rogers@ncrcce.StPaul.NCR.COM (Bob Rogers) (01/11/88)
I recently read Stewart Brand's book "The Media Lab", which is about MIT's media lab. One of the projects Brand writes about is "LEGO/Logo", an interface between an Apple IIe running Logo and the LEGO system of building blocks. To quote the book: "...soon destined to be a commercial product. The interface box connects to a variety of LEGO-compatible motors, touch sensors, infrared sensors, and light sensors - basic robot equipment." Has anybody seen this, or a similar computer/toy interface scheme? Most importantly, where and when will it be available? If this is a good as it sounds I'll sell my Atari ST, abandon plans to buy an AT, and use the money on an Apple and LEGO set. I might even let my kids use it :-) -- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bob Rogers rogers@StPaul.NCR.COM NCR Comten, St. Paul, MN
fritzson@bigburd.PRC.Unisys.COM (Richard Fritzson) (01/11/88)
In article <610@ncrcce.StPaul.NCR.COM> rogers@ncrcce.StPaul.NCR.COM writes: > >I recently read Stewart Brand's book "The Media Lab", which is about MIT's >media lab. One of the projects Brand writes about is "LEGO/Logo", an interface >between an Apple IIe running Logo and the LEGO system of building blocks. >Has anybody seen this, or a similar computer/toy interface scheme? Most >importantly, where and when will it be available? I saw it in a travelling computer/robots museum exhibit in the Philadelphia Franklin institute. It was listed as being from some small computer company whose name I hadn't heard before and can't remember now. They did not say it was a prodcut then (a year ago). It was neat. They had constructed a model factory with a variety of moving parts. The best part was a moving cart which was programmed to follow a painted line on the table by scanning back and forth over it with a light cell. The program that did this was four or five lines of Logo. The program was displayed on screen as it executed. I would like to know if it is available; I'd probably buy it for my home system (not an Apple II). -Rich Fritzson ARPA: fritzson@prc.unisys.com UUCP: {sdcrdcf,psuvax1,cbmvax}!burdvax!fritzson
glb@uvacs.CS.VIRGINIA.EDU (Gina L. Bull) (01/11/88)
LEGO/Logo is available from Logo Computer Systems, Inc (LCSI), the
same company which developed and markets Apple Logo II and
LogoWriter. I have played with the system, and it is wonderful.
It is not priced/packaged for home use, however. The complete
package includes the LEGO pieces (blocks, motors, sensors), an
interface center (plugs for outputs and inputs), and a board for
the Apple, and numerous booklets for a teacher and students. The
price is between $400 and $500 dollars. It is intended for the
educational market, but if a parent is willing to pay the price,
it is a fabulous system.
Some of the things I played with this weekend at a "show-and-tell"
session at a local private school included a car (light sensor
used to track revolutions of the wheel, and thus to measure
distance; touch sensor to detect running into an object), a
stoplight, a carnival ride (could go backwards and forwards, and
played a tune), a washing machine (activated by a touch switch on
the "front panel"; when the "door" was opened, another touch
sensor contolled shutting off the "drum"), and a conveyor belt
(counted the number of blocks passing an optical sensor). There
is a booklet included with the kit with instructions for
building a turtle robot which can go forwards, backwards, and
turn, and draw on paper. My almost-five-year-old son, who
loves both LEGO and Logo anyway, had a ball playing with all
the constructions. Of course, he is too young to build most
of the toys or to do the programming, but if I had a set of
LEGO/Logo at home, we'd be playing with it together. ("Mommy,
when will it be MY turn?")
Gina Bull Internet: glb@uvacs.cs.virginia.edu
Dept. Computer Science UUCP: ...!uunet!virginia!rlb0p
University of Virginia BITNET: rlb0p@Virginiakamath@reed.UUCP (Sean Kamath) (01/14/88)
Well, I know it's already been addressed, but yes, they are in production
now.
In anycase, if you want to twiddle with things like this (and are somewhat
interested in electronics) a *lot* of fun can be had building your own. The
Apple II is *perfect* for this stuff. It's got four analog inputs, three
digital inputs, and four digital outputs. They can all be used with BASIC,
and it doesn't take a lot of knowledge to put together, oh, say servo moters
(I saw an easy stepper moter routine in AppleSoft once -- Quite fun to play
with.) and pulleys. I was hoping to get a Lego Basic Electric set, but
Robin got me more expensive things instead, and my parents just won't buy me
fun cheap things.
I love to do things like this. I'd love to get in contact with anyone, no
matter what level, about this stuff. I'll be glad to help anyc=one, as well
as offer ideas. I've finally gotten somewhat involved with a Group here,
and there are some highschoolers that are very interested in computers I
plan to talk with soon. Why does it seem like the world of computers is bent
on software alone? People seem to forget there is an outside world when
hunkered over the green screen, hacking away.
Sean Kamath
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