Thanks for your thoughts! Um yes Its RCX. We've got 10 RCX bricks and all the associated bits. I do have budget to buy alternate options if necessary.
I did read about the NXT bricks and their ability to go wireless, although I don't have one myself so am not in a position to easily test it. The Python code you link to that interface does look useful, but doesn't contain demo code to show what would actually need to be *written* by the student to make their program. I'm a strong believer in hiding all the unnecessary details from students so that they only learn the big-picture (they're young!), but its hard to judge how possible that will be with this code snipper. I also read other solutions which require the computer to be running Linux. Students at my school each have the own laptops which are heavily administered by IT (as I am sure you can imagine) and it would be impossible to get Linux on them, so I do need a windows-friendly solution. The Tux things seems like a great idea too, and I think I'll grab one of them. However, I still would very much like to do the RCX/NXT thing if at all possible! On 10/3/07, kirby urner <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Hi Matt -- > > Thanks for your excellent questions. > > I feel we should clarify though. Is it specifically the Lego Mindstorms > bricks (previously the RCX, and now the NXT) that you're targeting? > > A lot of us have worked with "screen robots" or "virtual robots" that > aren't actual mechanical devices. > > Examples: > > http://pyrorobotics.org/ > http://gvr.sourceforge.net/ > > On the mechanical front, there's also this Tux Droid for like $90 per > unit that is Python programmable, but the experience isn't the same > as Mindstorms (the Droid talks in a human voice, but doesn't walk). > > http://www.tuxisalive.com/ > > Article from 2001: > http://www.onlamp.com/pub/a/python/2001/03/21/pythonnews.html > > Here's something only a year old about programming the NXT in > Python (the newest brick): > http://aspn.activestate.com/ASPN/Cookbook/Python/Recipe/498085 > > Re NXT (for those needing background): > http://mindstorms.lego.com/Overview/The_NXT.aspx > > Speaking for myself, I'm more into exploring Tux Droid these days, > bought one at OSCON having seen it demoed at EuroPython in > Lithuania. > > The Lego franchise is plenty huge yet doesn't circumscribe what's > meant by "robotics". > > Python bindings to hardware: still in its infancy. Nokia a pioneer. > > Kirby > > On 10/2/07, Matt K <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Hi, > > > > I'm new to this list and have poked around on the net and such for a way > to > > program robotics using Python, but have only found "annoying" ways which > > would involve more effort on students' behalf than I'm hoping for. > > > > I'm a highschool teacher teaching 15 year olds. They are of very mixed > > ability and it can be assumed that they've got a handle on based flow > > control using conditionals but nothing on functions of loops. I'd then > like > > them to switch to robotics (which we do atm any) using Python (atm we do > > robotics using the mindsotrms GUI which is terrible). > > The following year they are more formally introduced to loops by writing > > cgi-scripts, and it is only the year *after* that in which > application-level > > programming is considered (translation: they get to write computer > games). > > > > So, what I'm after is esentially a simple way where they can type Python > > code and then upload it somehow to the bricks, when can be run and do > their > > thing. Basics is all that is needed, reading inputs, sending outputs, > some > > ifs and some loops. Maybe functions too. > > > > Can anybody either help me by answering this question, or directing me > to a > > previous thread which might contain the answer? > > > > Thanks! > > Matt > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Edu-sig mailing list > > [email protected] > > http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/edu-sig > > > > >
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