Re: Ogre - a LEGO NXT based "tank"

> OK, it was pointed out to me that I hadn't actually announced this on LUGNET,
> so... Ogre is the logical (or perhaps I should say "obsessive") conclusion to a
> series of Zamor shooting robots I've played with for a while. The launching
> system fires about 9+ spheres per second at about 4 m/s, and the ammo magazine
> holds about 50 spheres (without jamming too often). I started out trying to hold
> off using NXT motors (at first I wanted a pan and tilt turret, but ended up with
> a fixed main battery), so I used PF motors. This has the nice side benefit of
> making the tank "automatically" and RC vehicle; just don't turn the NXT on, and
> the entire thing works very well under RC control from two stock PF remotes
> (mated side-to-side, with one upside down; the inverted one you pull back on a
> toggle to fire, while the upright one controls the two treads). The upper bogies
> in the treads are sprung with shocks to keep the large tread systems under a
> fairly constant tension, and as a bonus it has a little mini "spy cam" on one
> side.
>
> The NXT can control the unit fairly well - actually, better than I can with the
> remote. By using the Hitechnic IRLink, the NXT control can use PWM on the PF
> motors, resulting in much smoother control for turns and variable speeds. In
> contrast, a human behind the controls tends to look jerky and inexperienced. It
> is a lot of fun just to play around (we'll be finding Zamor spheres in the
> living room for the next decade I suspect), but it's wonderful to watch it "Take
> out" at target autonomously. No BS Gallery as yet, but here's a YT video:
>
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNHGaSagaM4
>
> Yes, LEGO doesn't make tanks. But thank goodness all the pieces are there for
> the rest of us. Stormtroopers, beware!