Need some help Identifying Rhino Robots Champaign IL. Interface card

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transwarp II guy's picture
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Need some help Identifying Rhino Robots Champaign IL. Interface card
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Hello, I have lurked applefritter for years but I’m just now becoming a member.
Anyways, Does anyone recognize this card? I found some information that it may have been used for a robotic arm for quadriplegics?

I am asking because I was wondering if it has any sort of market? I have never seen one like this before. I’m downsizing my collection of interface cards to help raise money for my apple II computer.

Any help will be appreciated.

This is what it looks like:

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Re: Need some help Identifying Rhino Robots Champaign IL. ...

I have heard the name "Rhino" associated with the II many moons ago, but I beleive it belongs in a Robotic Kit that was available.

I personally have not seen one of the kits listed on eBay for at least 5 years.

transwarp II guy's picture
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Re: Need some help Identifying Rhino Robots Champaign IL. ...

I found this:

http://www.applefritter.com/node/24174

I have not seen a rhino robotics kit ever, do you recall what it was priced at? I have seen some le go robot kits among one other that I cant remember. But I recall those being priced astronomically high, and I’m guessing they did not sell. I usually list my auctions as buy it now, and I just don’t want to list this card for to little, or too much.

Thank you for your response.

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Re: Need some help Identifying Rhino Robots Champaign IL. ...

TransWarp,

(In American Indian Voice) "It has been many moons. I do not remember how many horses were wanted Kemosabe." Smile

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Re: Need some help Identifying Rhino Robots Champaign IL. ...

I went ahead and listed my rhino robotics card. I’m probably asking too much, but I figured I would just test the waters and see if it sells. It’s $100 w/ free shipping.

Here is the listing:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Rare-Rhino-Robotics-interface-card-for-apple-II-plus-IIe-Champaign-IL-/160998555612?pt=US_Vintage_Computing_Parts_Accessories&hash=item257c42ffdc#ht_4690wt_1249

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Re: Need some help Identifying Rhino Robots Champaign IL. ...

Hello transwarp II guy,
i don´t want to disencourage you, but in fact if you take a closer view to the card - it´s in fact just a
asyncronous serial card. The 6551 chip handles the serial communication....

in fact it´s only special because of the software in the eprom that contains the routines to handle robotics -
in case that it realy controls such device.... it´s a pitty that the picture does not display view to the connector...
that would help to explain more details....
sincerely speedyG

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Re: Need some help Identifying Rhino Robots Champaign IL. ...

Speedy,

That last post discouraged even me and the card is not even mine! lol

I don't know if it makes any difference to Transwarp if it's an asyncronous serial card or not. I could see it if it is one. A Serial connection would probably be what you need for communications with your robot.

It say's Rhino Robotics right on the card. It must belong to the kit.

Like I said before, the last time I seen one of these cards was with the complete Robotics Kit almost five years ago. I cannot remember what the kit went for because I was not really interested in it. Robotics was something I never got into.

Anyone who has a complete kit without the card would probably gladly pay $100.00 for it. Even someone who has a partial kit might want it, if they're looking to build a complete kit.

"If they need it they will come." (Some voice in a cornfield said that) Smile

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Re: Need some help Identifying Rhino Robots Champaign IL. ...

well in that case it might be the best idea to search in the forums related to robotics....
there are several forums around related to this topic....
probably also forums with combined search of microprocessors +robotics
sincerely speedyG

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Re: Need some help Identifying Rhino Robots Champaign IL. ...

Hello transwarp II guy,
it´s a pitty that the picture does not display view to the connector...
that would help to explain more details....
sincerely speedyG

Hello SpeedyG,

When you say the “connector” do mean the 25 pin connector? In my auction the last picture I took has a direct view of the connector.

According to “appledude” the interface card for the rhino robotics system was nothing more then a serial card with a 25 pin serial connector (an RS-232). Printed at the bottom of this card reads Rhino Robotics Champaign IL. Champaign is where the company was located that built the robotic arm.

According to the little information I have this must be the card, there were two revisions of the card. Which revision this one is I don’t know; I wish I had more information to compile but besides some old InfoWorld magazine articles and a few posts by a person named “appledude,” I honestly have no idea what the card is supposed to look like. From the information I did find I would have to assume this is one of the two interface cards mentioned that control the robotic arm.

Here is a little more information SpeedyG:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XR-2

The full robot system is called the XR-2.

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Re: Need some help Identifying Rhino Robots Champaign IL. ...

This is a card which gets plugged into an Apple IIe or other Apple II compatible etc. It is part of a Rhino Robotic Arm which is driven by an Apple II series computer.

In addition to this card you need the arm and the control box and cables and software.

This card adds a few commands to the Rhino laguage to control the arms and other accessories.

The software lets you select which type of card you are running the arm from - superserial s one option and the Rhino card is another option.

When you are writing your own software - the Rhino card is better to have than the super serial card because of the few extra commands that the card brings.

Pete (847) 201-1612

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Re: Need some help Identifying Rhino Robots Champaign IL. ...

Another possible attempt to use the card would be to read the eprom content to a file and save to disk.

This would enable the chance to disassemble the code with a disassembler and identify the entrypoints
and the related codeblocks.... next step would be to call that entry points by simple code from
Applesoft and by watching the action of the arm it´s possible to identify the adresses to be related to
the simple moving actions
.... making a table that might later be used from Applesoft and detecting the
"limit values" of the specified actions.... realy tough task and time eating
- but if no source for coding is availiable - it´s the only chance to get back to operation and use of the hardware...
speedyG

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