Need a name for this PIC solderless prototyping system.

[William At MyBlueRoom]

The idea just came to me this morning, I drew the layout before the schematic. Very simple design but should prove usefull. I may change the bottom switches to the narrow 2 pin types to allow for a little more room for the silkscreening.

I could also squeeze the switches together and maybe add who knows...

I could even make a little space for a few servo connectors, small enough to mount on a robot chassis...

I've called it Blackfly for now, suggestions for a better name? Opinions?

 

[Mike - K8LH]

All those pins. Did you already use Centipede?

 

[William At MyBlueRoom]

Why its not holes on the PCB (could be I suppose) but a small 350 hole solderless breadboard.

Hmm, Cricket uses a C and I like to keep the first letters different. After 26 kits I'll retire lol.

Wonder if it would make a decent Robot chassis like the Parallax BoeBot.
Certainly more powerful and cheaper as the MPU isn't a BASIC Stamp.

I shall call it MiniMe noo wait Rover? I can get a chassis designed and stamped out... Don't know where to get wheels though.

Brain running,,, perhaps a surface mount dual H-Bridge IC on the bottom... LED + IR TSOP eyes...

The combined brains here must have some great ideas, Shall I repost this in Robotics?
**broken link removed**

 

[jpanhalt]

Is Ladybug taken? John

Oops. I guess ladybug is taken. How about Caterpillar...a beginning form that grows into something beautiful.

 

[William At MyBlueRoom]

Darn those are good names, I could rename Ladybug as it's not made it to PCB stage yet.

It's on the fasttrack, and just as soon as I finished the real Ladybug schematic.

 

[Sceadwian]

It definitly needs more, anyone that is even cursorily into electronics will outgrow a device that simple inside a week.

 

[mramos1]

I like it. That is the protoboard I have been looking for. I sit on the floor, stuff the parts around the PIC on a protobaord, then clip on the programmer/icd to berg pins.

I like Mike's name. jpanhalt is good too. Millipede? Or Spider?

 

[mvs sarma]

I've called it Blackfly for now, suggestions for a better name? Opinions?

Hi William

If the main project is inchworm i would call it MINIWORM

 

[William At MyBlueRoom]

Hi William

If the main project is inchworm i would call it MINIWORM

Lol, not bad. The Inchworm was so named for a few reasons.

1. Inchworm first letter is I for ICD
2. many worms are self reproducing, the Inchworm can program more bootloaders for new Inchworms.

Something like that, Crickets (some) can tell temperature with their chirps, perfect for a thermostat.

Firefly (Fire = burn... and Flash) burning is an old term for programming eproms. Fly is just for fun.

Ladybug is considered lucky, looks like a great name for what I have in mind for this one.

 

[William At MyBlueRoom]

It definitly needs more, anyone that is even cursorily into electronics will outgrow a device that simple inside a week.

Of course you will, it's not designed to be a final project but something you can get your feet wet with.

I've added a L293 to the design. Uprated the PIC to your choice of a 16F886 (NEW) or the more powerful 18F2525 with the free C compiler.

Real 2xPWM on the L293s Enable pair. You can run the tamiya dual gearbox with it. I may even build a chassis with 4xAA.

Another feature is a pair of servo connectors and a pair of opticals for wheel rotation. Leaves lots of I/O for the user.

Not sure if I'll add rs232... but I'll leave the pins available. As well as the I2C stuff.
**broken link removed**

 

[justDIY]

earthworm? flatworm? sticking with the worm root

 

[mramos1]

It definitly needs more, anyone that is even cursorily into electronics will outgrow a device that simple inside a week.

I would think that is a great board for intermediate users. They can pick their PIC, wire it how they like over and over. Then move the design to PCB.. Other than higher end PICS, I think "blackfly" is great.

Were firefly and others are limited to where the pins are setup. It still have a user connector for small projects.

Bill,

How about chameleon or kameleon for the blackfly. As you can change it over and make it fit your needs (like the color changes the lizard can do)? Did not look to see if you used that one. But it can be change to fit your needs.

 

[William At MyBlueRoom]

Well Microchip keeps providing ideal PICs for certain jobs. The 16F690 (same as the PICKit2 PIC) seems almost perfect for motor control. It's smaller 20pin (yep the Firefly socket supports 20pin just use the 8/18 setting) and has the PWM channels perfect for running the L293. Good for controlling steppers, motors and small relays.

I'll save the 18F2525 for the next project. I can probably have the PCBs done for this robot controller done before Christmas.

 

[theinfamousbob]

Why not splurge and buy the Tamiya tank treads too?

I think people would jump even more for that...

 

[William At MyBlueRoom]

Tank treads usually cause more drag on the motors and therefore the batteries. Good for uneven terrain. I could make the mount plate compatible.