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Ask Slashdot: Robotics or Electronic Kits For Wounded Veterans?
An anonymous reader writes I am currently a combat veteran in the care of the VA Hospital. A lot of veterans here suffer from PTSD and other injuries related to combat and trauma. As part of the healing process, the VA finds it good that we take up hobbies such as art or music, and they supply us kits and stuff to put together and paint. This is great, but many of us younger veterans have an interest in robotics and electronics. Do you know of some good and basic robotic and electronic kits that can be ordered or donated to Veterans out there? Any information would be appreciated.
The Lego Mindstorm kit is fairly good for entry level robotics (by default programmed in a drag and drop GUI) and can be modded to take C or Java code as well.
They are a little pricey but you can share sensors and motors if you have enough connections on your controller.
Good stuff, I used them for my college AI class (it was required material for the class)
Lego Mindstorm comes immediately to mind, as it gets you DOING things with robots rather than getting bogged down in implementation. (The informal motto of the Dallas Personal Robotics Group at one time was "It's harder than it looks!", and they weren't kidding.)
Heathkit keeps talking about making a comeback, but I'm in an "I'll believe it when I see it" mood these days.
Ramsey Electronics has a LOT of kits. Most of them require basic soldering skills. However, they do sell some electronic experimenters kits, that don't require soldering.
Many of our members are veterans (Lots of fun stories there!)
I will donate a rail car kit to the first 5 veterans who come by for a visit and Asks for Thomas.
Our web site is: http://www.modelrailroadclub.o...
Meetings are Thursday nights.