Microbric the South Australian based company has released notices on it's web site stating that their products will be sold though Australian supplier to the educational sector, Educational Experience. This led me over to Edex to see what products may be on offer. But low and behold There wasnt any microbrics to be found...But what was even stranger was that the Lego range of RCX and other such goodies was no longer there..the plot thickens.
So it seems that there may a coup coming up in the robocup world soon.
Edex (educational experience) is the main supplier to schools of robot components to schools for the robocup challenge that is run state wide.
Teams used to build lego robots, but now it seems a transition is inevitable towards a full micro proccessor centered enviroment with a curriculim to suit.
Legos attack force consist's of the NXT bluetooth equipped controller with its sound and color sensors standard ( none yet for microbric) so for building 3d models of walkers and such The choice of lego bricks leads the way.
But if you want to build a teat bed for a control system for real world deployment. go the viper every time.
After all 8 bit operating systems still run in large numbers of system critical applications from health and saftey or car and factory control systems, hese single chip computrs are running the smaller real world systems we take for granted, this is the embedded tech robotics will be based around for the near future, tried and tested in the real world , not the school yard.
