Robot pet hamsters arrive for RISC OS

Published: 5th Aug 2007, 18:38:44 | Permalink | Printable

Daft desktop distraction device driver developed

A new USB gadget driver that runs circles around its rivals was released this weekend - and it will leave your head spinning. Developer Dave Higton, of RISC OS missile launcher fame, has produced the software necessary to drive the next generation of desktop diversions: a USB-connected hamster wheel, pictured.

It's arguably more useful than a noisy distraction as it can encourage a greater level of office productivity. The faster you clatter away on the keys, the faster the hamster runs - this little motorised critter does all the hard work so you don't have to.

Describing his work as "pointless", Dave added: "This will allow you to connect up a USB hamster wheel to your RISC OS computer and, when you type, the hamster will run in his or her wheel. The faster you type, the faster he or she runs."

The software is available for free under an open source licence, and is compatible with the Castle and Simtec USB stacks - although it won't work with A9homes.

• The hamster wheel driver isn't quite as useful as Dave's other USB project, ROFS. This allows Iyonix computers to read FAT-formatted memory sticks and other devices that have a capacity greater than 2GB. Version 0.09 is now available, although the program is unfinished and users must read the documentation before trying it out.

Links

USB hamster wheel from crazyaboutgadgets.com
USB hamster wheel RISC OS driver web page Dave's ROFS website

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Discussion

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Best utilised in conjunction with the [link] website :-)

md0u80c9 on 5/8/07 8:29PM
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Well, who's planning on trying !Hamster, then?

davehigton on 6/8/07 12:47PM
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Does it require Iyonix-compatible hamsters?

arawnsley on 6/8/07 4:25PM
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Does anyone know if the hamster is actually attached to the wheel? I was thinking this could be marketed as a exercise regime for rodents!

Col1 on 6/8/07 4:33PM
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(Sorry for the prosaic response...) The hamster is suspended from the axle.

You might have to fit transparent sides (a) to prevent the hamster from evading its exercise, and (b) to verify that the creature is actually running, not looping the loop. Or maybe thrill-seeking hamsters prefer to loop the loop?

davehigton on 6/8/07 4:46PM
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They are instock at you know who :-)

Not yet on our website yet. Give us a call for this must have accessory!

Chris (CJE)

CJE on 6/8/07 4:47PM
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In Reply to CJE

"Instock at you know who"

Hamster as well?

If so does that mean you have a licience to operate as a pet shop under the Pet Animals Act 1951(Amendedin 1983).

bluenose on 6/8/07 6:11PM
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In reply to bluenose:

They aren't real hamsters, you know...

davehigton on 6/8/07 9:24PM
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Hahahahaha, thats just funny :-)

piemmm on 7/8/07 3:13PM
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True but is it funny Ha Ha or funny peculiar ? :-)

vshears on 7/8/07 5:44PM
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In reply to DaveHigton

Well that will teach me to not miss off the smiley next time.

Stuffed mice have rights you know..

bluenose on 7/8/07 9:14PM
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In respect of !ROFS, I'm also working on porting it to the Simtec stack, although this app is /far/ more difficult to port than others, so don't expect anything just yet.

davehigton on 8/8/07 8:07AM
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Is it designed in such a way that it could potentially be used on other interfaces too? (eg IDE, SCSI)

jess on 8/8/07 2:28PM
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In reply to jess:

Currently the Iyonix version relies on two things: (1) the device can be accessed via a FileCore_SectorOp, and (2) plugging the drive in, or booting with it present, doesn't crash the Iyonix. If those two things hold true for devices on other interfaces, then yes.

Remember that it's written in BBC BASIC and distributed in the easiest possible form, i.e. with all comments and full variable names, etc. (uncrunched), so you can hack it all you like.

davehigton on 8/8/07 3:38PM
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