> Wayne Talbot wrote:
> >
> >I will be building my own design no matter what the group goals are
> >but I hope to be able to contribute to the group work and learn from
> >it as well.
>
> This is also the way that I feel about it. We each work to validate our
> own Ideas and concepts.
While we each are certainly free to design and build
our own systems; I was hoping there would be some commonality
such that we could share resources and talents.
I write (wrote?) a lot of 68HC11 assembly code;
that might not be someone else's 'cup of tea'.
Maybe someone is good with CAD and drawing schematics;
or etching PC boards (like for beacons);
Or designing op amp circuits for sensors...
If we can keep our systems similar enough we can share
talents and resources.
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Maybe we can develop some required and options systems
and 'suggested guidlines' for equipment.
--i.e. drive motors will be 12v and from 2-4 amps total; Suggested speed is .1 - .3M / second.
That would give people designing H-bridges a max power spec, AND allow people to choose there own drive motors (Electric WIndow, Cordless Screwdriver, Childs Battery Car).
The parts/schematics and contruction of controlling hardware could be shared by everyone, down to the part numbers from suppliers.
"constants" in the microcontroller code would allow for variations in the list range.
To me thats the real draw of an organized group: share the work, this project is going to take a lot of work.
I'd rather not make 42 'one-offs', but I could see a basic design with options that resulted in 42 similar (but NOT identical) mowbots.
-Monta Elkins
--------------------------------------------------------- | "All that is necessary for evil to triumph is | | for good men to do nothing." -- Edmund Burke | | Monta nospam at bev.net ----------------- http://www.bev.net | | System Administrator - Blacksburg Electronic Village | ---------------------------------------------------------