Hardware Interfacing

RobotBASIC is NOT just a simulation language.   External hardware can be controlled and manipulated using the PC's I/O ports and devices (serial, parallel, USB, webcams, networks, internet, etc.)  Based on the comments and questions we receive, many people are interested in using RobotBASIC in this manner, but need some help getting started.  To that end, we are working on several books to provide assistance on a variety of levels.  If you have topics you would like to see in one of these books, or if you have a preference on which books we should work on first, please let us know.  The books currently under consideration for publication are listed below.

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Hardware Interfacing with RobotBASIC
This book will cover the basic principles of using I/O ports and interfacing with actuators such as solenoids and motors (stepper, DC, and servo), sensors (such as switches, IR, ultrasonic, etc), and even external microcontrollers such as Basic Stamps and the Propeller from Parallax.  We could even cover topics such as Robot Vision and control over a LAN or the Internet.  Let us know if this book is needed, or if the project books below are enough.

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RobotBASIC Projects for the Pololu 3Pi
The 3Pi robot (see Pololu.com) is a small inexpensive platform worthy of expansion.  Our prototype (pictured below) adds all the major sensors found on our simulated robot (including bumpers, IR object detection, distance measurement, electronic compass, beacon detector, and more).  Imagine having a real robot with all these capabilities available to experiment with.   This PDF provides details on the prototype project.

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RobotBASIC Projects for the Lego NXT
The Lego NXT robot provides a hardware platform perfect for those without an electronics background. Our prototype (pictured below) can handle many entry level programming projects suitable for a younger reader. This PDF provides more details.

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RobotBASIC Projects for the Parallax Scribbler 2 

We discussed many Parallax products in the Bonanza Book, but suspect many users might welcome some additional work.  Based on the specs for the new Scribbler 2 robot (pictured below) we think it might be a good choice.  It is basically round like the simulation, and is controlled by a Propeller - the multi-processing power would make a fantastic robot.  Ideally, we would duplicate the features discussed in the Pololu PDF above.  Maybe we could even add a color camera like the educational option (for the original Scribbler) from the Institute for Personal Robots in Education (IPRE) - especially if they would like to work with us on a RobotBASIC controlled robot.  We think the
ease-of-programming for such a robot (using RobotBASIC) would make a fantastic hobbyist platform and a perfect educational tool.