roboBR said: Here is my first question: Everywhere you find an ad about Roboboa it says that Roboboa can work as a MP3 player speaker with a built-in audio jack on it. I have just got one and I cannot see any jack. Does anyone know what is happening? Did I buy a different model of Roboboa?

i ran into that same thing too - I can't find any jack in Boaink (my Roboboa's name :) It's probably possible to hack him & attach a jack and use the builtin speakers - but it's too much of a risk for me.

A lot of the articles & reviews seem to have been written using second hand information, its also possible that the circuitry for the jack is already in there but there isn't an easy way to get to it in this model.

The frame & servos seem strong enough to support stuff that would cripple the mobility of a Roboraptor or a RSV1/V2 so I plan to attach a pair of small speakers and a small radio/mp3 player/etc. The tracking mode and the ability to remotely swing the head towards you should be useful in keeping the speakers aimed for full effect.

I hope this helps, for my roboboa projects I'm thinking more in the line of a mobile robotic arm, top on the list of attachments/mods would be :

* wireless cam

* hand/gripper

* better form of remote control (ie. Robodance, Wii remote etc)

* fun stuff (as above)

roboBR said:

NoroBiik said:

roboBR said: Here is my first question: Everywhere you find an ad about Roboboa it says that Roboboa can work as a MP3 player speaker with a built-in audio jack on it. I have just got one and I cannot see any jack. Does anyone know what is happening? Did I buy a different model of Roboboa?

i ran into that same thing too - I can't find any jack in Boaink (my Roboboa's name :) It's probably possible to hack him & attach a jack and use the builtin speakers - but it's too much of a risk for me. A lot of the articles & reviews seem to have been written using second hand information, its also possible that the circuitry for the jack is already in there but there isn't an easy way to get to it in this model. The frame & servos seem strong enough to support stuff that would cripple the mobility of a Roboraptor or a RSV1/V2 so I plan to attach a pair of small speakers and a small radio/mp3 player/etc. The tracking mode and the ability to remotely swing the head towards you should be useful in keeping the speakers aimed for full effect. I hope this helps, for my roboboa projects I'm thinking more in the line of a mobile robotic arm, top on the list of attachments/mods would be : * wireless cam * hand/gripper * better form of remote control (ie. Robodance, Wii remote etc) * fun stuff (as above)

Hi NoroBiik, Thank you very much for your reply. I really appreciated and finally got my question answered. I thought I was getting crazy or something like that. :-) Listen, I am quite new on this robotic stuff although I am very interested on it but I could not avoid to be particularly interested on your hacking projects. I have read something on internet but I was not sure that would be worthy. Have you done it before? Have you already done somethng on your Boaink? Please keep me post on your roboboa improvements. Perhaps I will do the same following your tips. Thanks again and all the best!

       No problem - I'm new at this too.  Even as a kid I was fascinated with robots (my favorite TV show was Giganthor) but up to a few years ago it was too expensive a hobby to get into.

       Here are a few mods I've already done with Boaink, the first addresses his blindness to the remote's IR signal from the side (front & back reception are ok):

       Note the side mirror - this serves to reflect an IR control signal coming in from his right to the central IR receptor.

      The mirror is actually an discarded dentist's tool - I unscrewed the tip & bound it  to the end of a StarBucks plastic coffee stirrer.

 You can see from this shot how the mirror is angled to catch the IR pulse & reflect it to his face.

   I bent the end of the stirrer using candle flame, and compressed the end with a pair of pliers. Please be careful when you do this since plastic tends to catch fire quick.  

   The end goes into the first hole at the base of his neck,  part of a cotton bud stick & some tie wire were used to make it fit securely.

  And this is why the mirror is aligned with his left side.  The Boa curls up & lies on his right upper side when put to sleep or turned off. 

  More later :)
 

I've tried the ff:

*guard mode (where the Boa stays stationary & "shoots" at any target within range then reloads from the tail)
*explore

Aware is of course the default - sentry & patrol mode , haven't tried these yet. It's easy to program btw, one of the thing I'd like to try is to have Boaink go into sentry mode automatically upon nightfall.

NoroBiik said: I switched to NiMH 1.2 v 2200 amh rechargable batteries , the cost of replacing 4 size D alkaline cells every week was too costly. The performance seems to be better with an even throughput but the new cells seem to last for only 2 serious sessions. I'm considering getting a second set , same voltage but rated at 4000amh or even 7000amh so they will last a few days at the very least - if anyone has had a bad experience with such a setup please let me know.

        Just an update on powering the Roboboa - got a new set of rechargables rated at 7000amh, they work great.  Recommend the above brand (or an equally reputable one) - either 4000 or 7000 rating.  Fyi, the rating is an indicator of how long the battery will last - and approx how long it will take to recharge it.  

A friend of mine came across some recently, so I should be aquiring one in the next few days.

RoboGuide - Your guide to hacking all things WowWee

Yup.

RoboGuide - Your guide to hacking all things WowWee

Ouch! it was $150AUD, from David Jones. Anything more than that and your probably getting ripped off.

RoboGuide - Your guide to hacking all things WowWee

$309 is INSANE!! it's around $150~$180 here in S.Korea.

Damn the expense

Hi All,

 I've purchased one recently on eBay for less than $100 (shipping included).

  I would like to hack it as soon as I can. My idea would be to add a surveillance camera, not very heavy, in order to be located in one of the face LEDs place.

At the begining  my intention is to receive images remotely, thus being the camera independent of the internal processor of the roboboa. And later, if posible to do some interaction between roboboa contral processor and camera.

Do any of you know anything about the insider electronics of Roboboa or where could I find information ? I don't know neither if some SDK is available for Roboboa too, do you know ?

I think Roboboa has a very promising design to be a  robot. And I would like to add more feature to it.

Thanks in advance.

I have to get one first, Before I think about the camera mod. Hint ,Hint.

People yearn after this robotic dream, but you can't strip your life of all meaning, emotion and feeling and expect to function.


Robotic madness http://robosapienv2-4mem8.page.tl/