Using robotics.

[Prime]

Sorry I posted this on the wrong forum, so here it is again.? Has anyone considered using robitics to help with cave/mine shaft searches?? Or underwater searching. The reason I post this is that I was reading something today about booby traps set by various shady characters and it sounds like a good idea to send in a small robot to take a look around then go into a cave yourself and get squashed.

[parttime_miner]

Yep... In a thread somewhere around here , titled "Waterproofing a camcorder"...
i posted a link to a slashdot article where someone modified a remote control tank to carry a flashlight and a wireless camera.
they explored their basement... but the idea is there...

heres the link to the thread...

http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.p....html#msg40243

and a link to the slashdot article...
http://slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=0...&tid=133&tid=1

if you end up building something....post a picture for us to see!

[Prime]

Thanks for the reply I see others have had this idea too. The tank in the basement is kind of funny lol. Practise run I guess.

[ericwt]

I am experimenting with some of what you are talking about. I was inspired by the under house cam. I found that site about 3 weeks ago. Been experimenting with shining UV light under the house to look for hidden compartments.

As for your idea about caves. While I admire your inventiveness,please consider the following.

The main death traps are the ones that fall on your head from above. They are activated when you break a seal in the main entrance. The seal breaks- sand that is supporting that boulder above the entrance. This boulder is between 2-10 tons. Since the seal is broken,and the sand has flowed out(maybe 3 seconds if you are lucky),the boulder is on you now,and all of your crew is under that same boulder,because they were right behind you,watching your every swing.

So your robot needs to open and enter to be effective. You and your crew need to be away and to the side of the entrance.
Once you are in:

Trap door death traps usually require about 90 pounds of pressure to activate. Make it weigh 100 pounds and you might hear it crashing and get the video of the trap swinging open and falling.

Robot would have to test the air for cyanide gas and test the treasure for poisons. I could go on but I think you get the gist.

The fact is most death trapped treasure remains right where it was left,and sadly it will likely remain there for the end of time. It is highly rare for people to come across.

Use caution at all times in caves your life does depend on it.

Your robot would be idea for seeing and going in places where you cannot. That is very exciting. It could even collect soil samples for gold testing.

Good luck,keep us informed

Ericwt

[Prime]

Thank you for the replies. The robot would have to be operated from a distance, yes, hooked up to a laptop via long cables. Unfortunately this is only an idea for now, I don't know how to transform it into a reality yet. It doesn't sound as glamorous as what Indiana Jones does but it would be safer, and life isn't like the movies right?

[parttime_miner]

Thank you for the replies. The robot would have to be operated from a distance, yes, hooked up to a laptop via long cables. Unfortunately this is only an idea for now, I don't know how to transform it into a reality yet. It doesn't sound as glamorous as what Indiana Jones does but it would be safer, and life isn't like the movies right

just another thought... but you could get a mini-itx board (www.mini-itx.com) and have a computer on the robot thing... then communicate the commands using a 25$ wifi card... and wire up the robot to a serial control box and you could be just like NASA... with endless devices attached... temp, humpidity, bomb dropping device... I bet it would cost $500 max for a really fancy unit... (assuming you already have the laptop)...

wifi comes in many flavors and should be able to transmit out of a cave... (I would think the signal would bounce of the walls and out of the cave)...

just an idea...

[Prime]

Cool parttime_miner, thanks for the tip. That sounds promising.

[parttime_miner]

Here are a few examples of the serial relay controller I was referring to...

http://www.parallax.com/html_pages/p...arter_kits.asp

http://www.web-tronics.com/relayboardkits.html

there is a better kit / device out there somewhere, but couldn't find the link...

these things allow you to look up misc. electronics to a simple computer program..

electronics parts stores sell little temp. sensors and other sensors that would hook right up as well...

[HiiiQ]

A few years ago i made one using the chasis of a toy tank ,futaba remote control,small thumb size camera with atatched flashlight.the video wire was rolled up on the back & unrolled as it went into foxholes,small tunels etc. The important thing is to have a small needle in front of the camera attached in such way as to move up/down & left/right to indicate the position of the robot. Otherwise you can overturn it & get it stuck.