From: DJ Vollkasko (DJ_Vollkasko_at_gmx.net)
Date: Tue Jan 10 2006 - 09:56:33 PST
Dear all,
Lego Mindstorms (of which quite some listers seem to be fond) will have
a new release in August called Lego Mindstorms NXT. The hippest part
will be that--besides USB-connectivity--you'll be able to upload to and
even remote-control your robot via Bluetooth! Yessiree! And for the
absolute bonus: The SDK will be available for Macs, too. Now is that
brilliant or what!? (And I haven't mentioned the 32bit CPU, matrix
display, built-in speaker and improved sensors yet...)
A year or two ago I've dreamed up a Lego Mindstorms Newton software
wish (http://tools.unna.org/wikiwikinewt/index.php/LegoMindstormsSdk ),
combining the Newton's talents (large touchscreen display, IR port,
storage cards, print/mail/LAN capabilities) with development tools for
Lego's robot-brain RCX for programming on the Newton and using the
built-in IR for transmission of the code--or even remote-controlling.
Imagine all the dead-end places and idle situations in which one could
whip out the Newton and start twiddling
with a new idea instead of being bored (or wishing you'd downloaded
some of the goodies from http://www.stillnewt.org/library before you
left home ;=] )...
It's possible on PalmOS (e.g. with OmniRemote Development Kit and
RobotRemote from http://www.pacificneotek.com/), and now that you won't
even need line-of-sight anymore for transmission of code, I've come
back to think how cool it would be to use the Newton as portable
drag-and-drop development/remote control device. It packs long hours of
runtime, it brings Bluetooth to talk to the brandnew RCX and any
laptop/desktop device, and could even run wifi--perfect for Mindstorms
hacking parties, team projects or competitions!
It would get a lot of hibernating Newtons back to active duty, and
would probably also make a lot of younger folks check out this weird
oldish gear... (and isn't the whole Lego experience about reusing parts
you already got laying about for some new project? ;=} )
Maybe that would be a nice project for the new Waba SDK Sean is working
on (perhaps employing Java-based LeJos
http://lejos.sourceforge.net/)... How do you feel about that?
Cheers,
DJV.
P.S.: Talking about Newton and Bluetooth--Eckhart, you've been awfully
silent on your blog http://40hz.org/mottek/ since Octobre... Everything
all right with you?
-- This is the NewtonTalk list - http://www.newtontalk.net/ for all inquiries Official Newton FAQ: http://www.chuma.org/newton/faq/ WikiWikiNewt for all kinds of articles: http://tools.unna.org/wikiwikinewt/
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