What Do I Build Next?

What started back in early 2014, with a $25 Raspiberry Pi and some books, became the Pioneer PiBot, my 1st Wifi Rover 2-wheeled, and then the 4-wheeled rovers. Next came the Arduino/PcDuino Rovers by LinkSprite. I soon learned that this was more than a $25 single board computer the size of a credit card.

MCMElectronics, AdaFruit, Element14, Amazon, DFRobot, Robotzone, Kick-Starter, IndieGoGo and many more companies began shipping me packages that would fight for my discretionary income.

Back in 2015, this was my workspace:

Today, it has increased two-fold. Some 'bots need some refinement to cure "servo jitters", others like the "Bi-Ped" and 17-DOF Humanoid need controllers and some code work. Others, though, like the Pioneer PiBot, Tiddlybot, Sumo Bot, and the 2/4-wheeled Dawn Robotics based rovers are complete. The Adafruit 2/4-wheeled metal chassis are proof-of-concept for the Arduino MKR1000 and Particle based Youtube/Hackster projects. And my newly Hackster-listed Adafruit Feather Huzzah/32u4 Rovers are just fill-ins until my ADABOX002 kit arrives.

A new tour:

I have ventured from the "pre-fab kits" to the "I have to build around this new controller or shield". I still have many unused components to build and code around (see above video), including the Arduino 101, Arduino Yun, a few Feather's, PcDuino's, a 1Sheeld and the 1Sheeld+. Many Tank/tracked platforms seen in back row have temporary controllers and battery sources. There are a few RC Vehicles to be 'revised' from 27mhz to who-knows-what [yet].

I'm learning Python, Arduino, Web-based Java, Rest, XML and IO, and soon many more.

IoT

I've haven't fully built a RaspberryPi/Arduino with Windows IOT core-based robot yet; there were too few examples when it was first released. Also, Android and Bluetooth coding has stumped me.

I've also bought hardware that I just couldn't get the example code or devices to work as advertised. Some actually did ship via a very slow boat from China/Singapore/HongKong. I've also dabbled with many "clones" of the Arduino (knock-offs) and Banana Pi versions, and have had some success. However, they required too much work to be fun. That's what this is supposed to be - FUN.

I'm waiting for another Tank vehicle, "Devastator," to become available (reworked a previous DFR Romeo-All-In-One v2 BLE project) to utilize the 1Sheeld prototype that I finally got coded and working.

Then the ADABOX002 will arrived this coming week, so expect 2 or 3 new builds in the next couple of weeks. Or at least before I begin travelling for 3 weeks for work.