[Coco] COCO Robot update.

[Steve Bjork]

I was not going to jump in this because there was very limited details 
to what he wants the eyes to look like and do.

But the Picaxe 08m2 only costs about $3.00.  (I've even see it for 
$2.50) and it will do everything the old Basic  stamp did and more.  
That about the same cost as a few 555 timers and do a lot more.

As for getting setup with the Picaxe system, it's basically free. You 
can build a programming cable out of your parts draw and hook up to a 
RS-232 port on a Linux, Mac or Windows system .  (The Windows software 
is still the best version.)  They do sell an USB programmer for those 
that don't have an Rs-232 port.

I just about done with a LED Thunder and Lightning device for my 
Halloween prop builders club with the $5 Picaxe 18m2+ chip and their $11 
Power driver board.  Add an $10 MP3 player modules and it will Drive 
high power 12 volt LED lights for the Lightning and plays the thunder 
via the MP3 player.  The device even flickers LED flood lamps to light 
up the haunted scene with background fire light.

The program only uses about 800 byte of the total 2,048 on the chip.  
That's with both manual trigger and story mode in place.  I will use the 
extra code space for system setup for the dimming factor of the 
flickering LED lights.

These chips just don't have the code space for a full robot. But they 
can run little Robo-Bugs and other simple hacker projects.

Steve



On 4/7/2012 2:17 PM, Frank Pittel wrote:
> You may want to look at the "picaxe" that Steve B. mentioned here on the list a while back.
> Like the basic stamp they're programmed in basic. Although most models are limited in terms of
> the number of IO pins they have the advantage of being VERY cheap to buy. As memory serves
> their price starts at ~$3!! I'm sure we'll hear from Steve with more details! :-)
>
> The Other Frank
>
>
> On Fri, Apr 06, 2012 at 11:27:43PM -0400, haywire666 at aol.com wrote:
>> Coco powered robot has stalled. I have the mobile base going, head is almost done and basic frame good.
>>
>>
>> I have some led eyes, does anyone know a simple circuit to ramdonly blink them?
>>
>>
>> I may use a basic stamp for this but it seems like overkill. Just want to randomly blink the led eyes off then
>> back on again. A stand alone animation that will operate independanty of the coco I suppose.
>>
>>
>> I should say I don't want a stanard blinking rate, I want the blinks to vary. A turn signal flasher won't do.
>>
>>
>> If I have to I'll use the basic stamp... But seems there must be a simpler way I'm not thinking of.
>>
>>
>> Any thoughts?
>>
>> All ears,
>>
>>
>> Steven
>>
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