Need some guidance with Calculator Robot

[Enes]

My friend and I are planning to create a Calculator Robot which uses 4 lightsensors to 'read' numbers and operators.
Then he calculates according to whats on the scanned sheet of paper.
We planned on using Java scripts on an NXT robot.
The idea is that the numbers are displayed digital and fairly large, each sensor reads a certain aspect of the number (Number 1 reads upper body of the number. Number2 reads the mid section. Number 3 & 4 also read different aspects of the number to make sure they can distinguish the numbers 0 trough 9).
Then according to what they read the robot calculates and displays the outcome of the sum on the LCD display.
We only use numbers of 1 digits, so nothing above 9. And only the operators, +, -, : and x(*).

Is this doable?
In which I mean is it not of a too high level of difficulty to accomplish?

Any tips will be appreciated.
Thanks in advance,
Enes

[mdsmitty]

Sounds like an interesting project. Probably the best thing to do is make your numbers out of bricks so that the shape of the number is always the same. Scan it into a 2D array and then compare it to preset 2D arrays to determine the numbers and operations. Then just do your math from there.

[Enes]

Sounds like an interesting project. Probably the best thing to do is make your numbers out of bricks so that the shape of the number is always the same. Scan it into a 2D array and then compare it to preset 2D arrays to determine the numbers and operations. Then just do your math from there.

Thanks mate, I also thought about this idea, but you seconding it makes me feel confident about it.

I'm going to use this and try to work it out.

Edit: But does NXJ support 2D-arrays?

Enes

[mdsmitty]

Yeah it supports 2d arrays. A few years ago I made a robot with 2 RCX that played checkers. The layout of the board would be loaded in to a 2D array.

[Enes]

Hello all,

The Robot is almost done, we took some movies testing the robot.

1: http://youtube.com/watch?v=CyuFiRoqWeI
2: http://youtube.com/watch?v=e8C_tBhU2oU
3: http://youtube.com/watch?v=H_FMGXqjSNg

Clackl

[bbagnall]

That's pretty cool. I assume this is more of a tech demo with no practical purpose?