This project is to make two infrared fighting tanks with Starter Robot Kits, some mechanical parts and electric modules. They are controlled with 2.4G wireless joystick. So, how to make it?

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Step 1: Parts Required

2 x Starter Robot Kit(Bluetooth or IR version)

4 x Beam0808-136-Blue

2 x Beam0808-024-Blue

2 x Beam0824-032-Blue

2 x Beam0808-312-Blue

2 x Me USB Host

2 x Me RJ25 Adapter

2 x LED RGB Strip-Addressable, Sealed(0.5M)

2 x Me RGB LED

2 x Me Infrared Receiver Decode

2 x Me 7-Segment Serial Display

2 x LED - Infrared

2 x Resistor - 330 Ω

2 x Dupont Wire Male to Male Cable Line

2 x RJ25 to Dupont Wire

8 x 6P6C RJ25 cable-20cm

4 x Socket Cap Screw M4x22-Button Head

18 x Socket Cap Screw M4x14-Button

12 x Nut 4mm

2 x 2.4G Wireless Joystick

Step 2: Assemble the Tank

Follow the instructions of Starter Robot Kit user manual to assemble the tank.

Assemble the tank gun with following parts:

Beam0808-136-Blue x 2

Beam0824-032-Blue x 1

Beam0808-024-Blue x 1

Socket Cap Screw M4x22-Button Head x 2

Socket Cap Screw M4x14-Button Head x 4

Nut 4mm x 2

Attach Beam0808-312 at the end of tank and install electronic modules.

Step 3: Soldering and Wiring

Solder a infrared transmitter with infrared LED, 330 Ω resistor and dupont wires. Wrap it with electric tape. Connect anode and cathode of infrared LED with black cable and red cable of dupont wire, respectively.

Connect electric modules with Orion board via RJ25 cables as follows:

Infrared transmitter: Port 2

Me RGB LED: Port 3

Me 7-Segment Serial Display: Port 4

Me Infrared Receiver Decode: Port 5

Me USB Host: Port 6

Me RJ25 Adapter: Port 7

LED RGB Strip: Me RJ25 Adapter Slot 2

Fix infrared transmitter with tape.

Step 4: Programing

Download Makeblock library and put it under Arduino libraries. The Arduino source code for infrared fighting tank is as follows:

#include "MeOrion.h"
#include <SoftwareSerial.h>
#include "MeIR.h"

MeIR irsend;
MeDCMotor MotorL(M1);  
MeDCMotor MotorR(M2);
MeRGBLed ledBottom(PORT_3);
Me7SegmentDisplay disp(PORT_4);
MeInfraredReceiver infraredReceiverDecode(PORT_5);
MeUSBHost joypad(PORT_6);
//  Corresponding buffer data of keys on the Joystick
//  Default：128-127-128-127-15-0-0-128
//  L1：128-127-128-127-15-1-0-128
//  R1：128-127-128-127-15-2-0-128
//  L2：128-127-128-127-15-4-0-128
//  R2：128-127-128-127-15-8-0-128
//  Triangle key：128-127-128-127-31-0-0-128 （0001 1111）
//  Square key：128-127-128-127-143-0-0-128 （1000 1111）
//  X key：128-127-128-127-79-0-0-128 （0100 1111）
//  Circle key：128-127-128-127-47-0-0-128 （0010 1111）
//  Up：128-127-128-127-0-0-0-128 （0000 0000）
//  Down：128-127-128-127-4-0-0-128 （0000 0100）
//  Left：128-127-128-127-6-0-0-128 （0000 0110）
//  Right：128-127-128-127-2-0-0-128 （0000 0010）
//  Select：128-127-128-127-15-16-0-128
//  Start：128-127-128-127-15-32-0-128
//  Joystick：Right X-Right Y-Left X-Left Y-15-0-0-128
MeRGBLed ledTop(PORT_7, SLOT2, 15);

int moveSpeed = 200;
uint8_t ReceiverCode;
int bulletNumber = 16;
int khz = 38; // 38kHz carrier frequency for the NEC protocol
float lifeValue = 8;
boolean gotShootIndex = 1;

void setup()
{
  infraredReceiverDecode.begin();
  Serial.println("InfraredReceiverDecode Start!");
  Serial.begin(9600);
  joypad.init(USB1_0);

  disp.display(bulletNumber);
  displayLifeValue();

  int delayTime = 360;
  for (uint8_t t = 0; t < 16; t++) // blink led
  {
    ledBottom.setColor(200,0,0); // led on
    ledBottom.show();
    delay(delayTime);
    ledBottom.setColor(0,0,0); // led off
    ledBottom.show();
    delay(delayTime);
    delayTime -= 20;
  }
}

void shoot() { // shoot, bullet number -1
  bulletNumber -= 1;

  if(bulletNumber>=0) {
    unsigned int irSignal[] = {9000, 4500, 560, 560, 560, 560, 560, 1690, 560, 560, 560, 560, 560, 560, 560, 560, 560, 560, 560, 1690, 560, 1690, 560, 560, 560, 1690, 560, 1690, 560, 1690, 560, 1690, 560, 1690, 560, 560, 560, 560, 560, 560, 560, 1690, 560, 560, 560, 560, 560, 560, 560, 560, 560, 1690, 560, 1690, 560, 1690, 560, 560, 560, 1690, 560, 1690, 560, 1690, 560, 1690, 560, 39416, 9000, 2210, 560}; //AnalysIR Batch Export (IRremote) - RAW  
    irsend.sendRaw(irSignal, sizeof(irSignal) / sizeof(irSignal[0]), khz); // send ir signal

    ledBottom.setColor(0,0,200);
    ledBottom.show();
    Backward();
    buzzerOn();
    delay(100);
    Stop();

    Forward();
    delay(80);
    ledBottom.setColor(0,0,0);
    ledBottom.show();
    Stop();
    buzzerOff();    
  } else {
    bulletNumber=0;
  }
  disp.display(bulletNumber);
}

void gotShoot() {
  Serial.println(ReceiverCode);
  if(ReceiverCode == 0x08) {
    Serial.println("got shoot");
    
    lifeValue -= 0.5;
    if(lifeValue<0) {
      lifeValue = 0;
      
    }
    ledTop.setColorAt(lifeValue, 0, 0, 0);
    ledTop.show();

    if(gotShootIndex){
      ledBottom.setColor(200,0,0); // backward and flash red led
      ledBottom.show();
      Backward();
      delay(100);
      ledBottom.setColor(0,0,0);
      ledBottom.show();
      Stop();      
    }
    gotShootIndex = !gotShootIndex;
  }  
}

void displayLifeValue() {
   lifeValue = 8;
   for(int8_t t=0; t<lifeValue; t++) { // light led
     ledTop.setColorAt(t, 200,0,0);
     ledTop.show();
     delay(150);
   }
}

void loop()
{

  if(infraredReceiverDecode.available()) {
    ReceiverCode = infraredReceiverDecode.read();
    gotShoot();
  }

  if(!joypad.device_online) {
    joypad.probeDevice();
    delay(1000);
  } else {
    int len = joypad.host_recv();
    parseJoystick(joypad.RECV_BUFFER);
    delay(5);
  }
}

void parseJoystick(unsigned char *buf)   //Analytic function, print 8 bytes from USB Host
{
    //  print buffer data to debug
    // int i = 0;
    // for(i = 0; i < 7; i++)
    // {
    //     Serial.print(buf[i]);  
    //     Serial.print('-');
    // }
    // Serial.println(buf[7]);
    // delay(10);

    switch (buf[5])
    {
        case 1: // L1   reset life value
            displayLifeValue();           
            break;
        case 2: // R1  reset bullet number
            bulletNumber = 16;
            disp.display(bulletNumber);           
            break;
        case 4: // L2
            
            break;
        case 8: // R2
           
            break;
        default:
            break;
    }

    
    if ((128 != buf[0]) || (127 != buf[1]) || (128 != buf[2]) || (127 != buf[3]))
    {
        //  buf[0]-buf[3] corresponding to the left and right joystick

    }
    else
    {
        switch (buf[4])
        {
            case 79: // X
                Stop();
                break;
            case 0: // up
                Forward();
                break;
            case 4: // down
                Backward();
                break;
            case 6: // left
                TurnLeft();
                break;
            case 2: // right
                TurnRight();
                break;
            case 143: // square key

                break;
             case 31: // triangle key
                shoot();                
                break;
             case 47: // circle key
                
                break;                              
            default:
                Stop();
                break;
        }
    }
}

void Forward()
{
  MotorL.run(-moveSpeed);
  MotorR.run(moveSpeed);
}
void Backward()
{
  MotorL.run(moveSpeed);
  MotorR.run(-moveSpeed);
}
void TurnLeft()
{
  MotorL.run(moveSpeed);
  MotorR.run(moveSpeed);
}
void TurnRight()
{
  MotorL.run(-moveSpeed);
  MotorR.run(-moveSpeed);
}
void Stop()
{
  MotorL.run(0);
  MotorR.run(0);
}

fightingTank.ino
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Step 5: Upload Code and Fire

Follow the above steps to make another tank, upload code to Orion board with Arduino IDE, plug usb module into Me USB Host, connect joystick with tank, you're ready to fire and have fun.