robots that walk around. I''d rather look at a roach.

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You can build one out of a parallax stamp that has about the same intellegence level or you can make one in the BEAM classification.

Whatabout the photovore? 6 transistors, a solar panel, some wire, solder, and two beeper motors!

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Original post by Xiachunyi

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Hmmm, perhaps a daft question, but it says here that the kit doesnt have a power source... how are they powered?

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Parallax sells power supplies for their kits but the kits usually have an onboard power connection utilizing a 9v battery, they have an onboard 5v regulator. (Yep, upper left of the programming bard has the connectors)

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Hmm, like this one or is there another?

Yea that will work although it is a little too expensive for my taste. You can either just buy the board and hook up a 9v battery to it or make/buy your own power adapter. Something that puts out a regulated 6v at whatever amps, probably >1.5 since the onboard regulator will handle the rest.

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Original post by Xiachunyi
Yea that will work although it is a little too expensive for my taste. You can either just buy the board and hook up a 9v battery to it or make/buy your own power adapter. Something that puts out a regulated 6v at whatever amps, probably >1.5 since the onboard regulator will handle the rest.

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Yes... Haha, if I stay on this track that may actually all make perfect sense at some point (at least in how to go about constructing such a thing). Cheers.

What about this power source? (Though I''m not sure what it attaches to aside from the breadboard.