Hey all :)
I'm new to LMR been browsing here for the past week or so and loving it! So I thought I might post a blog entry telling you all a bit about myself and what I have planned in the future for my robotics projects :)
About Me
So I'm a Web developer/programmer from Australia. Been coding for about 6 years or something all self taught! First started coding gamemodes for a multiplayer mod for the pc game GTA:SA called sa-mp, coding in a C like language called Pawn. I soon learnt php and loved it. Someone came onto my test game server once and loved my gamemode and thought I was a great coder and asked if I knew php, I told him I knew a little ( he was from Australia too ). A year later he tracked me down and offered me a job doing php coding for web applications. A year or so into doing that I needed something more permanant and found a job doing websites and web applications which I am still currently at 16months later and am the head programmer etc. I've dabbled in many other languages including C, C++, Actionscript 3( Flash ) etc etc. So there's a bit about me :) No about me and robotics
Like most people here robots have always fascinated me since I was young, but it was more than that... it was being able to create something and come up with crazy ideas! I used to always be pulling things apart and having crazy idea's to build stuff ( like planes I could actually build which I thought was possible then! ). Though like most things I do, I come up with a great idea, work out how I can do it, realise how its done and what to do then come up with another idea leaving that idea behind! I love learning new things! Always trying to expand my knowledge in anything and everything! So yeah back to robots haha! I've never actually made a robot as such but have always wanted to but never really had the money... but now I've decided to finally take the leap and get some robotics gear and build and program away!
Hide n Seek Bot
For my frist project I'm planning on creating a hide n seek robot for my 16month old son. Basically the bot will roam around the house looking for places to "hide" my son will have to go chase after him and find him and press a button on his head which will make him flash pretty lights and spin around then go and hide again providing hours of entertainment( I hope ).
I've decided on using the Arduino platform/chip... mainly because the programming language is familiar to me. I'm not sure whether to use a Sonar Distance Sensor or a IR Distance sensor yet. I'm also thinking of combining it with a LDR to sense darker area's to hide in... ie under desks and chairs etc. The robot will be made our of plastic of some kind in half ball shape... trying to keep moving breakable parts on the inside so that my son wont do damage when he wants to pick it up and throw it around like he does :P Was thinking a white semi translusant material in which I can shine a RGB LED from underneath to make it change colours to show "emotions" and display what its doing ( ie hiding mode, found me dancing mode etc )
Anyway sorry about the long post! Skip it if you want haha
I look forward to being more apart of the community as I love helping! So the quicker I can learn the more I can help! But I rarely ask for help myself :)