General Robotics Web Links

An active UK based Robotics discussion group with a great cross section of Robot Builders.

The Robotics Chat forum within the UK based Electro Tech Online Forum.

The most popular news group for general robotics topics. Tends towards USA orientation to answers....

A quiet UK based news group for general robotics topics.

This site hosts a robot gallery, links to lots of related sites and a general robotics forum.

Atmel's AVR^® microcontrollers are some of the most popular in robot building.

While there is the official Atmel Technical Support Center, you'll find that AVR Freaks is seen to be the place all things AVR-related.

Available from Farnell, Rapid Electronics, RS Components, etc.

A chip like programmable Microcontroller which can be programmed in BASIC.

Basic Atom Forums

Available from Milford Instruments.

A popular chip like programmable Microcontroller which can be programmed in BASIC.

Parallax User's Support Forum

Available from British Robotics and Milford Instruments.

Small microcontroller modules, which are programmed in a multitasking BASIC.

Basic Tiger Forum (Yahoo!^® Groups - German Language)

A chip like programmable Microcontroller which can be programmed in BASIC with a simple PC Serial connection for program down load.

BasicX Support (Yahoo!^® Groups)

Available from Active Robots and Total Robots.

2.5 inch square board based Microcontroller, stackable in Master/Slave configurations with additional Motor Control boards.

The BrainStem Forum

Available from Devantech Ltd and Total Robots.

CUBLOC is a little different to other Microcontrollers on the market, it offers the opportunity for both BASIC and LADDER logic programming. At the entry end of their range we have the CB220, pin compatable with many of the other 24pin 600mil packages and programmed via a 4 wire serial cable.

The CUBLOC User Forum

Dios and Athena are two microcontrollers available from Kronos Robotics. An RS232 interface kit is required for programming.

The Kronos Forum

These are a little different to the other microcontrollers listed here. Their output control is based upon a type of truth table utilising inputs, a timer and IR Remote input. Not as many features or functions as the other controllers but just enough for a basic minisumo.

The first PICmicro operating system to use an Object-Oriented approach to hardware control.

OOPic Discussion (Yahoo!^® Groups)

Available from Total Robots.

A low cost microcontroller based upon Microchip's PIC. Can utilise Flowchart and BASIC programming language with a simple PC Serial connection for program down load.

PICaxe Forum

Available from MUTR, Rapid Electronics and tech-supplies.co.uk.

Microchip's PIC microcontrollers range is another of the most popular choices to robot builders.

Microchip Discussion Groups

Available from Farnell, Rapid Electronics, RS Components, etc.

A range microcontrollers with a wealth of features, programable in BASIC via serial connection.

User Forum