This is a design for a small robot chassis that is very mobile. It navigates by dead reckoning, but has I/O pins available for a variety of sensors and actuators. It is small enough to run indoors, yet robust enough for most lawns and patios.
One constraint I had to deal with was keeping costs to a minimum, preferably nothing out of pocket. Fortunately my junkbox has some high quality parts and a BOE BOT I could "borrow" from. All the parts used are still available today. this will be nice when it's time to build the second and third copies. (a swarm of one leaves a lot to be desired)
Please vote for this instructable in the over 18 category.
One constraint I had to deal with was keeping costs to a minimum, preferably nothing out of pocket. Fortunately my junkbox has some high quality parts and a BOE BOT I could "borrow" from. All the parts used are still available today. this will be nice when it's time to build the second and third copies. (a swarm of one leaves a lot to be desired)
Please vote for this instructable in the over 18 category.
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Signing UpStep 1: Materials
Materials I used:
Board Of Education microcontroller board from Parallax.com
battery case (4AA cells)
4 AA battery cells
Tamyia track and wheel kit ( I got mine from Amazon)
2 RC servos modified for full rotation (mine came from my BOE Bot, Parallax.com sells them separately)
1 standard (unmodified) servo -- (optional)
5 bolts 1/4" x 3" with nuts
4 bolts #6 x 1" washers and 3 nuts each
1/8" (3mm) plywood 18" x 24"
Tools used:
PC and serial cable (for programming)
screwdriver / wrenches
Lasercutter - You could get by with a fretsaw, or scrollsaw, and a drill press, but a lasercutter is great to have access to.
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Thanks for the compliment. If you are going to build a copy, or a similar Bot, PM me for the latest files. The design is not yet to the next plateau where I plan to make several of them, but I does have improvements from the model posted here. When I do get there it will probably be different to justify it's own instructable. If you, or anyone else, can't wait, I'm glad to share what I got. This machine could use some control. Maybe DTMF via cell phone?
The paddles are from the 1st draft of an attempt to get this thing to cut grass. I would like to have a swarm of them. If they can be be built it is just a matter of making it work ;<)
I posted at just the chassis stage because of the contest deadline. Attachments were not ready (still are not ready) for prime time. The cutter pushes the grass away as much as it cuts. The paddles are an attempt to keep the grass in place long enough to be cut.
Ya gotta love Google Patent Search! This sort of problem was solved, and well documented by the 1950's
I plan on making an updated instructable about it someday. In the mean time, I sometimes post updates on this project page at
http://twichel.com/projects/plowboy/plowbot.asp
Whenever I have time, I am faced with the build/post what I have already built, decision. Build almost always wins. The contests are great if only to give me a deadline for getting some of what I did out there for others to improve.
Thanks again,
LaserLine
"If they can be be built "
I meant to say "If they can be built cheaply enough"
LaserLine
http://www.parallax.com/Portals/0/Downloads/docs/books/edu/Roboticsv2_2.pdf
At the moment the bot is just a dumb chassis. It moves for a set time, turns, and reverses for the set time hard programed. One could do this for as long as you have memory for the program, but it gets boring fast. I ran into the contest just as I finished the milestone of a programable, operable, chassis, so I published that component. unfortunately all my sensors from the boe bot have been "borrowed" for other projects. I have several being shipped to me now. When I get to another milestone, I might publish another instructable. Who knows, maybe even have someone edit my grammer before hitting the publish button!!
I am trying to post a play by play on my website at:
http://twichel.com/projects/plowboy/plowbot.asp
Much of what goes there is pre 1st draft, occasionally stuff drawn up that has not even been built or tested yet, but I do try to distinguish between what is tested and not tested. I am always trying to decide, build the next gismo, or post about the last gismo. Anyway the Parallax tutorial I linked to above Is where I got the code (and a lot more that once lived in my Boe Bot)