DPRG mailing list archives: [DPRG] Introducing Myself

Sun Jun 8 16:08:50 CDT 2008

Hi Rud,

Welcome to the group. There are several hams or ex-hams here.
Kip Moravec recently got his license. I had one 30+ years ago.

Dean Hall is in the Houston area, and is organizing a
RoboMagellan group. Think the name is something like SHARP?
Maybe he's reading in and will say something. They're going
through the same issues of getting to waypoints right now. Dean
is a fan of Python btw.

There is interest in the iCreate, but I haven't seen one myself.
I've answered a few questions on them by reading the manual.
Feel free to ask questions or comment on your work more. I'm
sure people here will find it interesting. 

Randy

  _____  

From: dprglist-bounces at dprg.org
[mailto:dprglist-bounces at dprg.org] On Behalf Of Rud Merriam
Sent: Sunday, June 08, 2008 3:41 PM
To: Dallas Robotics
Subject: [DPRG] Introducing Myself

Hi, 

I am in The Woodlands, north of Houston. I am a semi-retired
software developer (C/C++, Windows, embedded systems) and ham
radio operator. 

I started playing around with robots a few years ago by working
on a platform that would carry laptop as the computer. That got
put aside. A short while ago I got an iRobot Create and the
Command Module (CM) for it. The CM is an AVR 168 microcontroller
system with a reasonable amount of capabilities.

I have it running a behavior based system after Jone's "Robot
Programming". It does the drive, bump, and escape. It has a
battery charger docking station and I am working on the docking
behavior. 

The next major effort is I2C communications with a compass
module and 8 IR sensors. The goal with the IR sensors is for it
to wander the house without bumping into everything. Percolating
in the back of my head is how to get it to start from the
docking station and hit specific waypoints given only their
coordinates. (HAH! First major trick is what is the coordinate
system?)

I will wander through your web site and email list for
information. Already have some of D. Anderson's work and would
love to get a jBot. 

I have a least one question but that can wait for another email.

Any one on the list also in the Houston area? All the Houston
groups I find on the web seem to be defunct. 

- 73 -  
Rud Merriam K5RUD
ARES AEC Montgomery County, TX 
 <http://TheHamNetwork.net> http://TheHamNetwork.net 

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