robots.net - Personal info for brit-bot

Name: Ian Mckay
Member since: 2001-12-16 22:36:12
Last Login: 2002-06-24 15:51:17

Notes:

Currently studying Computer Systems and Software Engineering MEng at the University of York. Just finished A-Levels in Maths, Further Maths, Physics and Computing. Completely mad about robots and am in the middle of a few projects at the moment. Very interested in the software aspect and plan to tinker with AI in my new bot. Have programmed in Pascal, BASIC, ADA, Lisp and others. Would class myself as a dabbler in many fields and an expert in none. I have just started to experiment with an OOPic (Just as the OOPic II was released in fact, Doh!) and am really frustrated by the complete lack of decent commercial sites for electronics and robotics in the UK.

Projects

Helper on Random WHAT generator?

Recent blog entries by brit-bot

18 Apr 2002 »

Been ages since my last entry, why can't we add our robots yet!!

Been working in ada extensively and love it, I have never used a language so secure and solid. Ada is widely regarded as the most powerfull programming language ever. It resolves all of the problems of other languages such as c, c++ and java and up till now I can't fault it. It was the first object oriented language to become an ISO standard. Its applications in the robotics area are huge, it is already one of the main realtime systems languages, and gives un-matched compile time error checking facilities. It divides the comp sci community at my uni but its opponents are mainly lecturers who haven't tried to learn it, GIVE IT A CHANCE!

Recommended texts, Programming in Ada 95, John Barnes, Addison_Wesley ISBN 0-201-34293-6

14 Jan 2002 (updated 4 Apr 2002 at 01:33 UTC) »

I have finally got my base for my current bot made. Its very simple as I am just trying to get one finished so I can program it. I used aluminium sheet at first but it proved far too heavy so I ended up using plexiglass sheet, two servos, two Sonars, a GP2D12 and my shiny new oopic. The OOpic is excellent and is making my life real easy. If anyone has some ideas for a name for the little critter then please email me.

Also I need ideas for an entry into the technogames competition.

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