Which programming language

I decided on the 'C' Programming language as it is what is needed to program the firmware on the controller.

I have had some experience with C programming so this was also a likely choice.

Parts arrived

Received micro controller and miscellaneous parts.
Loaded the test software and connected the micro controller.
Updated the firmware and tested LED flashing - OK

Now to decide which programming language to use.

The first design

For the first design we will utilise an old remote control car and use the microcontroller to control the motors.

After some research we decided on the Make Controller - www.makingthings.com
It has lost of features and an application board which makes it easier to interact with analog and digital devices, it also has a USB and RJ45 connector for programming and control.

The beginning

The idea:
Build a robot with my son, but what type of robot, what should it do, what should it look like?

When I asked him what he wanted it to do, his reply was clean my room.
I told him we should start with something simple first.
So we came up with a list of functions and features:

1. wheels for movement (we will use an old remote control car)
2. control the car with the computer, then later it will be autonomous
3. range finder
4. motion detector
5. camera
6. talk
7. crash avoidance
8. night/day detector
9. voice recognition
10. it needs to have a light on its chest
11. tell the time and have an alarm
12. temperature/humidity
13. super eat (hearing)
14. battery powered, maybe solar also
15. GPS
16. tilt sensor (if it falls over)
17. termal array sensor

Some of these will produce significantly different robots, so the plan is to start small and add features, then build multiple models.

One that moves on wheels and one that walks.

Now to find a microcontroller that will do the job.