Google Lunar X Prize: $30 Million - CEans are you game?

[xheavenlyx]

lol, I like the enthusiasm, but we are talking about going to the moon, landing safely and actually taking 15 mins of video, plus traveling 500 m on the surface!

Yea, a few free parts from the lab might help though. :P

I was going to post the above para, then I re-read the thread...ok, we are talking about a CE bot. lol, sorry

I help on the motion planing or programing the robot AI algo's. Even if you need help in the electronics.

However, we should actually physically make this bot in India. Preferabily in bombay or Pune for the time being

what do you guys say? for the Place of the robot.

[mahul]

Yep i would love to help, but for this to materialise we need to meet atleast initially. then we can each branch out and work on our seperate areas of interest and expertise. We are up against pro's, so this won't be easy by any means. And we need good Aeronautical engineers( rest seem available). There's little point in starting without them( we might but won't stand the competition).

[ash]

Whoa whoa, now Im confused

Are we aiming to join the Lunar X Prize, or just make our own CE Robot? Mahul, I think we should focus on making a small lunar robot (I guess some kinda rover?) by ourselves, outside the competition. It'll be a showcase of our technical and cooperative skills!

Once we can actually make CE devices together, then we can start being serious in joining real competitions. At the moment, its all talk and no action!

As for the place of assembling the robot.. well, I guess since the majority of CEans are in India, that would make sense. However, its possible to do this ala-Airbus style.. getting different components from different countries (maybe not really for a small project like this, but perhaps a bigger one in the future!)

[The_Big_K]

I'll drop in.

I believe its too early for us to start talking about offline projects (like CE Rover). Let's begin with something that's possible to online!

Once we executive one project successfully and attract more engineers, we can setup offline clubs where engineers gather on weekends and work on projects.

I am, in no way, disheartening anyone of you. Offline stuff is possible only when we're bigger in number.

Let's say, ash gathers few engineers from Malaysia at CE - Malaysia club, Mahul gets few from Kolkata at CE - Kolkata club, xHx - from Dubai etc., we work out a plan develop stuff on our own and ship it to a place where another team will assemble it ..and so on ( sounds crazy! ) But I believe its possible and we'll do it some day.

[mahul]

This sounds realistic, well i'm all for this arrangement. I was confused too Ash, but what _k has suggested is what i suppose we must focus on presently.

[xheavenlyx]

Ok, first step is to write down our objectives.

1. What exactly are its capabilities. Wireless com, video, IR, sensors, motion technique (motor, rail, chain?) etc.
2. What is required to make these? Like a webcam or a normal camera, 1/2 Watt motors etc?

3. What functions? Path planning, Data storage, analysis (what kind of analysis) etc.



Biggie, Should I open a new thread under LABS? Secondly, we can have a collaborative Google document, this will also be explained in the new thread. Everyone who wants to properly contribute can post the objectives and plans on the thread or in the Google doc.

After a while we can assign a few things to different members. Some tasks can ofcourse overlap.

===EXAMPLE===

ASH: Motion planning, path planning, simulation, MATLAB etc
MAHUL: Motor Control, Power Unit, uContr. etc
XHX (thats me): Vision algorithm, sensors, MATLAB etc
BIGGIE: Some parts procurement (he gots connection and people powers!)
OTHERS: other tasks etc

===/EXAMPLE===

ONE VERY IMPORTANT POINT TO remember is that the project can be constructed in modules, where each part has a specified inp/outp/power/ground relation or something, you know, swappable part and easier to replace.

ALL IDEAS I JUST WROTE WERE BRAIN STORMED, SORRY FOR INCONVENIENCE OF JUMBLENESS AND CAPSLOCK TYPING.

[ash]

Originally Posted by xheavenlyx

Biggie, Should I open a new thread under LABS? Secondly, we can have a collaborative Google document, this will also be explained in the new thread. Everyone who wants to properly contribute can post the objectives and plans on the thread or in the Google doc.

Great work, man! You sound pretty excited But erm.. can't I get easier tasks? Just kidding, hehe.

Can we sorta embed Google Docs with this website? Perhaps we can have a CE-wiki that all members involved in a project can add & edit. I agree about the concept of modules. Thats very important in robot making!

Big K got connections too? awesome.. *grin*

[xheavenlyx]

Ash.

1 Do you have yahoo??? give the address on the CE shout main page.
2. We can have a wikki but for now a thread is ok. Let it grow, let us have more things to discuss.
3. Google docs I tihnk is there with the crazyengineers.com email you had.


Ash, I need to know you will stay with this project. We can take baby steps for now, I know, too much hype can actually kill the idea even before it starts! We can discuss further on chat or the new thread I will make now.

[ash]

I'll stay, no worries The sooner we start something, the better.

[just2rock]

Originally Posted by xheavenlyx

Ok, first step is to write down our objectives.

1. What exactly are its capabilities. Wireless com, video, IR, sensors, motion technique (motor, rail, chain?) etc.
2. What is required to make these? Like a webcam or a normal camera, 1/2 Watt motors etc?

3. What functions? Path planning, Data storage, analysis (what kind of analysis) etc.

Great thoughts indeed for kick start..the thread but cant it be a more simple
just kidding
well funding for the said will arise the main problem,otherwise ideas ...they will come up once funds go with it
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