Quote:
Originally posted by team222badbrad
Dave I know why you like the kit though.....You helped design it.....
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WRONG! I had nothing to do with the design of the EduRobotics kit hardware. The first time that I saw it was along with everyone else at the 2002 kick-off, when Tony Norman was showing it around, and the rookie workshop was held. And I didn't get one into my grubby little hands any earlier than anyone else did - I waited until they were avialable and bought one through the Innovation First web site.
But what I have done is really try to understand what can be done with the kit and how it can be expanded, rather than focusing on what it can't do. Where I have had ideas for improving the kits, I have been very quick to send my suggestions to Tony and the folks at IFI. But I have no expectation that they will give my suggestions any more weight than those from any other source - nor should they. As a result I have been quite happy with the functions that the kit has provided that have allowed us to conduct rapid experiments with autonomy, adding sensors, new interface designs, etc. One of the results has been the set of autonomy exercises we wrote (which, hopefully, other teams will also find useful).
I may be alone on this, but I like the relatively small size of the parts. It has meant that I can put togeher a robot while sitting with the kit parts spread in front of me on the table in my den, while watching reruns of "Magnum, P.I." at 2:00 in the morning, and I don't have to worry about slinging stuff all over my garage shop. And when I am done, it all packs up into the little white box that fits confortably under one arm, leaving the other arm free to hoist a 52-ounce Super Big Gulp of Diet Coke. What more could you want!
-dave