Hello all. I think that this is a fantastic site, but is missing one thing. And I would like to mkae up for it with a new site I am making. It's going to be a site selling robotics kits, and I am looking for people who would like to controbute their robots and robot designs. I would like to stress though, that the main focus isn't profit, but providing easy to obtain kits to begginers and advanced builders alike to use, instead of having to search multiple sites for components, etc. Anyways, anyone interested (I would especially like the yellow drumming bot to be on the site :) ) please post here.
UPDATE: Since I have been given permission by some people to use their designs, I think it would make it much easier for me to keep track of them if you contacted me through my profile. Thank you, looking forward to have your robot for sale on my site. :D
If you take some time to look around and meet people here you will find that several of them already run sites that sell robot kits, parts, etc. I suspect those that are interested in selling their stuff pretty much already are selling it.
I’ve previously considered giving all the start-Here components and a link toLMR as present to budding geeks, but couldn’t find one site that sold all the components, and couldn’t be arsed to shop around myself…
Well, here I go :). I live in Canada and have always had an interest in electronics. I started soldering things about three years ago and loved the idea of being able to make my ideas real. This year I started tossing around the idea of building some sort of robot to annoy my dog and cat, and when I cam upon this site and all the different creations, it really inspired me to start my project instead of procrastinating for so long. I have just started my first robot which will have a wall-e esk look to it with treads, picaxe, sensors, 7 servos etc. I have found that sites currently selling kits usually have them way overpriced, and they are either not programmable (see every "just snap together the plastic peices, put in batteries and you have a line following robot for just $100 kit" that every site seems to have an endless supply of), or the kits they sell you dont really teach you how you can build your own robots. Thats why I decided I wanted to start a site that really tries to bring begginers into the hoby with well put togethor kits that will inspire them to start building their own creations, and also kits for more advanced enthusiasts that just want to make something and not have to order or buy parts from a ton of different places. And since the main focus is not on profit, the kits would be as affordable as possible. Well, thats all about me and my reason behind this idea!
And I sympathise with your intentions! If I would know an internet shop where all the ingredients for a "Start Here" or YDM could be bought in one purchase, I would definitely recommend it on my robot community site.
I’ve several times tried to awaken interest in an LMR-hosted public domain set of designs for robots devices on a common bus. The idea being that you have a small, medium or large motor controller, an ultrasonic sensor, an LED array, an IR interface, a serial interface, a USB interface, a servor controller… all with a common bus (such as I2C).
Sure these things already exist, but I’d like to see a library on LMR of designs for the devices. The designs would be freely available to anyone who wanted to build them from scratch, or they could be sold as kits with a sizable chunk of the takings going towards paying LMR hosting fees.
I agree with fritsl on this one. The Start here package leave you with some pretty good and standard components that can be used for other projects later. And the platform is great for experimenting with both programming and hardware.
Put your shop up before next christmas and keep reasonable prices, and I’ll guarantie you at least two sold units pronto.
The idea being that you have a small, medium or large motor controller, an ultrasonic sensor, an LED array, an IR interface, a serial interface, a USB interface, a servor controller… all with a common bus (such as I2C).
That’s Lego’s nxt kit that you’re describing. Which already comes with a huge set of official and un-offical extra parts and a host of public domain sites offering robot designs.
I already started building the site, lol. Supply sources were figured out (along with shipping) before i asked for contributers! Hows that for being prepared
A robot you want to work is the one thats least likely.
