IR Remote Controlled Tracked Robot

On a previous blog I bread-boarded a PICAXE processor and worked out how to decode an IR hand-held remote control. In this blog, the circuitry has migrated to a toy tank platform so I can test out some ideas I have for a larger, outdoor robot on a much lower cost platform (this was built for less than $60). Most of the parts were purchased from Pololu and SparkFun (and Rat-Shack). Using an IR link costs very little compared to a RC system, so it was ideal for this project. I really enjoyed putting together all of the mechanical elements supplied by Tamiya.

Step 1 Assembling the Double Gearbox

A basic hobby motor turning at 12,300 RPM is basically useless without a good gearbox. Just touching the shaft will stall the motor. I obtained a Tamiya double gearbox kit for under $10, which through a series of gears provided a ratio of 114.7:1 at 115RPM. There were a lot of small parts in this kit; and it looks a little intimidating; but the pictorial instructions were more than adequate. The drive train for a tracked vehicle would require left-hand and right-hand gear-head motors; so having both sides together in one package is a real convience (one gearbox to mount instead of two).

Comments

[ROCK FRANCIS]

plz give the pcb layout and hex file of it which can be directly burnable

[jamesthequack]

The code was written in BASIC for a PICAXE microcontroller; hex code alone will be of no use because the PICAXE has a bootloader already installed in the chip, that has assmelby routines that are proprietary to Revolution Education. They get a small percentage of the $5 per PICAXE-18M2 to fund their educational work; so it is a worthy investment. I built the breadboard from scratch, there is no silkscreen nor is there a gerber file. My intention was to keep this very simple. http://dinsmorerobotlab.blogspot.com/2011/06/robot-1-little-jimmy.html

[ROCK FRANCIS]

what is the use of programming port in the above ckt

[jamesthequack]

The programming port makes programming and reprogramming the microprocessor easy (you do not have to pull the chip out). For more detail please see my blog http://dinsmorerobotlab.blogspot.com/2011/06/robot-1-little-jimmy.html