Controlling Real Objects was: Digest, Vol 5, Issue 123

[Ian Wood]

It might also be worth looking at the Teleo system from 
www.makingthings.com.  This is a system of electronic modules connected 
to the computer via USB, with servo controllers, stepper drivers, 
digital & analogue I/O, the works.

They are controlled using generic C, with SDKs for the system as a 
whole and for individual modules.  There are also externals for 
Cycling74's MAX/MSP, which allows you to visually build control 
flowcharts (and a few other things as well).

If anyone wants to build a Rev external for Mac OS, they will get some 
of my money...

Ian


On 13 Feb 2004, at 15:02, Thomas McGrath III wrote:

> Xa,
>
> The MacBrick is a cross platform piece of hardware (like the RCX that 
> comes with Lego's Mindstorm). It is an I/O board. But the guy who is 
> building them has taken an early retirement and there is no one to 
> pick up the business.
>
> He may still have a few left. I have been trying to figure a way to 
> buy the business from him, but so far no luck/money on my side.
> It uses serial commands.
> The site is under a little construction but here it is.
> http://www.macbrick.com/
> http://www.macbrick.com/projects.html
>
> Another idea I had was to take a part the radio controller for a car 
> or helicopter and control the switches from my Computer via REV. Then 
> I can record movements and replay them to the controller 
> automatically. Imagine (very dangerous) having a helicopter take off, 
> go up 75 feet, turn to the right for 20 seconds, turn left for 10, 
> turn left for 10, turn left for 10, turn right for 10 and land in the 
> same spot (or near it due to wind etc.)
> Then attach my camera to the bottom/front of the helicopter and set it 
> all up to a motion detector. This way when someone walks by it, it 
> then takes off and the camera is set to the VCR for auto 
> recording(very doable). This would be a 'floating' anti theft device 
> that will record pictures from above.
>
> Weird-Ideas-R-Us
>
>
>
> Tom
>
>
> On Feb 13, 2004, at 9:32 AM, xbury.cs at clearstream.com wrote:
>
>> Tom,
>>
>> that's totally cool... I had a Fisher Technik that did the same kind 
>> of
>> stuff
>> when I was a kid... No brick, or tv control then... But I had it 
>> hooked up
>> to
>> my scalextrix (a track car racing thing) to raise bridges, count 
>> laps, and
>> do the photo-finish (via light control - no photo)...
>>
>> The macBrick is mac only?
>>
>> http://www.fischertechnik.de seem to still kick ass... I'll have some
>> reading to do ;)
>>
>> Xa
>>

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