#robotics Logs

Dec 16 2011

00:39 Tobias| I'd be interested by that, given how multidisciplinary making such a thing would be
09:48 arnet hey, people, I would like to ask a twi related question
09:48 arnet is it normal when I usually get expected response when reading a byte from i2c, and sometimes I get something strange, like 0x55 ?
11:55 sausage2 hi. Is anyone into evolution simulations?
11:59 sausage2 I want to make a big scale simulation, so the "fitness function"/selection is based on the current state of the simulation, just like in real life
11:59 sausage2 Im not going to do it, but im curious if anyone knows what you get out of it.
11:59 sausage2 The simulators out there that I've seen so far, is only tweaking/optimizing the organism for one thing; gathering resoures/hunting
11:59 sausage2 I want it to escalate to super-human inteligence :)
16:25 GenevaMode Hi all!
16:25 GenevaMode I'm new here!
16:26 zhanx hi
16:26 zhanx most people are out right now
16:27 zhanx lots of lurkers
16:27 GenevaMode I've never done robotics before.
16:27 zhanx ok
16:27 GenevaMode I requested "Robot Builder's Bonanza" for Christmas.
16:27 GenevaMode Is it a good book?
16:27 zhanx never seen it
16:27 GenevaMode K.
16:27 GenevaMode Is assembler hard to learn?
16:27 zhanx yes
16:28 GenevaMode What is it that makes it hard?
16:28 zhanx can you code?
16:28 GenevaMode I can code:
16:28 GenevaMode C++, JavaScript, (formerly)Python.
16:29 GenevaMode HTML, CSS
16:29 zhanx ok you know c++ thats a bonus
16:29 GenevaMode I'm generally quite familiar with the syntax.
16:29 zhanx just remember uC (micro controllers) are not pc's
16:29 GenevaMode In what ways do you mean?
16:30 zhanx remembering the syntax
16:30 zhanx well you get 128k for example of code space and ram
16:30 GenevaMode Okay.
16:30 GenevaMode Are MCs cheap?
16:30 zhanx yep
16:30 zhanx uC's
16:30 GenevaMode How much for one in the UK?
16:31 zhanx depends
16:31 GenevaMode I heard you can get them for £5
16:31 zhanx alot of new people including me start with avr
16:31 GenevaMode AVR?
16:31 zhanx huge supoport base etc
16:31 zhanx amtel chips
16:31 GenevaMode Awesome.
16:32 zhanx i started with an arduino (was a programmer first)
16:32 zhanx then moved to programming the avr without the arduino code base
16:32 zhanx digi has a uk site
16:32 GenevaMode Okay.
16:33 GenevaMode What are some good beginner projects for someone wanting to learn basic robotics?
16:33 zhanx basics first
16:33 zhanx then learn to tie it all together
16:33 GenevaMode What are the basics?
16:34 GenevaMode Or would I be better off waiting for the book?
16:34 zhanx serial, moving motors, and reading sensors
16:34 zhanx go to digikey.uk and search this part number ATTINY85V-10PU-ND
16:34 GenevaMode How much knowledge of electronics do I need?
16:34 zhanx the basics to start with
16:35 GenevaMode For someone with the electrical knowledge of a five-year-old?
16:35 GenevaMode I didn't do very well at school.
16:35 zhanx k, you got a bit to learn but it will come
16:36 Paradoxial GenevaMode: Don't be discouraged by how you did at school
16:36 zhanx i am actually prototyping a robot base for beginners
16:36 Paradoxial Everybody has their own style of learning
16:36 Paradoxial Perhaps a classroom wasn't the best one for you
16:37 GenevaMode I went to "special school", if that's relevant.
16:37 zhanx its not
16:37 GenevaMode I like to learn by reading the theory and testing my knowledge.
16:37 GenevaMode I wasn't good at keeping up on classroom lessons.
16:37 zhanx neither am i
16:38 GenevaMode Is trigonometry useful for mathematics?
16:38 GenevaMode Robotics, I mean.
16:38 GenevaMode Sorry.
16:38 Paradoxial Yes
16:38 Paradoxial But it is not always required
16:38 GenevaMode Is it useful if you're a bit of a perfectionist?
16:38 Paradoxial Extremely
16:38 GenevaMode Wonderful!
16:39 GenevaMode What were the first robots you guys made?
16:39 zhanx i made a 8 legged 3dof spider bot
16:39 GenevaMode 3dof?
16:39 Paradoxial I made two at the same time
16:39 zhanx degrees of freedom (aka movement)
16:39 GenevaMode Okay.
16:39 Paradoxial One was with some spare parts I had while building the second. It was a 2 wheeled photovore
16:40 Paradoxial The other was a 4 wheeled test base. I still have part of it I think
16:41 Paradoxial GenevaMode: A dof can sometimes be thought of like a joint
16:41 GenevaMode Like a hinge?
16:41 GenevaMode Or more like an artificial wrist/elbow/hip?
16:41 Paradoxial The latter
16:41 Paradoxial In most cases
16:41 GenevaMode Have you guys ever heard of PARO?
16:42 Paradoxial For example, your elbow adds a dof to your arm
16:42 GenevaMode Mhmm.
16:42 Paradoxial Your arm is 3 dof
16:42 GenevaMode Hmmm.
16:43 GenevaMode Does that mean that 1 dof is 60 degrees?
16:43 Paradoxial It can be any number of degrees
16:43 GenevaMode So what is the measurement of 1 dof?
16:43 zhanx 360 degrees max
16:43 GenevaMode Oh!
16:43 Paradoxial Unless it's continuously rotational
16:43 GenevaMode So the 3 dofs refer to dimensions?
16:43 Paradoxial Yeah
16:44 GenevaMode Cool!
16:44 GenevaMode I don't think my other question was noticed. Have you heard of PARO?
16:44 zhanx nope
16:44 GenevaMode Would you like to see a video of him?
16:45 Paradoxial On the arm concept, note that that is if you were looking at your arm in one dimension
16:45 Paradoxial The human arm technically has 7 degrees of freedom
16:45 GenevaMode 7?
16:45 GenevaMode I could understand 6.
16:46 zhanx ok out to get food
16:46 zhanx laters
16:46 Paradoxial The rotation of the wrist is sometimes left out
16:46 GenevaMode Okay!
16:46 GenevaMode Ohhh~
16:47 GenevaMode I sent you a video of PARO via PM, if you're interested.
16:47 Paradoxial I'm watching it right now
16:48 GenevaMode Okay. :)
16:49 Paradoxial Ha, didn't expect that. It's so cute!
16:50 GenevaMode I want one!
16:50 Paradoxial I've always wanted to turn a stuffed animal into a robot
16:51 Paradoxial It wouldn't be hard at al
16:51 Paradoxial all*
16:51 GenevaMode Yeah.
16:51 Paradoxial Well, relatively
16:51 GenevaMode I can't even code AI in a computer game very well though.
16:52 Paradoxial That's one of those things you get better at with practice
16:52 GenevaMode Yeah, I suppose so.
16:53 GenevaMode I just can't get over PARO. I'm still squealing over it.
16:53 GenevaMode ... and I'm an 18 year old male.
16:57 GenevaMode Anyway, where do you guys get inspiration for your robots?
17:00 Paradoxial Not everyone has a source of inspiration
17:01 GenevaMode I heard that some people are inspired by animals. Is that a good source?
17:04 Paradoxial It can be
17:05 Paradoxial When you're beginning, it may be best to build something that has already been built
17:05 GenevaMode Like that "Most useless robot" thing that turns itself off when you flick a switch?
17:06 Paradoxial Well, you'd add on to that bot
17:06 Paradoxial And make it better
17:11 GenevaMode So I could put in a buzzer or a flashing light?
17:12 Paradoxial Yeah
17:16 GenevaMode I sent another video to you.
17:21 GenevaMode I need to sleep. Goodnight everyone.