ECAWA Robotics SIG - 2001ECAWA Robotics SIG - 2001
Welcome to the Robotics SIG Home Page. Our aim is to provide inexpensive and simple resources for schools to use in introducing robotics into the curriculum. The SIG is made up of mainly secondary computing teachers with an interest in robotics and general 'real world' interfacing. We welcome the involvement of others, particularly primary teachers who would like to use robotics in their classes.
If you have no background in this sort of thing, it may look a little complex, but it isn't!! The concepts are VERY simple and even the programming in MSW Logo is easy. Any computer-literate Year5 student would understand it all. If your students have problems, pass them on to the Robotics SIG. Don't restrict your students from experiencing the thrill of actually CONTROLLING a computer just because you may be a little inexperienced. Members of the Robotics SIG are more than happy to act as mentors for your students.
Further ECAWA Robotics links can be found at: http://www.cowan.edu.au/pa/ecawa/sig/robotics/robotics.htm
RESOURSES
Simplified Output Interface - A simple demonstration interface with eight light emitting diodes which is connected to a standard parallel printer port and can be controlled with most programming languages including BASIC, Pascal, C, Visual Basic and Authorware. (NOTE: The Macintosh range do not have a parallel printer port. All the interfaces on this page apply to "IBM compatibles" only.)
Simplified Input/Output Interface
- One step up from the "Simplified Output Interface" (SIO), this interface also provides four input lines. Like the SIO above, it is powered by a nine volt battery which makes it ideal for simple experimentation and programme writing. This interface can also be used to drive up to two stepper motors.Four Way I/O
- This is the most advanced (and the most expensive) of the interfaces. It has four relays which can be used to control larger devices such as remote controlled cars, train sets, lights, etc (all battery operated of course - NEVER use 250 volt appliances.) It also provides four input lines for sensing the state of switches, alarms, etc.BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Using MSW Logo - MSW Logo is a FREE programming language for Windows. It can be downloaded from www.softronix.com. This form of logo is similar to all the other titles you may be familiar with. Its added feature is that it can be used to control interfaces connected to the parallel printer port. The ECAWA Logo SIG has resources located at: http://www.cowan.edu.au/pa/ecawa/sig/logo/logo.htm . Further material directed specifically at using the interfaces described here can be found at: mswlogo.html
Related URLs ... The first 11 Via Dr Sue Trinidad, originally from Bill Willis - Gilmore Primary School
http://www.gilmoreps.act.edu.au/robots1.htm
- Bill Willis's Robotics Links. - Gilmore Primary School. CANBERRA
http://www.cybertoyz.net/
http://telerobot.mech.uwa.edu.au/
http://www.ash.org.au/teachers/tefa/prim-techla.html
http://kernow.curtin.edu.au/cae.html
http://www.ausom.net.au/~uncle/robots.html
http://www.iqtoys.co.nz/
http://www-robotics.usc.edu/
http://www.spacetoys.com/
http://www.cs.indiana.edu/robotics/robotics.html
http://robby.caltech.edu/
http://members.aol.com/mckoss/logo.htm - MSW Logo support material. Worth a look.
