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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.
adafruit and Sparkfun.
Contact them and ask. otherwise those are the places to buy from.
Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.
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.
SparkFun RedBot
The Arduino Robot
Just plain old Arduino, RasPi, etc hackery.
For the radio minded, Elecraft has some cool ham radio kits.
If you want to start with a pre-built robot - Sparki is pretty good - https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/arcbotics/sparki-the-easy-robot-for-everyone
Arduino base
Already assembled (you don't have to try to do that part)
Modular
Think of it as a prototype unit to play with before you try to build one yourself.
Another great bit would be to build a 3D printer (e.g. Printrbot). Get's you the mechanical bits you crave along with a mid-level development platform, and robot that you can then use to build parts for your next robot.
Point being, if you don't understand the mechanics, programming, and electronics grab a system that has those already done - then use those as stepping stones into areas you want to move into.
Final thought - Thanks for your service!
Everyone else, call your congressional rep and tell them these guys deserve the best we can give them! That's the least I can give to someone willing to get their arse shot off so I can be comfy and drive a desk 9-5.
If you are in San Diego and combat wounded there are opportunities for you to get out of the hospital and intern at a local government lab to learning robotics. Ask your transition coordinator.
I'm not sure who makes them, but they do look like a lot of fun for the dextrously inclined (I prefer Basic-compatible LEGO and traditional steel Meccano), and the end result is usually something that walks, beeps, rolls and/or shoots soft projectiles.
Political debates have me rolling my eyes so much I think I got optical whiplash. I should sue. - Foamy The Squirrel
Not entirely about robotics, but if you like tech and if you're over at Walter Reed, you should check out the Wounded Warrior Cyber Combat Academy (http://w2cca.org/) if you're looking for something to keep your mind occupied and are interested in technology, and especially security. The w2cca folks basically help train you for a cybersecurity job after you get out, and the training is really nuts-to-bolts (starting with basic hardware/software and moving on). Great team, and very focused on the mission and those they're serving. Doesn't hurt that it's also been endorsed by Gen Alexander. So, you can rehab and build skill for the future at the same time. Even if you're not at Walter Reed, it might be worth reaching out to them: I know they're working on setting up similar programs at some of the other VA hospitals.
http://goo.gl/JlX692 Link to the standard vex kit.
Also, there are endless projects with arduino, but it's naturally a bit more technical. So I guess it depends a lot on skill level with electronics programming.
So I'd probably say Lego for the truly basic beginner, Vex for some prior knowledge but wanting a bit more robust system. And then for the well experienced arduino.
I'd startup a conversation with these folks www.botball.org. My son and several of his friends have participated and it was a great experience for them. While the kits are a pricey, the setup they use for competition isn't. Once you have the kits it shouldn't take that much effort to let the vets do their own thing or even organize botball-esque events within the VA.
CPL
U.S Army
1985-1990
Medical Hold
1989-1990
I have a nice suggestion for you. Get a beagleboard (beagleboard.org)
Use it to learn Linux and linux programming.
Also use it to learn Android. Write yourself an Android app.
Guess what? You can get a really, really good job. In the NYC
market, Android devs start at 75k.
Cost:
beagleboard plus accessories: $100.
6 months of learning.
That's it. Good luck.
I don't know if this is too beginner level, but I think it's worth a mention: Snap Circuits. It's kind of like those old learn electronics kits with the spring connectors, but in this case they snap together with magnets. I would think if you went through all the kits you would learn all the basics pretty quickly, and then you'll be more comfortable moving on to the arduinos, etc.
Also checkout RobotShop for more advanced stuff.
"I have never let my schooling interfere with my education." - Mark Twain
For a lot of robotics work you need to be able to install software on the computer. Not sure if that would be a problem or not, but Arduino and Lego both require good access to the computer. Something like a Raspberry Pi or Oodo which is already a computer itself might be a better starting point if there are restrictions on accessing a host computer.
Helping with organizational effectiveness is our job.
These are WOUNDED veterans.
That means they were injured trying to help preserve your right to be a complete asshole.
A bullet may have your name on it, but artillery is addressed to " Whom It May concern"
Amateur (Ham) Radio is a great hobby and community for veterans. It provides opportunities for those who just want to talk to others around the world all the way to those who want to work on the leading edge of electronics and communications technology. Public service is a major purpose of Amateur Radio too. I'm sure veterans who contact the American Radio Relay League (ARRL) at http://arrl.org will find something interesting and rewarding.
https://www.radioshack.com/pro...
Parallax has a nice kit that works with a Arduino. http://www.parallax.com/robots...
Thank you for your service!
"I say we take off, nuke the site from orbit. It's the only way to be sure."
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.
...then it's actually a GREAT way to forget bad things in the past. The best thing in the world you can do for the wounded mind is to occupy it with something interesting and challenging to do, at least something pleasing and rewarding.
I've built one of the biggest electronics labs I've personally ever seen, not even the technical schools I've visited can match it, and I have to admit...just the building process itself (you know, getting the parts off eBay, the local flea markets, ham-fest, local radio amateurs and electronics stores that are closing down and selling out) is a lot of fun, in fact - to me...it's downright addictive.
I've had some seriously though times in my life, more than I care to mention here - and I think both the electronics lab (and being a Christian) has literally saved my life many times over. There is nothing so soothing to my mind than to be able to safely close my lab-doors, sit down in front of my huge stash of millions and millions of brand new components acquired for pocket-cash (really petty cash!) - knowing...I could literally build a time machine in there.
Away from people, away from messy interfering thoughts, away from everything that's bad. Just ME and pure science. I love it. Nothing like it in this world (to me).
So yes, by ALL means get into electronics, it is SO rewarding.
What this world is coming to - is for you and me to decide.
I was trying to do some robotics... I could not find ANYTHING that would help me put together the mechanical aspect of the whole thing. As far as I got was buying the (I think it was 10 bucks) USB board from radio shack that you solder together. It lets you control pretty much anything from simple PC software. Actually, even with an EE degree (which I haven't used in 23 years), there was a bit of a learning curve with wiring up the output pins to relays in order to get anything to actually work, but when it did - man was that a blast (for a geek type). I took the kids' old battery controlled car that they used to drive around the driveway in and turned it into a robot... well, OK, it could only go forward and backwards at full speed - but it was cool!
http://www.bristolwatch.com/
http://www.circuitstoday.com/
http://forum.allaboutcircuits....
http://www.bowdenshobbycircuit...
And here's a neat project to make a lab power supply out of an old PC power supply http://www.electronics-tutoria...
Perhaps. More likely wounded trying to implement American foreign policy abroad.
No, they were injured trying to help preserve your government's right to be a complete asshole.
I highly reccomend the Arduino. Its inexpensive, easy to interface with, has tons of online support, and examples of how to us most modules work by just connecting a few wires. For all the kids that wanted to grow up and be a mad scientist, this is the solution. Think, Design, Build, Enjoy.
They were mostly wounded while killing, trying to kill, or assissting in killing other people (you know... combat).
It is kind of a moot point discussing who the 'good guys' are in a war. However usually it is soldiers on both sides. A soldiers saving grace may be, that they are acting under orders and have limited choice in the matter.
However for the same reason I do not see a point why they should have a priviliged status.
All things conssidered they rank pretty low on my sympathy list.
Certainly much lower than a wounded cop for example, who was fighting actual criminals and certainly lower than people who were simply the victim of an accident or violence.
http://www.shapeoko.com/
It can be easily configured as a 3D printer, so would be suited for use in-doors w/o hearing protection: http://www.shapeoko.com/wiki/i...
Assembly instructions here: http://docs.shapeoko.com/
Sphinx of black quartz, judge my vow.
Been so many years, I forgot to login first... Forgot to mention that this stuff can be used for years. Amazing how many techs and engineers I used to know that had this book on their shelf as a quick reference. Also, if you can find any of the old Howard Mims electronics books that were originally written for Radio Shack, get them.
The soldiers do what their chain-of-command orders them to do. If you don't like it, then elect a Commander-in-Chief who will do something different.
Jesus Christ, I wish I had mod points to MOD YOU DOWN!! These people you dismiss as "low on your sympathy list" risked life/limb and put their personal lives on hold for however many years to PROTECT YOUR SKANKY ASS... People like you make me sick to my stomach... Feel free to put me on your foes list.. Rest assured I've put YOU on mine..(along with a bunch of others who have posted in this thread)...
THANK YOU, Edward Snowden!! Americans owe you a debt of gratitude (whether they know it or not..)
Someone with mod points please take a look.
Didn't realize that I was posting Anon... 2 Comments: 1: Thank you for serving. Just remember that you and other soldiers like yourself (myself included) sacrificed their rights, in order to protect the rights of the people that are taking to this board to incite hate. People like that will never understand all that went into giving them the right to say what they want to say without fear of repercussion. They will never understand the fear of censorship, and while the vocal minority may speak the loudest, take heart in knowing that you've also protected the rights of those who only speak when thoughts need to be expressed for the betterment of their fellow citizens. 2: The Lego Mindstorm Kits are amazing. Fun to play with, compatable with all Lego kits, (which makes for some wacky inventions), and very educational. The drag and drop interface lets you do plenty, but once you link the controller up with bluetooth, and start playing with the actual programming languages, the real potential is unlocked.
If you have no background in electronics at all, this might be a good place to start:
http://www.innovatoys.com/kits-labs/50-in-one-electronic-project-lab/165
Very basic analog and radio circuits, which in my opinion is the best place to start, and at under $30 it won't break the bank. You'll go through all the projects pretty quickly - but then you can start experimenting with your own circuits. No soldering required - just connect the pre-tinned wires to the connector springs. I had a similar kit from Radio Shack when I was young and first getting into electronics, and I loved it. I even ended up stripping it of parts to use in my own projects when I graduated to building circuits on perfboard.
Whatever kit you begin with, analog or digital, you'll want a Digital Multi-Meter, or DMM. It doesn't have to be a good one, and these days a cheap one can be had for 10 or 15 dollars. Because you're just beginning, I suggest not getting an auto-ranging meter - you'll maintain a better sense of where you are and what you're doing if you have to pay attention to the range setting.
Best of luck to you sir; if electronics continues to interest you then you're in for a lot of fun!
'The Economy' is a giant Ponzi scheme whose most pitiable suckers are the youngest among us and the yet-unborn.
with the intro of EV3 - you could put out the call to FLL message boards to see if people retiring their NXT care to pack it up and send it off. It' still perfectly serviceable (and came with more default sensors than EV3) and since you're not fiddling with innards, the new ideas and extensions of contraptions tend to flow fairly well. Any kits you find have been through a half dozen years of middle schoolers - good luck wrecking them.
"Win treats sysadmins better than users. Mac treats users better than sysadmins. Linux treats everyone like sysadmins."
@bluefoxlucid
Geez I don't remember my login info, and I'm too lazy right now to fix that. I am usually Wolfton on blog sites I care about.
Anyway, I want to comment on your post as well as the intended flame war that ensued.
I am a disabled veteran. I thank you for the Zen link - though I don't know that it is useful to me, personally.
As for the notion that veterans are self-entitled, I say that perhaps we are, and so what? Many of us enlisted or accepted commissions solely for patriotism. I did. I did not get a bonus. I did not choose a specialty that put me on the safer end of a weapon system all day. I chose a job that would help all of us be better informed as to the threats in combat as well as in garrison. While I admit I did not have the whole picture, what I did see was considerably more than the average service-member sees and I stand behind most of the foreign policies we were purported to have enforced.
I did receive college money through Tuition Assistance and later the GI Bills. I did complete my degree, using said monies. But to do so, I enlisted for about $400 a month for the first two months, about $650 for the next four months, and $700 for the many months after that. I was later medically retired and I suffer every day from terrible pains. I was not injured on combat, but I was injured after coming home, while teaching soldiers to properly handle certain weapons. And my injuries were not directly caused by the weapons, either. All said and done, after thirteen years of service, I earned $2,600 a month, plus some benefits. My annual statement of benefits came out to just less than $60,000 a year. Its respectable for sure, but in reality it wasn't enough given the rank I held, my job performance, my leadership experience, and technical skills - even without a degree. Oddly, I make ten thousand dollars less, five years later, and now that I have a degree but lets not digress too much.
So let me say that I also disagreed with many orders (policies) I took an oath to uphold. In doing so, I did feel a conflict. Once, I even quietly disobeyed an order to report a soldier I supervised for a short time who was openly bisexual - prior to the ban being lifted. While my own faith convictions told me that her conduct was wrong, I knew the rule was wrong and thankfully I'm not alone in that. I believe in separation of church and state, for better or for worse.
A veteran is not typically entitled. The ones who cry the loudest may seem like the vast majority but I have to disagree with you on that point. I know far too many who served and very quietly integrated into society when that service was over.
A veteran is not over-worshipped except in extreme cases. Veterans are celebrated, certainly - and should be. We took oaths to defend the Constitution of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic. Who cares if the motivation was college money, travel, meeting new people, and then shooting them? Those who commit war crimes are usually found guilty and dealt with appropriately. And every one of them deserves just punishment.
But for the veterans who were wounded, or later suffer(ed) from the results of that service, what is truly wrong with being honored? If you did something exemplary at your place of employment, for your family, for your community, should you not be honored? Enlisting means suspending some of your rights, privileges, etc, for the purpose of SERVING Congress, the Commander-in-Chief, and every other citizen or lawfully documented immigrant on US soil. It means helping other nations' interests because over all, the Military's involvement in foreign policy is still designed to protect the United States of America. Every law that protects you but is not compatible with say Communism or Sharia Law, is as protected by the service-member as by municipal, county, state, and federal officers or agents.
Please, when demonizing (there's a word to look up the etymology for) remember that the vast maj
It's possible that they thought that was what they were doing, but it wasn't what they were really doing, at least not if they got hurt in Iraq or Afghanistan after 2002. Nevertheless, I have sympathy for them because they got seriously screwed over the the government.
I am looking for the right Veterans Organization (Semper Fi to my fellow Marines) to give some Dell Optiplex PCs.. USB 2.0, 200 GB disks, Intel Video. I served during the first Gulf war, so I know what you are talking about. Any suggestions. North Texas is preferred to reduce shipping costs.
Win if you can... Lose if you must... But always CHEAT!
If it interests you, inexpensive USB-DTV dongles and free software.
The citizens of the Rest of the World who have no say on who's the looney in charge of your army?
Your remind me of those cowards spitting on soldiers returning from Vietnam. I bet you'd never have the balls to say any of this to an actual soldier.
As long as they weren't drafted they were merely glorified mercenaries who were injured trying to further some business/political interests that has nothing to do whatsoever with any rights.
"It's such a fine line between stupid and clever" -- David St. Hubbins, Spinal Tap
Nobody has ever protected me in the military. Nobody. If you think going to Afghanistan prevented the boots from landing on the ground here, you're an idiot.
Support my political activism on Patreon.
I have. Soldiers like to double as recruiters, and I unload on them when they try to drag me into their bullshit--especially the army folks, the cannon fodder we send out to die first, the most expendable and the most self-important. I also know infantrymen I went to high school with, who still act like we're in high school; except in high school I never punched the shit out of these people, so it was time to play catch-up and put them in their place. Apparently I'm harder than Iraq.
So much for "easy target".
Support my political activism on Patreon.
I find seriously offensive the hero treatment "war veterans" receive in your country.
I have lived in places (and visited many more) that have been seriously damaged due to being "incorrectly aligned" politically. As insulting as my comment can be to you, I find it insulting to have a front-page article in Slashdot devoting resources to war veterans. Of course, in your society, you are free (and expected) to take care of those you think that are patriots — But you have to understand that many of us cannot relate to those patriots in any different way than we would relate to mass-murderers.
These are WOUNDED veterans.
That means they were injured trying to help preserve your right to be a complete asshole.
Wounded helping preserve your right to drive a 2-tonne SUV.
American's can be assholes without any help from the middle east. (though the likes of ISIS could give some lessons in advanced skills.)
Wolfton,
Thank you for your service, and your sacrifice.
sounds like the perfect way to have some combat shocked zealous soldier to invent terminators or other crazy robot evil genius wet dreams.
Sadly, a Libertarian cannot force his views on another, and freedom cannot spread as does the cancer known as religion.