Dayle in Guatemala Posted October 15, 2010 Share Posted October 15, 2010 We have people coming down this year right before Christmas so I can get stuff ordered and sent and brought down rather than try to make it happen from down here for a TON more money and just very little in way of quality. Here's my problem, I have not one clue for my ds12. NO VIDEO GAMES OR COMPUTER STUFF ALLOWED. He needs, desperately, a new hobby. He's really geared to electronics (he has snap circuits) and things like that. He has a knack for it! I just need a few good ideas and maybe a link or two? Our budget is around $100 or so, and I'd love to get a couple of things for that. Thanks in advance! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted October 15, 2010 Share Posted October 15, 2010 DS13 says: Well. Maybe you could try a Arduino RC car. All you need is a cheap RC car from Ebay or Goodwill, an Arduino board, (about $10 USD for a METAboard, an equivalent device. USB drivers are hard to find, though.) and a Motorshield. The Motorshield drives the engine for the RC car. http://www.amazon.com/Motor-control-.../dp/B002VH9APQ: The Motorshield http://forums.adafruit.com/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=11119: The code The hardest part to find is the METAboard. Any Arduino Shield compatible board should work, though. An Arduino/METAboard is a piece of electronics and plastic that works as a really little brain for the car, or any other project it is being used on. This project works with any RC car and any RC car controller. This would be why you would get the car from Goodwill. It should be modifiable to work with any electric motor and wheels. :gnorsi: He also suggests Make Magazine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dayle in Guatemala Posted October 15, 2010 Author Share Posted October 15, 2010 Jean--those look good! Especially the magazine, I can see hours of busyness from that! Thank you so much! Question about the car: How much difficulty is involved in it? I just don't want it to be soooooo hard that he gets frustrated with it. It looks awesome! I think, looking at all the stuff, that he could have fun with it and it would be no problem for him, but, I just want to make sure since we live in a situation where it would be difficult to return or even to buy new stuff if it was necessary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted October 15, 2010 Share Posted October 15, 2010 Jean--those look good! Especially the magazine, I can see hours of busyness from that! Thank you so much! Question about the car: How much difficulty is involved in it? I just don't want it to be soooooo hard that he gets frustrated with it. It looks awesome! I think, looking at all the stuff, that he could have fun with it and it would be no problem for him, but, I just want to make sure since we live in a situation where it would be difficult to return or even to buy new stuff if it was necessary. The car is a definite jump in difficulty level from snap circuits. Ds got books on electronics from the library and did a lot of reading before attempting stuff like that. You might consider some of the robotics kits that HomeScienceTools carries. http://www.hometrainingtools.com/technology/c/9/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted October 15, 2010 Share Posted October 15, 2010 :lurk5: Cat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dayle in Guatemala Posted October 15, 2010 Author Share Posted October 15, 2010 bump:lurk5: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erica in OR Posted October 15, 2010 Share Posted October 15, 2010 Has he done anything with Erector Sets? We have a set that includes a motor that can be used to drive different functions in the objects you build. Erica in OR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoughCollie Posted October 15, 2010 Share Posted October 15, 2010 When DD was 12, she got a Flip camera for Christmas. She and the boys had great times putting on plays and so forth and recording them. Sometimes they were the characters, and sometimes they used stuff animals. I like the Erector Set idea better. They sound like such fun that I want one of those! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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