#robotics Logs
Aug 12 2017
#robotics Calendar
12:25 AM Jak_o_Shadows: Currently misbehaving when it hits a joint oimiit maybe?
12:29 AM rue_bed: I had an idea to make servos using trim pots as position sensors, and use hex driver bits to interface with them, and act as the output shaft
12:29 AM rue_bed: this would make a nice output shaft, but I think the play between the shaft and the pot is to much
12:30 AM * rue_bed works on what to have for supper
12:31 AM rue_bed: I can get ok hex bits from china for about $0.50 - $1 ea
12:31 AM rue_bed: I'll see what they go for locally
12:33 AM rue_bed: hmm, the used building supplies store might have some for an ok price
12:33 AM rue_bed: I suppose I can print a spline to hex adapter
12:57 AM rue_bed: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/10-Sheets-A4-Transparent-Clear-Film-Self-Adhesive-Vinyl-Sticker-21-x-29-7cm/32644871359.html
12:58 AM rue_bed: for printing 1:1 layouts on material for drilling/cutout
01:09 AM Jak_o_Shadows: I can see how that would be handy
01:09 AM rue_more: cad software, draft layout, print 1:1 to that stuff, stick on metal plate (etc) drill/cut, peel off
01:34 AM Anniepoo_: rue, you can buy hex shaft stock
01:34 AM Anniepoo_: if you're making lots of them, it might actually be cheaper
01:45 AM rue_shop3: yea, prolly more expensive than buying bits
01:45 AM rue_shop3: tho bits are kinda pricey
01:45 AM rue_shop3: hmm
01:45 AM rue_shop3: Tom_itx, you still up?
01:46 AM rue_shop3: so far, I been making all the speed controllers for my cnc machines an extra box, that the power is turned on and off to
01:46 AM rue_shop3: dont know if I should stay with that model
02:16 AM Jak_o_Shadows: I can't find any hex bits for my multi-tool
02:17 AM Jak_o_Shadows: They're kinda a flat hex
02:28 AM rue_shop3: I need a script that goes thru /tmp and deletes anything more than 12 hours old
02:30 AM mrdata_: why
02:30 AM mrdata_: 12 hours is very short
02:30 AM mrdata_: how about a month
03:02 AM rue_shop3: cause a TEMPORARY file should be done with within even 1 hour of it being opened
03:02 AM rue_shop3: and this poor thing only has 40 days uptime on it
03:02 AM rue_shop3: most programs open temporary files, and just leave them
03:03 AM rue_shop3: like CUPS
03:03 AM rue_shop3: and ALSA
03:03 AM rue_shop3: and firefox
03:03 AM rue_shop3: and acroreader
03:03 AM rue_shop3: PULSE
03:04 AM mumptai_: you sure those aren't needed anymore?
03:04 AM rue_shop3: the print job that finished 24 days ago?
03:04 AM mumptai_: or do those crash very often and leave stuff behind?
03:04 AM rue_shop3: yea, these are garbage that programs didn't clean up
03:04 AM rue_shop3: no, they just dont clean up,
03:05 AM rue_shop3: so, this UPS case I chose to put the cnc controller in, ... not gonna work
03:05 AM rue_shop3: tooooo small
03:05 AM rue_shop3: I need to choose the case as a function of the area the connectors take up
03:06 AM mumptai_: and the space your hands need to work with those connectors
03:15 AM rue_shop3: hmmm...
03:26 AM rue_more: hmm , by my definition, imugr technically is a trap
03:26 AM rue_more: "easier to get into than out of"
03:33 AM mrdata_: how about 3.5 days horizon on /tmp
03:59 AM rue_shop3: why do you people think that temp files need to hang around so long?
04:00 AM rue_shop3: they are used for about as long as it takes to sneeze
04:00 AM rue_shop3: after that, they are wasting space
04:51 AM rue_shop3: hmm
04:52 AM rue_shop3: I wonder if there is a good way to have two rs232 controllers talk to the same device
04:52 AM rue_shop3: na, my objectives conflict
04:52 AM rue_shop3: damn, hour counter on the lights quit
04:55 AM rue_shop3: hmm, maybe I should just make one...
04:57 AM rue_shop3: they want 10usd for a meter
04:57 AM rue_shop3: but a 16 char lcd is just 1.50
04:57 AM rue_shop3: and a tiny13 is like 1.50
04:57 AM rue_shop3: er, no their $1
04:57 AM rue_shop3: hmm
04:58 AM rue_shop3: server is up to 43c, must need a dust-out
05:00 AM rue_shop3: I think I have a 1x8 lcd too
05:01 AM rue_shop3: I wonder if a 6 digit mechanical hour counter is rated for more than 10000 hrs
07:36 AM Jak_o_Shadows: mechanical is probably rated for transitions?
07:42 AM rue_shop3: dunno, but by almost every measure, its way cheaper to just make one
07:42 AM rue_shop3: hmm 5am, I'm gonna go to bed
07:42 AM rue_shop3: I got a great case of parts for the new cnc controller
07:43 AM rue_shop3: reversed the dell server power supply
07:43 AM rue_shop3: have the motor drivers and control boards
07:43 AM rue_shop3: need to make up a pendant interceptor board, do that later
07:44 AM rue_shop3: need to work on the pneumatic controller sometime
07:45 AM Jak_o_Shadows: Anyway, the root progress: http://pasteall.org/pic/show.php?id=117914
07:45 AM Jak_o_Shadows: The rough geometry I like - the legs are probably too skinny
07:45 AM Jak_o_Shadows: The servos may be underpowered
07:46 AM Jak_o_Shadows: The servo lever arms need work.
07:46 AM rue_shop3: hmm, have a side pic?
07:46 AM Jak_o_Shadows: and I have no decided how that central servo is going to control leg splay
07:46 AM Jak_o_Shadows: Nup.
07:46 AM Jak_o_Shadows: Using linkages instead of hanging the joints off the servos though.
07:47 AM Jak_o_Shadows: (obviously)
07:47 AM rue_shop3: yep
07:47 AM Jak_o_Shadows: I have room in that middle hole for two servos. If I want to control splay independetly
07:48 AM rue_shop3: huh
07:48 AM Jak_o_Shadows: To be honest, at the moment I'm leaning towards gears
07:50 AM rue_bed: I can forward you R1 of my gear library
07:50 AM rue_bed: its 2d dxf
07:50 AM Jak_o_Shadows: Maybe later? I think i'll leave it fixed for now
07:50 AM Jak_o_Shadows: get the basics working first
07:50 AM Jak_o_Shadows: Splay is just another variable
07:56 AM Jak_o_Shadows: Like, in a normal walking motion, splay doesn't get a big look in I don't thin;k
07:56 AM Jak_o_Shadows: In cornering, or crouching, or maybe walking tall?
11:08 AM Snert__ is now known as Snert
11:37 AM rue_more: hmmm, wake up to go to sleep, so many decisions...
12:15 PM patr0clus is now known as s3nd1v0g1us
12:55 PM SpeedEvil: rue_more: You forgot 'drift in and out of sleep'
12:56 PM rue_more: hmm
12:56 PM rue_more: I did "get up and have shower"
01:32 PM Deacyded is now known as Deacyde
02:03 PM rue_shop3: "lets stack more protocols" 4 bit 447880 over a shift register
02:58 PM anniepoo: Jak - sorry, went home - yes, RT physics systems end up being all about dealing with floating point underflow and overflow. Eric Crister's book on RT Physics gets 2/3rds of way through, then he has a short intro page where he basically says 'now you know the theory, the truth is youj spend most of your time dealing with this stuff' and then there's a couple chapters about dealing with floating numbers
04:00 PM Tom_itx: <rue_shop3> so far, I been making all the speed controllers for my cnc machines an extra box
04:00 PM Tom_itx: that's how mine is
04:01 PM Tom_itx: or do you mean the spindle control separate from the stepper drivers & psu
04:12 PM Deacydal is now known as Deacyde
04:20 PM rue_shop3: Tom_itx, well, so far the boxes are just "apply power or not" and the speed control is done with a knob
04:53 PM z64555: oh what fresh bs is this
04:53 PM z64555: "negative resistance"
04:53 PM * z64555 reads up on it
04:55 PM anniepoo: negative resistance
04:55 PM anniepoo: simple idea - the more the current increases, the less intrinsic resistance there is
04:55 PM z64555: its a bad naming
04:56 PM anniepoo: so it tends to act as a bistable component
04:56 PM anniepoo: whats the component?
04:56 PM anniepoo: gas tubes exhibit this behavior
04:56 PM z64555: fluorescent tube
04:56 PM anniepoo: yup
04:56 PM anniepoo: thats why 2 pins each end
04:57 PM anniepoo: at start they have little heaters
04:57 PM anniepoo: when the heaters heat the gas enough, they ionize and you have current thru gas
04:57 PM z64555: yeah, I'm aware of that. I'm objecting to the terminology
04:57 PM anniepoo: which keeps it hot
04:57 PM anniepoo: well, it's not that great a term
04:57 PM anniepoo: no
04:59 PM anniepoo: spending lots of time squeezing my snail
04:59 PM anniepoo: ok, I have wired up the adafruit i2c cap. touch sensor board
04:59 PM z64555: conductance is probably a better term, using VC = I
05:00 PM anniepoo: no, flour tubes don't obey ohms law
05:00 PM anniepoo: ohms law holds for all things for which ohms law holds
05:00 PM anniepoo: 8cD
05:00 PM z64555: taut taut. :P
05:03 PM z64555: trying to repair a bug zapper, this one seems the most salvagable of the lot
05:03 PM anniepoo: oooh
05:03 PM anniepoo: bug zappers are fun!
05:03 PM z64555: most of the circuitry is encased in resin
05:03 PM anniepoo: ok, that's not fun
05:03 PM anniepoo: even if you get it out, you'll have to repot it
05:03 PM anniepoo: to avoid arcing
05:03 PM z64555: I'm pretty sure the circuitry is ok
05:03 PM anniepoo: 8c/ might be cheaper to buy a bug zapper
05:04 PM z64555: but the ballast needs replacing
05:04 PM z64555: and a wire to the outside grid needs to be replaced
05:04 PM z64555: I'm not sure what kind of ballast it is, though. It looks like a light bulb
05:06 PM z64555: or it could be the starter
05:08 PM anniepoo: if it's a bulb-like thing, it's the starter
05:08 PM anniepoo: the starter just runs current as long as it's cold, and has a little heater filament
05:09 PM anniepoo: ballast is just a resistor so the 'negative resistance' thing doesn't make it a short
05:09 PM z64555: ok, it's the starter for sure, then
05:10 PM anniepoo: somebody on here said they'd worked with the MPR121 cap. touch sensor chip
05:11 PM anniepoo: I've got one, on an Adafruit board
05:11 PM anniepoo: https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-mpr121-12-key-capacitive-touch-sensor-breakout-tutorial/wiring
05:12 PM z64555: I haven't messed with one of those before. What are you trying to do?
05:12 PM z64555: or what is the problem?
05:13 PM anniepoo: I'm not satisfied with performance
05:13 PM anniepoo: it's weird
05:13 PM anniepoo: touching the pins on the board works
05:14 PM anniepoo: I get 2 lines of data, a current value and a base value
05:14 PM z64555: Hm, does it have its own driver built in?
05:14 PM anniepoo: I'm reading wiht an arduino
05:15 PM anniepoo: just because there's a nice tutorial on adafruit to hook to arduino, so I figured I'd just do that
05:15 PM z64555: oh, its an I2C chip
05:15 PM anniepoo: yes
05:15 PM anniepoo: so I get my lines of data
05:18 PM z64555: do you have a picture of your set up?
05:18 PM anniepoo: hang on
05:20 PM anniepoo: http://instagram.com/anneogborn/
05:23 PM anniepoo: last photo
05:26 PM z64555: oooh, you got floor kiln thingy
05:27 PM anniepoo: yes, we do have a floor kiln thingy!
05:27 PM anniepoo: 8cD
05:28 PM z64555: oh, the "last" photo is the one at the top
05:28 PM z64555: ok
05:28 PM anniepoo: yes
05:28 PM anniepoo: 'most recent'
05:30 PM z64555: hm, ok. you've got one wire from ground, presumably, that's next to a wire connected to one of the sensors
05:31 PM z64555: what happens if you move the jumper that's got the clip on it, to one of the pins adjacent to your sensor?
05:35 PM anniepoo: sorry, back
05:35 PM anniepoo: the wire with the banana clip is to the sensor
05:35 PM anniepoo: if I disconnect the clip and touch the wire, I get a good response
05:37 PM z64555: oh! ok. I thought the clip was on the wire that's on the rails in the back
05:37 PM z64555: sorry
05:37 PM z64555: so how does the other end of that clip look?
05:38 PM z64555: and how long is the wire
05:39 PM anniepoo: 14 inches
05:39 PM anniepoo: hanging down in free space off table
05:39 PM z64555: lol, ok, so the clip IS the sensor
05:40 PM anniepoo: yes
05:40 PM z64555: its possible that the wire is too long, and is picking up RF signals
05:42 PM z64555: the adafruit article mentions something about reading the raw capacitance values from each of the pins, you could try running it and comparing the "idle" values
05:43 PM anniepoo: I'm reading the 'filtered' values
05:43 PM z64555: and compare the values of with and without the clip on
05:44 PM anniepoo: yes, well, it seems to have drift
05:45 PM anniepoo: dang, tempted to use the anomalometry on it
05:45 PM anniepoo: 8cD
05:46 PM z64555: yeah, it's probably RF
05:47 PM z64555: soooo. get a smaller wire :P
05:48 PM anniepoo: I'm making touch sensors for snail
05:50 PM Tom_itx: feelers
05:51 PM anniepoo: this is for 'kid touches snail' feedback
05:51 PM Tom_itx: tazer wired to the skin
05:52 PM anniepoo: that's a hard coded response, and not the one I want - sadly.
05:52 PM Tom_itx: they'll get plenty of feedback
05:52 PM Tom_itx: yeah, just having a day here
05:52 PM anniepoo: my life would be simpler if I could just paint outside with conductive paint and charge it up
05:52 PM z64555: yep
05:52 PM anniepoo: sorry Tom
05:52 PM anniepoo: 8c( Me too, kinda
05:53 PM anniepoo: dealt with an idiot teenager testing boundaries a few times in last 36 hrs
05:55 PM z64555: skillet to the face helps with that
05:55 PM z64555: well, temporarily
05:55 PM anniepoo: not my teenager
05:56 PM z64555: oh, even worse
05:58 PM anniepoo: definitely
05:58 PM anniepoo: and parents have this laid back 'fun dad' attitude, which makes for happy kids but they don't understand boundaries
06:00 PM anniepoo: so, I can probably improve this cap. touch thing
06:00 PM anniepoo: but it's not really ever going to do what I need, I think
06:01 PM anniepoo: now I'm thinking about how a theramin works
06:01 PM anniepoo: induce an RF field in a coil, have a coupled tuned coil
06:04 PM z64555: <.<
06:04 PM z64555: annie
06:04 PM anniepoo: ??
06:04 PM z64555: just use two wires
06:04 PM anniepoo: 2 wires?
06:04 PM z64555: one with a RF signal on it, the other to sense it
06:04 PM z64555: similar to capacitive sensing
06:05 PM anniepoo: ah
06:05 PM anniepoo: hmm
06:05 PM z64555: I had a interesting run in with that on a project some years ago
06:05 PM z64555: couldn't figure out why my switch wouldn't work
06:05 PM z64555: but if I brushed up against the wires it would trigger
06:07 PM z64555: it was a problem with the ground, the MCU's clock signal was triggering the switch circuit
06:07 PM z64555: at least I think so, its been a few years since I messed with it
06:10 PM anniepoo: ok, turns out that it only adjusts values when you send the begin signal
06:11 PM anniepoo: if I touch ground the sensitivity goes waaaay up
06:11 PM anniepoo: triggers at about 5"
06:12 PM anniepoo: instead of almost needing touch
06:15 PM anniepoo: the shell, I can register touch by force on the shell
06:16 PM anniepoo: though robot motion also induces it, and it will oscillate after
06:18 PM anniepoo: some sort of bolometry maybe?
06:21 PM anniepoo: if I fed fiber optic (fish line) from looking out of the robot to an array of holes, I might be able to read them all with a camera
06:23 PM anniepoo: if I had more hobby time, it'd be fun to try to set up one of every sensor on wikipedia's sensors page
06:23 PM anniepoo: 8cD
06:24 PM anniepoo: bet I'd learn a ton
06:24 PM anniepoo: hmm... the touch thing's beside me, kind of at 5 oclock
06:25 PM anniepoo: typing on the computer, it's detected me a few times
06:25 PM anniepoo: but when I reached back, it wasn't very sensitive
06:25 PM anniepoo: 8cP life's too short for such a noisy detector
06:26 PM anniepoo: ok, so, if I measure light - the robot can just treat any area of near blackness as touch
06:26 PM anniepoo: esp. if I have a special purpose 'I've been sat on' sensor
06:27 PM anniepoo: do you all think I'm crazy building a snail?
06:27 PM anniepoo: 8cD
06:28 PM anniepoo: bizarrely, I thought about pretty much not having sensors on the snail and go to strictly stand off sensors
06:34 PM anniepoo: you know, I think that's cosmic rays setting the sensor off
06:40 PM z64555: cosmic rays are a form of RF EMI, yes.
06:41 PM z64555: or part of it, rather
06:41 PM z64555: but if you're in a metal building or have any sort of roof over your head, it's probably not cosmic rays
06:43 PM anniepoo: cosmic rays are pretty penetrating, I think
06:46 PM anniepoo: ok, what happens is that the actual cosmic ray is a hadron - a massive particle - and collides in the upper atmosphere
06:46 PM anniepoo: giving out gamma radiation
06:46 PM anniepoo: so the 'cosmic ray' on earth's surface is this gamma burst
06:46 PM anniepoo: 8cD
06:48 PM anniepoo: if I want touch sensing, rf circuit with a pair of electrodes side by side
06:48 PM anniepoo: but you know, I'm wondering if I should think about how much sensing to move to a stand off configuration
06:52 PM anniepoo: on the shell I can induce pulses of stress, and then record them at other points
06:53 PM anniepoo: like finding oil by setting off explosions
06:53 PM anniepoo: that technique's been used in the past to make drawing tablets
07:14 PM anniepoo: hmm... feeling the standoff technique more
07:14 PM anniepoo: hey zhanx
07:14 PM anniepoo: 8cD
07:14 PM zhanx_: anniepoo, snail is made
07:14 PM anniepoo: whoot!
07:14 PM anniepoo: nifty pix avail?????
07:14 PM zhanx_: and its called cavity now????
07:14 PM zhanx_: one sec
07:14 PM anniepoo: it's called cavity?
07:15 PM zhanx_: my 3 year old changed his mind
07:15 PM anniepoo: 8cD
07:15 PM anniepoo: I love cavity
07:16 PM anniepoo: it's a great name for a snail
07:17 PM zhanx_: on the kids / house computer everyone is asleep in my masterbed room for some reason and this keyboard sucks
07:18 PM anniepoo: 8c/
07:18 PM zhanx_: http://imgur.com/a/He9s2
07:18 PM zhanx_: its white cause snails need to be white i guess
07:20 PM anniepoo: 8cD
07:20 PM anniepoo: LOL
07:20 PM anniepoo: OMG
07:20 PM zhanx_: this is an 80% kids project. they decide it all i do the hard parts
07:21 PM zhanx_: tomorrow we might coat it etc
07:21 PM anniepoo: lol
07:22 PM anniepoo: it's great!
07:22 PM zhanx_: my wife said cute
07:22 PM anniepoo: I want to post this!
07:22 PM zhanx_: i got some printer motors for it and a few straws and go ahead
07:23 PM zhanx_: its prefect size also and thank you
07:23 PM anniepoo: cool - I'll credit your kids - they'll like having a stranger like their snail
07:23 PM anniepoo: good! was worried I made too small
07:23 PM zhanx_: snail racing!
07:24 PM zhanx_: might make 3 of them on the mold. last one, a mini propane turbo jet
07:24 PM anniepoo: that'd be awesome!
07:24 PM anniepoo: I had to work to make her not look like Turbo
07:24 PM zhanx_: turbo snail!
07:25 PM zhanx_: i thought they would name it turbo as we watched the movie first but nope
07:25 PM anniepoo: cavity is a better name
07:26 PM anniepoo: writing tweet, should I name the kids?
07:27 PM zhanx_: cavity has been spotted in the wild built by acadian and john
07:27 PM anniepoo: 8cD
07:27 PM zhanx_: what is your twitter?
07:27 PM anniepoo: AnnieTheObscure
07:27 PM anniepoo: hang on, still writing it
07:29 PM zhanx_: k
07:32 PM anniepoo: https://twitter.com/AnnieTheObscure/status/896521776791928832
07:32 PM zhanx_: acadian is giggling and laughing
07:32 PM anniepoo: 8cD
07:32 PM anniepoo: LOL
07:33 PM zhanx_: and now playing with my laser thermo
07:33 PM anniepoo: Tell Acadian I'm giggling and laughing too
07:33 PM zhanx_: he likes it when i spend time with him making robots, more of a dad son time etc
07:34 PM anniepoo: That was def the highlight of an otherwise crummy day
07:34 PM anniepoo: yes, making robots with kids is great
07:34 PM zhanx_: i do a lot of outreach with computers and tech like rue does
07:34 PM zhanx_: its great
07:34 PM anniepoo: oh, neat!
07:35 PM anniepoo: if you need something cut on laser, like 50 robot kits, just tell me
07:35 PM anniepoo: 8cD
07:35 PM zhanx_: i got a few donated computers so far, (way less than last year) i fix and install linux for kids etc
07:35 PM zhanx_: for xmas
07:35 PM anniepoo: There's an outfit in Portland that collects old computers and gives them away
07:36 PM zhanx_: same concept but in the backwoods where i live
07:36 PM zhanx_: last year i did 25
07:36 PM anniepoo: nice!
07:36 PM zhanx_: this year i might get ten
07:36 PM anniepoo: I've given a few away
07:37 PM zhanx_: anything to get kids in robotics and fun, reminds me to order more arduinos for them
07:38 PM zhanx_: annie if i need laser cut, i am gonna ask you
07:38 PM zhanx_: trying to get the 3rd grade class a project this year
07:38 PM anniepoo: cool!
07:39 PM zhanx_: heck i might vacuum mold the snail for it :D
07:39 PM anniepoo: our laser's 600x900 mm
07:39 PM anniepoo: it's easier on me if you stay a bit less than that
07:39 PM anniepoo: OMG - a whole room fulla snails!
07:40 PM zhanx_: 24 snails made by 3rd graders is a thing that might be big
07:40 PM anniepoo: LOL
07:40 PM zhanx_: they don't have first robotics here and i am trying to get it
07:41 PM anniepoo: aww - though to tell the truth the first robotics is a bit overstructured
07:42 PM zhanx_: better than nothing like they have
07:43 PM zhanx_: my sons class is 94% girls, everyone wants more girls in tech. but not in new york
07:43 PM * anniepoo rolls eyes
07:44 PM zhanx_: yes i saw your twitter feed, politics we dont agree, tech we do
07:44 PM zhanx_: but i think you know that as i was a soldier etc
07:45 PM anniepoo: If the snail design's not ideal for a 3rd grader robot I can design a diff one
07:45 PM anniepoo: sure
07:45 PM zhanx_: no i think the snail is perfect
07:45 PM zhanx_: its a snail they get to make go fast
07:45 PM anniepoo: that's just brilliant
07:45 PM zhanx_: or slow or whatever
07:46 PM anniepoo: whats the chassis?
07:46 PM zhanx_: r/c car i got fits it but...
07:46 PM zhanx_: i need to fine a sub 5 dollar one
07:46 PM zhanx_: find
07:46 PM anniepoo: need 30 - maybe a glue-up of laser cut mdf
07:47 PM anniepoo: couple cheap china motors - I bought 100 of them
07:47 PM zhanx_: i got tools to cut wood and jigs so i can make one if needed
07:47 PM anniepoo: yes, I'm thinking how to do 30 for reasonable cost
07:48 PM zhanx_: if i get approved for it, i will a few jigs and make it all easy tools and wires
07:48 PM zhanx_: and code will be the snap
07:49 PM anniepoo: if you made a little control box batteries could be in there, two pushbuttons
07:49 PM anniepoo: tank steering
07:49 PM zhanx_: true
07:49 PM anniepoo: wouldn't need an arduino
07:49 PM zhanx_: god knows i have enough esp's for it
07:49 PM zhanx_: i got like 50-60 of the cheap ones
07:50 PM anniepoo: esp?
07:50 PM zhanx_: esp8266
07:50 PM zhanx_: great now i need to make a track to race them on
07:51 PM anniepoo: how will you drive motor if you use this?
07:52 PM zhanx_: that was a thought too
07:52 PM anniepoo: I'd just use a few feet of cable to a control box
07:52 PM anniepoo: make it a wired drive-around
07:52 PM anniepoo: no electronics at all
07:52 PM zhanx_: and make the kids run behind it
07:52 PM anniepoo: yes
07:53 PM anniepoo: have to design it to go a speed they can go comfortably
07:53 PM zhanx_: bit of cat 5 cable and be done
07:53 PM anniepoo: yes, cat5 is great
07:53 PM zhanx_: or gear it
07:53 PM zhanx_: great now i need to fix my tale saw so i can make gears
07:53 PM anniepoo: yes - mate the motor to a friction wheel
07:53 PM zhanx_: which i should do anyways
07:54 PM anniepoo: yikes
07:54 PM zhanx_: no its a 52 sears
07:54 PM zhanx_: but needs a new pilot bearing
07:55 PM anniepoo: easier and better by far to have me laser cut them
07:55 PM anniepoo: ah!
07:55 PM anniepoo: old model trains used to use rubber band drives
07:55 PM anniepoo: but you need the kind of rubber bands for hair
07:55 PM zhanx_: maybe but 20 minutes its fixed, and indexing gears and shafts is easy
07:55 PM anniepoo: big size
07:56 PM anniepoo: 8cD I gotta see table sawed gears
07:56 PM zhanx_: table saw dowels?
07:56 PM anniepoo: ok, so, controls - need two switches
07:56 PM zhanx_: i got 20 right now
07:56 PM anniepoo: dowels I've made
07:57 PM zhanx_: so batteries are next
07:57 PM anniepoo: well, hear me out on controls
07:57 PM zhanx_: lots of rechargeable
07:57 PM anniepoo: have a couple pockets inside control box
07:57 PM anniepoo: with steel balls in them
07:57 PM anniepoo: (bust up a few old bearings)
07:57 PM zhanx_: k
07:58 PM anniepoo: arranged so when it's more or less level they're rolled one way,
07:58 PM zhanx_: wife texted my oldest's teacher on it
07:58 PM anniepoo: and touch contacts, and car goes straight
07:58 PM zhanx_: i get yea
07:58 PM anniepoo: tilt left, the left ball rolls away
07:58 PM anniepoo: yah
07:58 PM zhanx_: that would work
07:59 PM anniepoo: need to point down to stop or something
07:59 PM anniepoo: so, besides just making the things
07:59 PM zhanx_: up to stop i think
07:59 PM anniepoo: there's lots of developmental things you could do with this
07:59 PM zhanx_: first i think is get it passed
07:59 PM anniepoo: 8cD you're basically doing a rump version of 'one robot per child', my big long term project
08:00 PM zhanx_: then fun stuff
08:00 PM anniepoo: yes, but I can help one other way
08:00 PM zhanx_: true
08:00 PM anniepoo: cause I've got lots of contact with education people who can help me with solid lesson plans
08:01 PM zhanx_: if out of 24 kids 2 love it i am good
08:01 PM anniepoo: some won't see the point of making it
08:01 PM anniepoo: until they use it
08:01 PM zhanx_: nope and after they make will not care, its life
08:01 PM anniepoo: well, the connection we want to make for the kids
08:02 PM anniepoo: is that making = having
08:02 PM zhanx_: the connection i want to make is that
08:02 PM anniepoo: would you personally be happy if I gave you a wire EDM machine?
08:02 PM zhanx_: if you make you built it
08:02 PM anniepoo: (to pick a random expensive tool)
08:02 PM anniepoo: I assume so
08:02 PM zhanx_: hell yea.. i mean yes
08:03 PM anniepoo: right - I'd love one myself
08:03 PM anniepoo: because we're makers
08:03 PM anniepoo: we see tool, we think thing
08:03 PM zhanx_: i live off my awesome va benefits
08:03 PM anniepoo: and if your door knob breaks, 'fix it' is probably your first thought
08:04 PM zhanx_: washer and dryer both broke on me, fixed them both
08:04 PM anniepoo: it's amazing to me how much stuff I don't buy any more, cause I can go in the shop and make it
08:05 PM zhanx_: making it mean you built it
08:05 PM anniepoo: yes
08:05 PM anniepoo: eg I needed some book cases
08:05 PM anniepoo: think I went to Wal-mart?
08:05 PM zhanx_: nope make them
08:05 PM anniepoo: sure
08:06 PM anniepoo: and I got exactly the size I want
08:06 PM anniepoo: and they look better than walmart ones
08:06 PM zhanx_: i was told giving my kids tablets was bad
08:06 PM anniepoo: as in android tablets?
08:06 PM anniepoo: or as in pepto bismol?
08:07 PM zhanx_: yes, mind i live in a heavy left environment, i was like why? it tech
08:07 PM anniepoo: I've seen that mentality
08:07 PM zhanx_: give the tools to the kids as soon as they can learn them
08:08 PM anniepoo: I was a volunteer teacher in a school in india, run by the kind of people who'd attend the Unitarian church if they were in the US
08:08 PM zhanx_: them when computer is broke, brings to me
08:08 PM anniepoo: right -and I'm assuming most of the making of Cavity was zhanx, not the kids, but they did part, and now they're immensely jazzed up
08:09 PM zhanx_: it was yes but they are 3 and 8
08:10 PM zhanx_: like any normal parent
08:10 PM zhanx_: fun part was the 3 year old found the numbers faster
08:11 PM anniepoo: lol
08:11 PM * zhanx_ did grab 1 and use it as a template to drill the holes
08:12 PM anniepoo: your 3 year old?
08:12 PM anniepoo: that's very cool
08:12 PM anniepoo: anyway, most kids don't see that connection
08:12 PM zhanx_: he has the same memory as me
08:12 PM anniepoo: so we need to find a use for the snails - a thing to do with them - so they see the connection
08:13 PM zhanx_: racing is one, competition does what?
08:13 PM Jak_o_Shadows: Ok. Gonna grab the stand to do someting wtih the legs
08:13 PM anniepoo: Kevin (my biz partner)'s mom lives next door. She was a K6 teacher for many years
08:13 PM anniepoo: I'm going to go ask her about it
08:13 PM zhanx_: k
08:13 PM anniepoo: 8cD
08:14 PM zhanx_: the size is prefect for kids
08:14 PM anniepoo: lol
08:15 PM anniepoo: one thing about no electronics
08:15 PM anniepoo: it makes the circuit explicable
08:15 PM anniepoo: 'electricity goes in a circle'
08:15 PM anniepoo: out the battery, thru ball, wires, motor, back to battery
08:16 PM anniepoo: lol
08:16 PM anniepoo: very nice
08:16 PM zhanx_: advanced classed toss the tether
08:16 PM anniepoo: how old are kids?
08:16 PM zhanx_: i hate this keyboard
08:17 PM zhanx_: 8-9
08:17 PM anniepoo: yah, it's FAR easier on teacher if you don't toss the tether
08:17 PM Jak_o_Shadows: 8-9 should be able to type
08:17 PM Jak_o_Shadows: that's my experience
08:17 PM Jak_o_Shadows: mostly anyway
08:17 PM Jak_o_Shadows: 10's definitely
08:17 PM zhanx_: jak they can
08:17 PM anniepoo: remember the teacher's gotta manage the class
08:17 PM anniepoo: so keeping the kid and robot in same place is a godsend
08:18 PM Jak_o_Shadows: On the other hand, a tether is a triphazard
08:18 PM Jak_o_Shadows: kids tend to stick close to their robots
08:18 PM anniepoo: true
08:18 PM anniepoo: hmm
08:18 PM zhanx_: as a first its ok
08:19 PM zhanx_: as a launch to more get rid of it
08:19 PM rue_shop3: zhanx, ?
08:19 PM anniepoo: bet Maureen (kevin's mom) has good idea for this
08:19 PM rue_shop3: zhanx, bits of wood?
08:19 PM anniepoo: anyway, it's close to 6, I need to get going if I'm going to grab some food
08:19 PM zhanx_: rue_shop3, no i didn't cut them
08:19 PM anniepoo: LOL
08:20 PM anniepoo: so, I'm headed to kevin's mom - I might take her to local diner
08:20 PM zhanx_: need more before i pull out the tools
08:20 PM anniepoo: ttyl
08:20 PM zhanx_: but i did print them
08:23 PM rue_shop3: more?
09:25 PM Tom_itx is now known as Tom_L
09:25 PM Tom_L: well at least the driver isn't blown
09:25 PM Tom_L: i'm betting a relay stuck like zhanx said
09:54 PM zhanx: Tom_L: pull out the multi its not that hard
10:43 PM Tom_L: i unhooked them for now
10:51 PM Jak_o_Shadows: ah. Well, I did have those bearings
10:53 PM Jak_o_Shadows: and by that I mean I nnow have 44