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Originally Posted by ProfessorAlekM
You would be surprised would students can do. It's really not hard to make motor controllers, I've made them myself before and I'm only in 9th grade.
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I'm not saying I don't think students can do it. But I am saying students of your skill level, especially at your age, are not common. And as others have said, there's so much potential for error and frustration and even danger that I can see why they don't allow it.
When I was in grade 9 I took out a sheet of paper and sketched a schematic for a simple computer featuring a Z80 CPU (with EEPROM, RAM, basic I/O, etc.) Sadly I never got to build it. I applaud your ability and the opportunities you have already taken advantage of.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ProfessorAlekM
When you calculate it, our team has spent hundreds of the dollars on motor controllers.
Just because something is in the kit, doesn't mean it's free.
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Well, sure. But there's a lot of things that we spend money on. The entire RoboRio control system, especially with the PDP, is quite pricey. Gearboxes are expensive. Wheels, once you add the hubs, are pricey. And did you see how much the boulders cost this year?! Turns out the motors themselves are actually some of the cheapest components in the robot!