RadioShack-IFI Collaboration Proof?

[Billfred]

(This thread is in reference to http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...ght=radioshack from the rumor mill, where the word was that FIRST, IFI, and RadioShack were hashing out a deal to sell Robovations in RS stores. Given the fact that this product appears different, I figure it warrants a new thread.)

Alright, so I went home today to vote. And at home was a RadioShack mailer.

And, for $229.99, Radio Shack is selling a Build Your Own Robot kit. This wouldn't strike my fancy, except for two things:

1) The Erector Set-like chassis looks eerily similar to the Robovation's.
2) There's an honest-to-goodness serial port on the front of that picture (and the RS link below says it's programmable), not to mention two IFI-sized motors (or maybe they're servos--small pics are the devil) in the parts picture.

The RadioShack page is here, and the RS part number is 276-629.

Given that a Robovation costs $249 from IFI ($20ish more), could we see either a mass-produced or scaled-down Robovation from the Shack?

(And if anyone has one of these, can you dish some additional dirt for us?)

[Astronouth7303]

I've seen Basic stamps at radio shack, but I don't remember an erector set included in that.

[dez250]

That is called a BOE-Bot, it stands for Board of Education Robot. I have personally worked with that kit before when i was in high school, and if you can afford it i highly recommend it as a design tool. It runs a basic stamp and is produced by Parallax Inc., the same company who worked with the basic stamp in many other applications. It is more or less the same chip as our 2003 and prior IFI controllers ran off of and is programmable by the serial port in PBaisc language. The chassis is sheet metal and you can do a very large amount of things with these kits. Parallax is a great company and you can find a varied line of products from them at www.parallax.com and oh yeah their newest BOE-Bot "carrier" board which is the PCB with the chip socket on it is now USB programmable, its a nice new feature.

[Mike AA]

I also worked with the BOE bot when I was in high school about 3 years ago for almost 2 years straight, yes they are two ( 2) modified servos. There is a lot you can learn with it and figure out to do. It used code similar to the controllers before the black IFI controllers so it was a learning experience for me for FIRST. I believe I have both of the BOE bots which we used and if I could find the second one which my partner used I would be willing to part with it for a cost, much less than new as its a little old and used but still good. PM me or something to ask about it.

[coreyjon]

I remember the BOE-Bot's...I remember the hours spent creating things with them that would terrorize spangler(my CIM teacher) (mike you know what I mean). We used them in our CIM class to practice with plc's. Very good kit, and highly recommended..and if you ever get bored of the stock chassis, or what not, its simple to create you own for a custom application, with a plc and a few relays, you could power bigger motors and other large current drawing devices, and you could even make from parts bought at radio shack simple H-bridge motor controllers, or take the time to make a variable speed motor controller. its easier than you think to make a motor controller that reads the pwm signal, and can run a high power motor. Just an example of how you might expand upon the kit to do other fun things.

[ahecht]

AS others have said, the BOE-Bot is not Robovation. The main difference is that the chassis is only the single piece of metal you see there -- there are no additional structural parts included.

For more information on what comes in the kit, see http://www.parallax.com/detail.asp?product_id=28132

[dddriveman]

This rumor is true. I work at a radioshack in moraine, ohio. When i heard this i asked my district manager about it and he said that was the plan. I do not yet have a date when they will hit the stores though.

[Adam Y.]

This is no surprise considering the fact that most of the radioshacks that I have visited have starting carrying the What is a microcontroller? kit from parrallax.

[dddriveman]

Originally Posted by Adam Y.

This is no surprise considering the fact that most of the radioshacks that I have visited have starting carrying the What is a microcontroller? kit from parrallax.

We are also carrying the boebot kit for only $229.99