Re: Porting lua to a embeded platform

["Tony Bauer" <luatony@...>]

Ralph wrote:

>
> Go on, I dare you to buy an NXT and not have fun.
>
> Cheers, Ralph
>

Well, I do have to watch getting jaded, since I program automated
machines for a living, occasionally using factory robots such as Adept
and Denso.  But getting a NXT would partly be a "professional
expensive" - I want to try LabView  (which NI is pushing for factory
automation - I have my guesses about how well it works - but I need to
try out a real project)

Adept's V+ is an intriguing language; it's not the latest OO-type
thing (heck, it was written in the 1980's), but it's very Object
Oriented in style and very dynamic.  Lua is better than any industrial
programming language - most of them are done by Electrical Engineering
types who don't have a clue how to write a proper DSL (domain specific
language).  The industrial side really is quite different from
autonomous robotics - but it's still a lot of fun when everything is
working right, the robots are moving parts around at high speed, etc.

At work, we've picked MS's .NET framework for the PC stuff, so Lua
isn't an option, but I may be able to work some IronPython, Cobra, or
Boo in (no IronRuby, since I'm not interested in Ruby).

But Lua is getting some more industrial use; for example, Earth LCD is
using it in their latest programmable touchscreen (
http://www.eeproductcenter.com/passives/brief/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=207801598
) which has a LCD touchscreen and a hefty CPU (Atmel AVR-32 AP7000
with 4M flash).

--Tony