Why you shouldn't buy robotics kits + feedback on Daves EEVblab - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / projects

author: rickey1990
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 29, 2015, 11:44:49 pm
content: Why you shouldn't buy robotics kits:First of all there a big waste of money and they wont teach you or your children much about robotic's, We live in a generation where everything plugs together and just works, people get amazed by programming trickery which makes you think that your expensive new robot is smart,high tech and that it can become your new best friend. Its a lie,open it up and there's nothing really new about it, personally I prefer robots with intelligence built in rather than programmed. But i am a strong believer in cheap robotics for everyone and also see the benefit of both programming and hardware building, so here is a large £27,$40 robot controlled by a ps3 controller (included in the price) Save your money people, it doesn't have to be expensive.http://beambuilder.blogspot.co.uk/2015/05/27-3-servobluetooth-robot.htmlSo after watching the latest EEVblab by Dave, it got me thinking as me only being 25, Most of me electronics experience was more hardware than software based, The only programming in my robotics/ EE degree course was binary,Hexadecimal and machine code, my first job at 17 was soldering computer CPU's onto there mother boards with a soldering iron and a magnifying glass, Then i went onto designing,welding and fabricating products for industry,commercial and military uses. Myself with all the younger lads and gals,I feel like a fossil.because there has been such a shift between hardware making something work to software doing all the work. but i do still have a huge appreciation for guys like dave, all you older guys, Because your head's had to be the computer, knowing how each signal interacted with another, building your own solutions to a problem. cool stuff

author: Neganur
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 30, 2015, 11:20:39 am
content: What blab are you referring to?I would assume that the value in a kit is a set of instructions (i.e. teaches you basics in a structured manner) that get you started.You also pay for the time that someone spent to sit down and source all the parts.

author: Rerouter
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 30, 2015, 11:36:42 am
content: Like any tool, it comes down to, does the kit have gaps that have to be filled by digging deeper, and is there the ability to step down one level easily,Its like all the people that go on and on about the arduino groups, but its a stepping stone product, you get it to either head from software into hardware, or hardware into software,From my childhood i bought the weekly, cybot project, it went into details on the h-bridge and on the sensors and I/O, but the control electronics was a real black box, (i was 11 at the time, i think?) it drove me to develop my own when i came across the limitations of what was originally a watered down toy,At the time it drove me deep into the electronics feild, and here i am now, knowing more than enough to be dangerous, all because of a robotics kit aimed at kids,

author: eas
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 31, 2015, 07:52:56 am
content: Everyone should be exactly like me, because...REASONS! Reasons that sound perfectly sound, at least they do if you are e x a c t l y like ME!I bought my nephews a robot kit, a robot kit based on AN ARDUINO (compatible)! Why a kit? Because they have to start somewhere, and if they didn't have everything they needed to assemble a basic functioning robot, they probably wouldn't start at all. Now that they have it, they can tweak things, replace things, etc (or their youngest brother can chew up some of the wheels).Personally, I like getting down to first principles, except when that doesn't work for me. Take, for example, learning more about electronics. I bought a selection of basic components and some breadboards. I messed around a little, and then...meh, I fizzled out. Since then I've learned a lot more from troubleshooting some of the used power supplies and other test equipment I decided to buy. Soon, I might even start building circuits from the ground up.My way is THE WAY. You have been living you life WRONG! Further proof? You stated:Quote

author: obiwanjacobi
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 31, 2015, 08:16:02 am
content: I agree that kits are not bad persee. The learning curve is not as steep as throwing them in the deep right from the start. It will keep them motivated and make them want more. That desire will take them past the plug-n-play level to design their own stuff - requiring them to learn electronics in a natural way.

author: SL4P
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 31, 2015, 10:08:56 am
content: QuoteHe is looking for a dog.

author: Mechatrommer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 31, 2015, 10:13:43 am
content: he will have a good time programming it anyhow. aka training...

author: Dave Turner
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 31, 2015, 09:29:13 pm
content: Electronics aside for the moment, think of Meccano that was & indeed is, a kit of parts that allows various mechanical constructions to be made as opposed to just one item like an Airfix kit. Individual parts from a large range used to be available on order; therefore the limit was your imagination within the limits of the available parts and your pocket. At a lesser level Lego is similar.Now as for robotics kits what type of kit is being referred to?I don't have access to a workshop so if I wanted to experiment with robotics I would welcome a source of a kit of parts. A basic kit to get you started, add-ons, specialist parts etc. The key would be to have quality parts designed to last but at a reasonable price.What I'm not so enamoured with are those kits that only make one thing and, importantly, don't have allied kits to expand or the ability to mix'n'match.