How to Build a Robot - The BeetleBot v2 ( Revisited )

This is the beetle robot instructables revisited a la MythBusters style!
I originally made a instructables about my beetle robot version 1.

It is now time to show you a new version of this wonderful robot. This new version is much easier to build and fool proof!

The beetle robot (Beetle bot), is a very simple and efficient robot that use no electronics component to avoid obstacle in his path. It use two SPDT switch to avoid obstacles by reversing the opposite motor to pivote and free himself. There is no silicon chip, that is, no integrated circuit, no transistor, no resistor, capacitor, etc.
This mean very cheap to build!

The major modification is the cross antenna. When you have cross antenna, obstacles like a chair leg won't be any danger to the robot. The robot will be able to avoid it. On the original design, the antennas where in a V shape and the chair leg would go right in the middle of the V and the robot would had a hard time to get free.

By having the cross antenna, it also help with the assembly of the robot. The switch are closer together which help in the soldering of the wires.

Here is a little resume turn into a video. Check it out!

This article was created because I got contacted by a Make editor. I then took pictures and redid the beetle for an article that I wrote in the MAKE magazine Volume 12.

After a few month I saw this: Top articles in MAKE 1 - 12.
http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2008/03/top_articles_in_make_1_12.html?CMP=OTC-0D6B48984890

It turns out, that my article was one of the most read of there digital magazine!
Here is the digital version of my article.
http://www.make-digital.com/make/vol12/?pg=150

I took 134 pictures, that is 235Mb of files! I had a really hard time to choose the perfect pictures to make this instructable!

In 2010 I made a internship at www.solarbotics.com and made this solderless kit
http://www.solarbotics.com/products/k_jb/
Look at blue and the green beetle bot in the pictures! They look awesome!
The only thing you need is a screwdriver that we give in the kit!




Thank you!

Jerome Demers
www.JeromeDemers.com

Step 1: The BeetleBot v2 ( Revisited ) - The component list

This is what you will need to build this robot.

Items for the robot:
2 x 1,5V motors
2 x SPDT ( single pole double throw ) switches with a metal lever
2 x AA or AAA battery
2 x Terminal connector ( see picture )
1 x AA or AAA battery holder
1 x Plastic or wooden pearl ( Spherical bead )
1 x 1 inch x 3 inch piece of metal or aluminum
1 x Toggle switch for the on/off switchs

Paper clips big and small
2 feets of wires around 22/24 Gauge size
Heat shrink that will fit over the motor shaft and some that will fit over the terminal connector
Electric tape and masking tape

Items for the body shell :
Round plastic lid to make the shell of the robot
Some spray can paint, the colour you want.
Clear varnish
Autobody filler putty or epoxy glue
2 x Small magnets to attach shell to body.

You need some 1,5Volts motor, not 3V or no event 12V!!
Each motors are powered by a single AA battery. You will drain your battery if you use a bigger motor. You can find them in toys or even at your local dollarrama, in little car, fans, etc! ( beware, they might really suck you battery down )

the recommended tools for this project:
1 x safety glasses!!
1 x soldering iron
1 x glue gun
1 x wire strippers
1 x side cutter
1 x scissors, knife, x-acto, etc

I recommend you to take the time to read this entire instructable before starting. In every page I have added a lot of pictures, so don't forget to look.

Comments

[diymaker=)]

Can someone plz help me, i built the beeetlebot exactly as it was instructed, but one motor runs faster then the other. They are the exact same motors and they even came together. PLZ help, someone! Thanks

[cmwils]

I have built the robot but it doesnt move very fast. Not like in the video. It doesn't hit the switches hard enough to activate them. But they work because if I hit them with my finger it changes direction. The motors I am using are allelectronics DCM-409 which are 1.5-6v motors and I am using 2 AA batteries.

[raj.ghanekar]

nice i was making the beetal bot v2

[diymaker=)]

Hi Jerome! The beetlebot is a great robot! I made it the other day and it works very well! I made the beetlebot without any solder at all and it still works. I don't have any heat shrink, so I was wondering if there are any other things I could use as the wheels?

[OneForTan]

I forgot to post this in my previous comment. sorry! :)

[OneForTan]

Man, this one was more than awesome & a sign of excellency. Actually, you answered a question of 'wheels' (that how you add wheels?) You said you need a gearbox.
But actually man, I have nice wheels which fit in my motor shafts perfectly. What if I glued motors PARALLEL to ground facing away from each other & perpendicular to battery holder? I will add two wheels stuck on two ends of a small rod (axle) on other end so motor duo will perfectly work like a front engine & rear loading will be wiped. In my image below, you will find a parallel view as you have shown in step 7.
Thanks & Regards,
OneForTan.

P.S. Lines in black is your original design. Lines in green are my modification.
Waiting for your response eagerly.

[robot_cool]

hard dude

[botstarter]

mine can run on one battery!

it also shocked me

[botstarter]

what happens if I accidentally solder the 2 pairs together?

[miteshchellapa]

and i have used NO switch !!!

[miteshchellapa]

i hav done everything as u have instructed but d problem is that when i connect d batteries the motor doesn't gets started and all the wires r connected properly can u give a solution for this ?

[powercow244]

i put both of the batterys in and the motors don't spin at all. however, when I press the spdts the cooresponding motor spins. HELP PLEASE!!!!

[MegaThunderbird101]

Try reversing your battery connections. This should work

[MegaThunderbird101]

Hey guys! I was wondering if you could help me out. I tried building one of these but whenever the switch is pushed the corresponding motor stops instead of reversing. Any clue on what could be wrong?

[jwoo2023]

I cant get 1.5v motors at my place, the lowest voltage is 3v any ideas on what i can do?

[Legend121]

any alternative to hot glue?

[jainankit]

dont make the project

[Cricketpunk]

Hey where do i get those switches.do they come back to normal position once no pressure is applied on them .i have one but they have to be manually put back to normal position. I live in chennai , india please help!

[jainankit]

its very easy to get 'em only you have to find professional dealers in that, i live in rajkot gujarat

[jainankit]

is it ok if i use 3v motors and 9v battery fir each

[Constructo]

Nice project. I used a scrap mouse for the casing, but the battery holder occupied too much space, so i used an AAA battery holder instead.

[nassinger]

Erm, i menaged to do most of it but then i had the brilliant idea to weld the antennas, and the heat melted the switches ¬¬

[harryBOT2218]

word of the wise you lose like 2x the speed if the beetle bot is not propped up with a paper clip

[memoscan]

i have a question for robomaniac hey the metal part of terminal connector must be metal or what kind of another material can we use ? Can't we directly make the antenna and the metal part of switch come together ?

[robomaniac]

You can glue the antenna directly to the switch.

Yes you can make the antenna and the metal part in one piece.

You simply need to find a way to attach a big long lever (antenna) to the switch.
That's it.

[Legend121]

I used a pen refill!!

Thanks a lot tomorrow is science fair.....i would have loved to have got a few answers to my question but its OK

Thanks,

Harsha aka Legend121

[Legend121]

I am unable to find heat shrink tubing what can i use instead for grip

P.S- i live in india

[srinagrao]

can anybody send me a link from where i can gt those switchs...
i live in india

[Legend121]

where in india do you live?

[Legend121]

Thanks OT4,!!

one more question how can we add a phototransistor so it can react to light??

[Legend121]

hello !
1st Question How do we fit in a mic in it to record sound

2nd Question Do we require a glue gun??

3rd Question The covers how do we get them??
PLEASE HELP! URGENT!!!!

[OT4]

To fit a mic you cant just put it in. You need a audrio board or something like that. Glue gun can be purchased anywhere. Walmart or any craft store etc. The covers are just lids from containers. Hope this helps.

[yagrakill]

how would you know where is positive and negative?

[hsarode1]

which positive and negative do u want the batteries or the motors.

[Patented]

yeah, how to know that?

[yourtubemeera]

1- first of all tape the motors on the metal strip,you've got to keep the terminals up . 2- then touch the leads of the battery to any of the motors and see which way it is moving? 3- the way i did it was to mark the direction , in which one motor was moving-on the strip .(see my pics in my comment) 4- the terminal attached to d battery negative is +,and the terminal attached to the battery + is - 5- now mark the signs on the motor u just tested with a permanent marker and the direction on the metal strip too. 6- now the trick is if the terminals of the motors are facing up the signs on the other motor will be just opposite to the one u just marked in order to run both the motors in the same direction. 7-well u can check it using a battery. ( as in step 4 ) 8- dont forget to keep in mind u have to move the motors in the same direction. now mark the signs clearly . 9- thats it u have the same configuration as in the instructable. i pondered over it one whole day , and came up with the idea at night hope it doesnt sound difficult !!!

[ktech95]

hey i couldnt understand wat u meant by one motor was moving on the strip?can explain this whole thing again im finding it difficult to make out which one is negative or positive..

[ktech95]

plz help when i connect the wire to the back of the holder only one motor turns on and that too it stops after a few seconds...

[hsarode1]

check ur battery health dude

[hsarode1]

hey i made one bot and it is awesome works very good but it is kind of ugly with wires popping out as i dont have a soldering equipment. it is great instructable