New Project for the summer

[F22RaptorDude]

I'll give you the run down. Its my friends birthday today and since he doesn't have many friends in this state (he moved here) we hung out at my place for a while. I showed him the app I found for my cell phone on controlling the Mindstorms NXT made by Lego. Its a programmable robot I got when I turned 12 but Its been in storage for a while. You make the program using the senors and motors in unison to complete simple tasks. I later figured out you can control it via blue tooth, The app on the ipod touch was $6, on my Droid it was free so I looked at it, and it worked. When I got the robot it was roughly 200 dollars, its currently out dated to the newer version with more high tech senors and the works. But I'm happy that I have something at least to keep me busy and out of trouble this summer.

Here's the project part. I made a little tank model 2 days ago and tinkered with it, when my friend saw it we played with it a little and thought of ideas. He saw the boat hull from one of the lego boats I bought a few months back and kinda mixed one on one and came up with the idea of a remote control Lego boat. So we spent a few hours tinkering again with the weight and all making different models. We finally came up with the right one.

It seemed fragile from mixing the two hulls together but we re enforced it and had a sturdy frame. Originally we were going to make it prop driven with rudders but later closed that idea and formed the paddle boat idea. After 30 minutes of confusion and tinkering again, we formed this shape as show in the picture. Our main concern was weight, we didn't know if it would just sink, or split in half and trash the main interface so in all it was a decision of chance. Since it was to late to use my pool we settled for a bath tub to see if it would at least float. It did but we could use the paddles in the shallow water so I'll run the test tomorrow when its sunny out.

This isn't the final Product though, this is the Mark I prototype, we want to water proof the main computer interface before we do the pool testing so that will be a little while of thinking but it will be done. Our goal for the project is to have a prop driven boat that can travel faster than the paddle boat design if possible.

Here's a video I made of the paddles working through the motions. There's no music so don't worry its just a slide show of the boat and the short video at the end. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JCVHvvWBbLM

[Jayhawk]

I wish I had these toys growing up.

Good luck with your project.

Thanks for showing us your youtube page, you have a lot of expensive toys.

[F22RaptorDude]

I wish I had these toys growing up.

Good luck with your project.

Thanks for showing us your youtube page, you have a lot of expensive toys.

I've been into Lego's since well before I can remember, There's a video my family has of me when I was 5 building a small ship and saying it was the Titanic. Sweet memories you know?

[EskimoJoe]

Sweet memories you know?

I wish I had these toys growing up.

 

[F22RaptorDude]

Do you have a problem with my post?

[oakranger]

You should see my sons LEGOs.  He has over 50 Star Wars legos and still growing.  I still have mind from the 1980s, hehe

[F22RaptorDude]

You should see my sons LEGOs.  He has over 50 Star Wars legos and still growing.  I still have mind from the 1980s, hehe

I don't think you can ever grow to old for them. I'm not as creative as I used to be, but I still mess around every once in a while. And I also Encourage your son playing with them, all that creativity is good for the brain and mind.

[Estes]

Raptordude, you're going to miss everything cool, and die angry.

[F22RaptorDude]

Nevermind.

[Pigslilspaz]

Raptordude, you're going to miss everything cool, and die angry.

Why do you keep getting on this kids case? Maybe your vacation wasn't long enough.

And to raptor, the paddleboat idea seems like a pretty good one. I've made Submersibles out of PVC pipe and bilge pumps, so I was basically restricted to boat props. I don't know for sure, but the paddle idea seem's like you could get more out of it than with a prop, since I assume this thing is on the surface only.

[Spikes]

If you are into robotics I'll take a couple pictures at my HS today. We have about 15-20 of those NXT kits and 3-4 Tetrix robot kits, you may like them.

[1701E]

 Just remember if those paddles spin too fast when they hit the water you'll be kicking water up onto the top and onto the Robotics itself.  Plus too fast and they'll just be slapping water without giving any real momentum.  I don't know if the newer one (like you have) has the software option to do it like the older RCX did, but if possible see if you can get the top 180 degrees of rotation to be fast but stop it before it hits the water.  Slowly have it work its way into the water (maybe 15-20% power for 5-10 degrees) and then have it exert everything it has to push the boat when the paddles are under water.  When the paddles are about to leave the water have it slow down again and then work its 180 degree motion and repeat.  That should keep it from just smashing the water and not working very well.
 Also, if you RCX has the same bits mine did all those years ago, there is a fairly easy way to make a Prop, but I won't spoil it, now get to building!
 Depending on how heavy that thing is it may actually need bigger paddles, not really sure since I haven't messed with my Mindstorm/Robotics in years.

[F22RaptorDude]

Why do you keep getting on this kids case? Maybe your vacation wasn't long enough.

And to raptor, the paddleboat idea seems like a pretty good one. I've made Submersibles out of PVC pipe and bilge pumps, so I was basically restricted to boat props. I don't know for sure, but the paddle idea seem's like you could get more out of it than with a prop, since I assume this thing is on the surface only.

I'm limited by the computer block cause its so big and heavy, the motors are also bit of a problem because of  the design of them. I was worried if it would just sink, but it floated pretty high in the water actually.

If you are into robotics I'll take a couple pictures at my HS today. We have about 15-20 of those NXT kits and 3-4 Tetrix robot kits, you may like them.

When I was in 7th grade my school formed the Robotics club cause I brought mine in one day to show the technology teacher. He has me show the principle and a few weeks later we had a club with 40 members. But due to budget we didn't really do anything, and the pressure put on me was enormous cause everyone assumed I would know what to do.

On my phone is has a power setting so I figured I would start with around 25% because that's still incredibly slow. I don't think it has that software, this was the first model NXT, so I figured Its been surpassed by many others already. But as you said with water splashing up onto the components, we are going to put some kind of box around the main unit to protect, the motors are ok as they are because they are slightly raised from the deck of the boat.

Don't worry this is just the beginning, give me some time and i'll have something grand to present to all of you! 
 Just remember if those paddles spin too fast when they hit the water you'll be kicking water up onto the top and onto the Robotics itself.  Plus too fast and they'll just be slapping water without giving any real momentum.  I don't know if the newer one (like you have) has the software option to do it like the older RCX did, but if possible see if you can get the top 180 degrees of rotation to be fast but stop it before it hits the water.  Slowly have it work its way into the water (maybe 15-20% power for 5-10 degrees) and then have it exert everything it has to push the boat when the paddles are under water.  When the paddles are about to leave the water have it slow down again and then work its 180 degree motion and repeat.  That should keep it from just smashing the water and not working very well.
 Also, if you RCX has the same bits mine did all those years ago, there is a fairly easy way to make a Prop, but I won't spoil it, now get to building!
 Depending on how heavy that thing is it may actually need bigger paddles, not really sure since I haven't messed with my Mindstorm/Robotics in years.

[oakranger]

I don't think you can ever grow to old for them. I'm not as creative as I used to be, but I still mess around every once in a while. And I also Encourage your son playing with them, all that creativity is good for the brain and mind.

He already made a rubber ban gun.   

[F22RaptorDude]

He already made a rubber ban gun.   

I've seen tons of those on you tube, someone made a mini gun that had 200 rubber bands! Its insane!