KIDBOTS.COM
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USING FREE COMPUTERS,
and FREE INFORMATION,
TO MAKE FREE ROBOTS
for kids, while teaching kids computers, and
robotics.
( THIS MAY BE THE ONLY
WEBSITE ON THE ENTIRE
INTERNET, THAT HAS A "USE"
FOR "ANY" OLD COMPUTER! )
PURPOSE
By using the FLOPPY drive on almost ANY
old, discarded computer of the typical " CLONE "
" PC " variety, you can start programming DOS
and BASIC , allowing you to make a ROBOT
controller, very, very quickly and cheaply
using inexpensive, common, available parts.
Using " Dollar Store " cars and toys, you can
get motors and parts to quickly demonstrate
ROBOT programming and control. I use motors,
gears, switches, LED lights, cables, and common
electronic parts such as 7805 (5 volt ) power
regulators, diodes, resistors, and capacitors
from discarded cassette tape VCRs, tape Decks,
Microwaves, CD players and other electronic
devices that are now being thrown out by
the tens of millions. I will list a source retailler
for these parts as well, and they can be shipped
world wide.
This website is deliberately designed so that
a typical grade 5 student ( in North America )
has enough mathematics and skills to build a
simple circuit, on a small square of cardboard
( available everywhere in the world, free )
that allows them to connect to a common
"printer port " or " Parallel Port " located on
the back of most common computers.
The typical computer being thrown out often
has the Hard Drives, or the CD readers, and
other options REMOVED, so that I deliberately
use only the basic components - NO colour
MONITOR needed, NO CD needed,
NO DVD needed, NO Hard Drive needed,
NO sound card needed, NO mouse needed,
NO speakers needed, NO 56K dial up card
needed, NO USB needed, NO Internet Card
Needed, No COMM Ports A or B needed,
NO extensive Memory, needed, so that the
smallest amount of " RAM " memory used
to boot the computer is all that is required, :
ALL THAT IS NEEDED
Is the COMPUTER with enough "RAM "
memory to start
one FLOPPY drive of ANY kind,
one KEYBOARD, and
one MONITOR , of almost ANY type.
The ENTIRE ROBOT program can run from
one floppy.
As well, I will be concentrating on OLD
LAPTOPS which have ALL the parts needed
in one small package. This is IDEAL for a
portable Science Project.
This website explains in very simple words,
step by step how a typical computer works,
how the mathematics work, and how the
electronics work. Some tools are needed
to put the parts together, and these should
be available locally -- if not, then I will list
the parts, and the cost, from a local supplier
who is willing to ship world wide at a
reasonable price.
The simple design that I use can be
expanded and modified to control just
about anything you want, and is an excellent
place to start, for a ROBOTICS project,
typically for a SCIENCE FAIR, or School
Project. With almost no effort you can
upgrade some parts to control serious
projects such as Solar Panels, or
experimental "Energy " efficient switching
controls. The key is to APPLY the principles
shown here, to whatever
project you have in mind.