cosplaying_bunny
Netherlands
Asked
— Edited
in my opinion, ez-robot has happy customers, and most have different opinions about things.
so maybe it's usefull to make a survey about ez-robot, ez-builder, ez-bits, the ez-b and the community.
why do you think, well the answer is below here:
for ez-robot to understand their customers better and gather opinions in a central place about their services and products, instead searching the entire community.
don't you think the same?
Why would a company spend millions of dollars in research and development to create something that EZ-Robot has already done and will license it to them? A successful business doesn't reinvent the wheel.
EZ-Robot allows people to accomplish building a robot. Building a robot should not include soldering, programming, circuits, hardware engineering, etc... Building a robot should literally be "building a robot". EZ-Robot is working with schools to create Robot Classes, which are literally only about robotics and nothing else. Most children have no reason to learn computer programming, they just want to build robots.
An analogy for you... A carpenter does not go into the forest, cut down a tree, carve the tree, and make 2x4's to build a house. A carpenter goes to the store, buys 2x4's and builds a house. The same analogy applies with robotics. People do not want to mess around with an Arduino to make a robot.
What is Revolutionary about EZ-Robot Revolution? The simplicity of the innovation. First, you must understand what an innovation is. An innovation is not solving a problem. An innovation is creating a product/idea that creates and solves a problem at the same time. Until EZ-Robot, the entire world was unaware that they wanted a robot. We've made it so easy that even my mother can assemble a robot with Revolution. That is Revolutionary.
I've looked through your past posts on your User Details, and you were once a very proud EZ-Robot user. You were proud of your accomplishments and enjoyed the community. Perhaps you have now moved on to different things, and I respect that. However, do not forget your roots and the millions of others who will start with EZ-Robot also.
On that note... One day, if you ever build an Arduino robot that is fractionally as impressive as an EZ-Robot, please share it with us
Since you do not have an EZ-Robot Kit and have no positive contribution, I imagine you will be leaving the forum. I wish you luck on your future endeavors
EZ-Robots (and it's community) makes it so easy. Consider I have been active here since December last year, so only 8 months and I have learnt so much in that time that I could (if I wasn't so modest on here) say that I am pretty proficient on both the hardware side (including electronics that aren't part of EZ-Robots but come in handy i.e. battery monitors, transistor switches etc.) and in the software side. Yes, I have qualifications in electronics and a background in programming etc. but those were from 15+ years ago and that knowledge was very much buried (under 15 years of alcohol fuelled life) and needed to be "remembered".
Many others have shown they have learnt a lot in a short time here too. I won't even attempt to try and list them all but it's clear that those active on the forums learn a lot very easily and very quickly (at least compared to some of the forums I've been on in the past which compared to here must have been populated by chimps).
I think that's what a lot of the attraction is now that I think about it. Welcoming, friendly, helpful, clear and concise advise and guidance makes all the difference. I got it when I started out learning, I get it now when I want to find out about something new to me.
I bet DJ is laughing while he serves up the humble pie to all those who advised against a community forum way back when (I read it in a very old topic somewhere). Best community on the internet I've every had the pleasure of being part of.
Dont forget your roots either .
You enjoyed doing things the hard way..just like me
That circuit board you posted is the first prototype version in wire mesh. Wire mesh circuit boards are used as prototypes in all electronic design. There is really no other way to prototype a design than with wires. Following that, we go through many revisions until a consumer product is available. Here is a link to the page from that image: http://www.ez-robot.com/About/Get-To-Know-Us.aspx?id=7
Each image on that link above has a description that explains the phase of each board.
Here's an example of the first apple...
Again, best of luck with your next project and take care
I've been a EZ-Robot user for a little while now. While I use it mainly for reviving retro
robots, controlling my replica 1:1 R2-D2, it serves it's purpose very well.
I'm also an Arduino user. I can't say I can do much more than script copy code for it. I
typically use it for a fixed (LED lighting) applications. Outside of that realm it's just to
confusing to learn and use.
I also use EZ-Robot with my six year old son. We can take an evening and build a robot
of his dreams. Motion control, lighting sequencing, on-board camera, sonar detection all
very easily with instant results. With a little guidance, hot glue and simple point and click.
Done! That is what EZ-Robot is about.
Give a six year old an Arduino and you'd be lucky if they can make a window scraper from
it in an evening.
Cheers!
Lumpy
Code:
Darn it DJ, I've been building my robot all wrong! Thant's all I've been doing to my B9 these past 2 yrs. *stress*
BTW, holy shnikes your B9 is amazing! *eek*
The tone of this thread didn't sit right with me. I predicted this would happen from the beginning. It hasn't helped anyone, or educated anyone.
I have mixed feelings about EZ-Robot, and agree with @derrick; I also don't like the closed source limitations; The price for the microcontroller "interface" board is too high; Also, my hand has been "bit" way too many times. bad DJ, no more treats from me.
Yes, I actually learned a lot with my kit. at the beginning. But equally found many limitations that I tried to point out in hopes of my investment becoming less "beta" and more "product"... still not there, so I gave up on it
However, I do have to thank DJ for his "encouragement" in my advancement as a robotisist; His consistently negative comments about other technologies, like Arduino, got me curious. Now I am finding that Arduino is for much more than "just blinking LEDs", I CAN do doing everything, with Arduino, that "can't be done with an Arduino", and in many cases just as easily or even easier than ARC.
My EZ-B sits on a shelf as my reminder of the (expensive) stepping stone that it was. And the irony for me is that my EZ-B (without the hassle of being constantly tethered to a PC and controlled by master software) is only good at one thing. blinking it's blue LED *eek*
That all said, I still pop into this site every once in awhile, just to see what incredible things YOU the users, makers, tinkerers and fellow robotisists are building. Absolutely incredible stuff! Way to go! And if EZ-Robot made it possible, then great for you and all who get to see your robots in action!
Take care and keep on building robots!
Gunner
PS, no I am not interested in selling my EZ-B... it literally is my "Where I was" reminder memento and occasional play toy, along with my VIC-20, C64SX, Lego RCX, etc...
I completely respect both yours and Derrick's opinions on the EZ-B etc. but still have to ask two things;
1. Would you agree that the EZ-B makes building robots both easy and quick?
2. Without going in to too much detail or dragging up past arguments, discussions etc. what have you come across that can't be done with the EZ-B (besides running without a PC)?
I ask that because I am genuinely interested as I have yet to find a limit that makes the EZ-B or ARC incapable, but as I delve deeper and deeper in to robotics I'd like to know where the pitfalls are etc.
If it's something you would rather not post on the forums here feel free to drop me an email (email address is in my user details).
Yes, that was me who "left"... I only check the community forum to keep up on some user projects... saw the "survey" and could not resist
1. Then, yes, but that was what I started with... now, not so much, I learned just as quickly and with a bit more sense of accomplishment with Arduino (my personal opinion of course
2. One word, Telepresence... something I tried desperately to get working with EZ-Robot. Just check out my YouTube clip if you want to understand more. To me, that is the power of Open Source... many minds, many pieces of hardware, one result... it works! This is not the only product I have made with Arduino that would not have worked with the EZ-B, but enough said here.
Gunner
As it stands right now, the only limitation to you not achieving similar results with EZ-Robot is your limited knowledge in scripting. Do not worry, one of the great assets to EZ-Robot is the community. If you were to post on the forum and ask about how to accomplish the same thing, myself or someone else can help you achieve the same and better results.
If you're looking for it to be done for you, then that octopus thing works acceptable for now. However, with EZ-Robot you could have created that exact same thing, easily. Specifically using the HTTP Server Control. The video and movement controls could be embedded in a simple HTML form. That way your phone would not require a specific app and could work over the web browser.
I'll make the future EZ-Robot telepresence features even easier and better than that demo
Man, good to hear from you again.
Just wanted to let you know, your missed around here.
I remember when first starting off here with EZB that you were always there to help myself and others.
As for EZB, Oculus or any other robot software, well to each there own.
Personally, I love EZB and can only see great things happening to it in the future.
When a person has a passion for anything, as DJ does for EZB (it shows) then the sky's the limit.
Anyways, my 2cents on the post.
We all are impatient for processes to work as soon as we think they should work. But it does not happen that way.
I have a basic stamp robot, I have an arduino robot, and I have two EZ-B robots. They all have their pluses and minus.
Yes, I would like the new stuff yesterday. But I must wait... The weather is changing and so Christmas is coming and back to school too.
We can not have all that we want NOW.
Best wishes in what you do Gunner.
DJ Sures, wants a quality product, not rushed to market just make it so.
j
@Gunner you left the EZ-B smiley on your robot image is everything