BuWizz - High Performance LEGO Power Functions Controller and Battery

[gyenesvi]

26 minutes ago, Zerobricks said:

Yes, the app will be able to provide statistics such as motor RPM, currents, angles, battery voltage, accelerations and angle positions of the BuWizz bricks. I also gave our app developer an idea about about adding a speed gauge which would calculate the speed of the model with the help of the wheel diameter and gear ratio.

The statistics and the speed gauge sounds great!

26 minutes ago, Zerobricks said:

Inverse kinematics is a bit too much, especially since BuWizz is used more for MOCs than official models which have all the lever lengths predefined.

I did not mean inverse kinematics, such as controlling the end point of an arm with 3 joints, I understand that that's complicated and not your target application here. I was only referring to controlling a single large LA within its full range, and the possibility of calibrating its range (to be able to stop at the ends without running on the built-in clutch). Would that be possible? For that no predefined lever lengths are needed, just to be able to search for the end positions by detecting that the motor has stalled.

[Zerobricks]

1 minute ago, gyenesvi said:

The statistics and the speed gauge sounds great!

I did not mean inverse kinematics, such as controlling the end point of an arm with 3 joints, I understand that that's complicated and not your target application here. I was only referring to controlling a single large LA within its full range, and the possibility of calibrating its range (to be able to stop at the ends without running on the built-in clutch). Would that be possible? For that no predefined lever lengths are needed, just to be able to search for the end positions by detecting that the motor has stalled.

It's basically same as return to center steering but using a normal non-return slider. Should be easily possible.

But remember the first release of the app won't probably include all the possibiilites, we are concentrating on simple motor control, return to center and feedback statistics first because these are the most needed and basic functions.

[gyenesvi]

5 minutes ago, Zerobricks said:

It's basically same as return to center steering but using a normal non-return slider. Should be easily possible.

Sure, they are quite similar, the main difference I see (at least in case of the technic hub's FW) is that steering can use the absolute zero position of the motor (baked into the HW, small max angle), while moving the LAs uses relative positioning, which can be preset and has a large max angle range. Just wanted to know if both will be supported at some point in time.

And starting with the most demanded features is totally fine and understandable. The applications that I have in mind would also target construction machines with LAs, so wanted to clarify if it will be supported at some point in the future. Also, more important for me will be the FW support for control commands, once the protocol is published, I could program all sorts of exotic control interfaces on top of it in my own app.

[allanp]

The ability to measure speed by inputting the gear ratio and wheel diameter sounds really cool!

As you are already planning to measure things like current, voltage, rpm and so on, is there a possibility to display total power in watts or something?

[Zerobricks]

38 minutes ago, allanp said:

The ability to measure speed by inputting the gear ratio and wheel diameter sounds really cool!

As you are already planning to measure things like current, voltage, rpm and so on, is there a possibility to display total power in watts or something?

We will see, it's all possible in the future. Maybe the community here can make a list of wanted functions and priorities we can use to help guide the app development.

[HectorMB]

Other question that comes now to my mind is how BW 3.0 compares, in terms of performance, with the  PU box (like the one in 42100 and so on)?

 

Is clear that BW 2.0 stepped up from the performance delivered by PF batteries, but I have no idea of how it does when compared to PU...

[Zerobricks]

Just now, HectorMB said:

Other question that comes now to my mind is how BW 3.0 compares, in terms of performance, with the  PU box (like the one in 42100 and so on)?

 

Is clear that BW 2.0 stepped up from the performance delivered by PF batteries, but I have no idea of how it does when compared to PU...

We recorded a stock 42099 vs one powered with BW. The difference in speed and climbing ability is very obvious, I will post a video here once it's published.

[2GodBDGlory]

1 hour ago, HectorMB said:

Other question that comes now to my mind is how BW 3.0 compares, in terms of performance, with the  PU box (like the one in 42100 and so on)?

 

Is clear that BW 2.0 stepped up from the performance delivered by PF batteries, but I have no idea of how it does when compared to PU...

Also, PU seems like it has had little performance upgrade over PF, and the protections in the hub may even make it worse, so if we assume that Buwizz V3 improves on V2, while PU is similar to PF, the difference in performance should only increase!

[HectorMB]

22 hours ago, Zerobricks said:

We recorded a stock 42099 vs one powered with BW. The difference in speed and climbing ability is very obvious, I will post a video here once it's published.

I look forward to seeing this video! 

[Zerobricks]

A small preview of the 3D printed prototypes can be found on our IG page.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CLD7HlyhXmQ/

[pdw]

How does the on/off button work on the BW 3.0?  On the website photos it looks like it's recessed into a stud.

[Zerobricks]

1 hour ago, pdw said:

How does the on/off button work on the BW 3.0?  On the website photos it looks like it's recessed into a stud.

The stud is slightly lower and the button sticks out.

[sephiroth117]

Thanks for the mail heads up regarding B3.0, happy to see it’s on schedule and working well ! 
 

 

- regarding the battery are they custom made or it’s something standard we can easily find online ?

- Also, any chance we’ll see the bluetooth specifications so that we can interface Buwizz 3.0 with any app when the product releases end of this month :) ? The app is great of course but for STEM/programming it would be cool to have those specs 

 

[Zerobricks]

2 hours ago, sephiroth117 said:

Thanks for the mail heads up regarding B3.0, happy to see it’s on schedule and working well ! 
 

 

- regarding the battery are they custom made or it’s something standard we can easily find online ?

- Also, any chance we’ll see the bluetooth specifications so that we can interface Buwizz 3.0 with any app when the product releases end of this month :) ? The app is great of course but for STEM/programming it would be cool to have those specs 

 

Batteries are custom made, but they are user - replacable

Like I said before we will release a full protocol, but we need to edit it so it's more user friendly first.

[mudseason]

I was going to preorder the beast to power my modded 42099: geared up 2 times, but with 4 motors instead of 2 + an old servo for steering >> perfect match for the buwizz 3.0 I would also have a spare connection for the lights... 

,.. then I crashed on the price, 181eur on pre-sale (sorry, but I have to include vat).

does any pre-sale coupon for pre-pre-sale exist that I have missed?

Returning customer loyalty something? That is going to be my 5th Buwizz ...

 

[Zerobricks]

12 hours ago, mudseason said:

I was going to preorder the beast to power my modded 42099: geared up 2 times, but with 4 motors instead of 2 + an old servo for steering >> perfect match for the buwizz 3.0 I would also have a spare connection for the lights... 

,.. then I crashed on the price, 181eur on pre-sale (sorry, but I have to include vat).

does any pre-sale coupon for pre-pre-sale exist that I have missed?

Returning customer loyalty something? That is going to be my 5th Buwizz ...

 

Please use website contact form for such questions.

[mudseason]

yes, I'm sorry that my comment  sounded a bit lame.

I know very well that buwizz 2.0 is a great product and I expect buwizz 3.0 being even better.

Obviously you did your evaluations to set the tag price, price that shall not only encompass the HW part, but also the SW one.

I just had a "small" letdown moment after the excitement.

So to switch to a more technical question:

do you confirm that 1 unit can drive: 4 PU large motors + 1 PF servo ?

thanks.

 

[Zerobricks]

2 hours ago, mudseason said:

do you confirm that 1 unit can drive: 4 PU large motors + 1 PF servo ?

thanks.

 

BuWizz 3.0 can drive/read 4 PU/Boost/Spike, etc... devices and has 2PF ports to drive PF motors/Leds, etc...

All the detailed info is in the tech specs:

https://buwizz.com/tech-specs/

[sirslayer]

Wow, check out this YouTube video of the new BuWizz 3.0 pro !!!!

 

 

Edited February 28, 2021 by sirslayer

[Jurss]

Demand for different gears, u-joints etc. will grow frow now on.

[amorti]

1 hour ago, Jurss said:

Demand for different gears, u-joints etc. will grow frow now on.

Definitely. Metal u-joints, metal/carbon axles can already be found, but I'd definitely take some metal or composite 12z thin bevel gears.

[howitzer]

Looks great, but I wonder about the price. All those nifty features won't come for free so I'm guessing it's going to be a pretty expensive. I could see myself paying like 50-100€ for this but probably not something like 200€...

[sirslayer]

$149.00 USD in America for the BuWizz 2.0.. So I would estimate $200-249 USD range for the BuWizz 3.0 !!

[syclone]

2 hours ago, howitzer said:

Looks great, but I wonder about the price. All those nifty features won't come for free so I'm guessing it's going to be a pretty expensive. I could see myself paying like 50-100€ for this but probably not something like 200€...

https://buwizz.com/buwizz-3-0-pro/

As of right now 149 euro. Once it releases the price seem to would be 169.

Edited February 28, 2021 by syclone

[amorti]

28 minutes ago, syclone said:

https://buwizz.com/buwizz-3-0-pro/

As of right now 149 euro. Once it releases the price seem to would be 169.

Not exactly cheap, but it seems to represent decent value compared to V2, because fewer models will need two buwizz to run at full power.