Mindsensors mystery item, "Coming in Feb 2011"

[mattallen37]

The NumberPad is really a great sensor. If you go to mindsensors, you can download templates to lay over it, or you can print whatever else on paper as an overlay. It is really pretty cool.

[mightor]

But looking back at them, I realize that the circutry is quite concealed, and that the only reason is that they're just not shaped the way that LEGO and HiTechnic sensors are. Thank you for showing the light in an area which I was previously oblivious.

The reason HT can use those MINDSTORMS NXT sensor shells is because they're certified by TLG, which MS are not. In some cases the flatter form-factor of the MS sensors fits better inside your robot, sometimes it looks better to have a standard MINDSTORMS NXT sensor look Looks is not something most people worry about, though I kind of like the way you can still see some of the traces underneath the silk screen on the MS sensors. They're protected but they're visible. I'd love to know what they looked like inside, but alas, they really can't be opened without destroying them. The LEGO and HT ones are much easier to open. Here are some pictures of ones I took apart: http://mightor.wordpress.com/category/exposed/ .

- Xander

[haydenstudios]

Thanks for showing me those. I have the HT Infrared Link sensor, and have used it to send messages to my RCX. Unfortunately, I have seen no way to receive messages from the RCX in its NXT-G block. My guess has been that since it also has functionality of communicating with some power functions components, they did not have enough room to add message receiving from the RCX. It can supposedly read the sensor value of the RCX, but for some reason that feature doesn't want to work for my IRLink sensor. Almost a year ago, Gus and I played E-mail tag for about a week and still couldn't solve the problem. I, however, later heard about the RCX communication sensor from Mindsensors. Does anyone here have it? And could you tell me if it can send AND receive numeric messages from the RCX? Also, when I look at the Mindsensors website, I don't see it available. Is it out of stock? Or am I just not looking in the right place?

[mightor]

That MS sensor is no longer made. I played around with a driver that was capable of receiving messages from the RCX but it's really hard to do and I never got it working right. Sending the messages is a lot easier

- Xander

[mattallen37]

...I, however, later heard about the RCX communication sensor from Mindsensors. Does anyone here have it? And could you tell me if it can send AND receive numeric messages from the RCX...

I do have it as well, but I haven't really used it yet.

BTW everyone, go to the mindsensors coming soon page. They updated it, so now the "mystery" is public information. It is a touch screen overlay for the NXT LCD Pretty cool eh?

[mightor]

I've been biting my tongue for a little while Some of you got quite close.

I don't have one yet, though. I just got two of the Servo Controller Pneumatic Valve kits. They're very cool.

- Xander

[muntoo]

Actually, I sort of see it the other way around; overall, mindsensors products seem much more usable to me than HT.

Yeah, I wish I'd gotten a Mindsensors accelerometer instead.

BTW everyone, go to the mindsensors coming soon page. They updated it, so now the "mystery" is public information. It is a touch screen overlay for the NXT LCD Pretty cool eh?

I think I heard of them making it about a year ago, but then it disappeared off their page and I assumed that they stopped working on it. Either that, or I've been spending too much time in the Netherlands like Doc (on a "holiday"), Xander, and Gandalf*.

Also, a +1 to mindsensors for using HTML5 Canvas! (Well, at least, autodesk uses that, but +1 anyways .)

* Of course, Gandalf smokes Pipe-weed, which is actually tobacco, but the same doesn't go for Doc, Xander, and I.

[mattallen37]

As of today, mindsensors has the TouchPanel listed for sale on their products page for $49.95 USD

[h-g-t]

When I first read about this I thought it was a solution looking for a problem.

Now that I see how it operates I'm impressed and thinking of getting one!

[mattallen37]

They are very nice. They are not overly sensitive, but you don't have to "push" either. The code interface is super easy to use.

The only downside to the sensor is it's back side