The field of robotics is always inspiring. Both for industrial manufacturing (CNC mills, 3D printers, robot arms etc), but also from ‘self-awere’ devices, moving around and reacting on something…
I’m hobbing around already for a long time. First more programming and lateron ‘adding devices’ towards my pc. Started with the LPT port as interface including with Visual Basic and then became familiar with the Arduino environment. Finaly I’m moving a little more (to Linux &) writing (micro)Python.
Some programming & robotics projects:
- Learned myself some BASIC programming, on the Commondore 64, at age of 12. (around 1990)
- Quickly changed to Basic & QBasic during MS-DOS period.
- Learned myself programming in Visual Basic 4 & 6. (1996..2010)
Created many applications: adminstrative (MySQL), some games (using Win GDI) and simulators. Connecting devices to the LPT port. - For once: programmed a PIC with assembly code.
- Having a basic understanding of instruction sets.
- Time for new hardware, should I go for the: Parallax Boe-Bot or Arduino?
- Created 3D CNC milling machine, Arduino based. (2009)
- Learned a lot about how to create a mechatronic device.
- Created working prototype for a haptic device. (?)
- Created DLP printer, Arduino based. (2013)
- Again great experience.
- Played a bit with ‘Zumo Robot for Arduino – v1.2’. (~2014)
- Learned programming in Python (2015 and still learning…)
- Build some test tools & devices at work.
- Improved/changed some Ultimaker 2 printers for fun. (~2017)
- (Following DuckieTown platform for a long time and tried the first MOOC w/o hardware, around 2018 & 2023.)
- Learned myself some OpenSCAD programming.
- Tried to create my own RPi2 + CAM robotic platform…
(The book was fine, but never got OpenCV installed…) - Joined the Dutch HCC Robotica club. (2022)
- Inspiring. Nice group of people, preparing their custom made robots for the yearly RoboRama tournement.
- Anticipated with PiWars-2024, via robotica club. (2023)
- Learn about odometry,
- Learn about dead reckoning,
- Learn abour calibrations,
- Learn about motor controllers, using RobotLib,
- Learn about RPi4 programming, incl. a bit of OpenCV (automated nerf gun shooter).
- Started my own RPi-Pico smart car adventures (2024)
- Started/continuing DuckieTown MOOC. (2025)
- Installing Ubuntu on my main PC.
- Building the latest DuckieBot (DB21-J4)…
