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Make a simple platform and give mobility to your computer

Make a simple platform and give mobility to your computer
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  • thebox with computer.jpg
  • DSC_2322.jpg
A computer is a very handy thing to use in your robots.

If you start listing all the features that can be used for robotic purposes you'll find that it is cheaper to buy a netbook than buying LCD, wifi and bluetooth modules, cameras, speech synthesizer modules, keypads, memory card readers, speakers and many other stuff.

Thats why I decided to make this platform to my netbook.  To let the computer control the motors, I tried two different ways: Firstly I used a arduino duemilanove with two motor driver boards , but then I found that it would be much easier if I just used a motoruino .

With this I could create lots of different applications that let my computer follow certain colors, follow human faces, detect flames, drive around the house avoiding walls, be remote controlled through the internet or using a wiimote, and the list of possibilities is almost endless. 

I have been developing this application, presented on the movie, which is called ComputerOnWheelsController.
You can learn more and download it at its page: http://www.franciscodias.net/applications/openframeworks/computer-on-wheels-controller

 
Or, if you prefer processing, you can find and download some examples that I've already done at my website: http://www.franciscodias.net/processing-applications

 
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Step 1Gather the materials

Gather the materials
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  • IMG_7840.JPG
  • Arduino+L293D_bb.png
This is what you'll need:
    - 1x Box
    - 2x Motors, wheels  and supports
    - 1x Third wheel
    - 1x Battery pack 
    - Some wires and jumpers

And...

  If you decide to use the motoruino you'll also need:
     - Motoruino
     - FDTI Cable

...or...

  If you prefer the arduino you'll need:
     - Arduino
     - USB A/B Cable
     - Dual Motor Driver, I used these . You can use whatever you want, for example, the L293D is very easy to use. Check the attached breadboard image.

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87 comments
1-40 of 87next »
Nov 21, 2011. 10:42 AMsabari1000 says:
Hey Guys... I'm using Arduino Diecimila... Selected correct Board and Serial port... But still i can't upload the program.I'm getting the following Error

***avrdude: stk500_getsync(): not in sync: resp=0x00
avrdude: stk500_disable(): protocol error, expect=0x14, resp=0x51***
i'm searching in lots of Forums for 6 days but still i cant find the solution... can anyone help me out of this... Thanks in Advance...
Jan 6, 2012. 3:36 PMGarebear350 says:
Same thing has happened to me repeatedly with my uno i have no idea what to do.
Nov 2, 2011. 3:08 AMMRedu says:
Insane! I've seen some amazing things here on instructables but this is by far my favourite!

I wanna give this a go i've always been into robots. But i don't know where to get all the parts from... (i'm in the UK).
Nov 8, 2011. 1:58 AMMRedu says:
Cool Thanks!
Aug 24, 2011. 3:07 AMkaran13 says:
i want a short help from u .is there any way i can controll this robo with psp a well as tag laptop's camera as to psp's screen
plese help ,as i want this to exebit this bot in exebition.
thanx
Jul 14, 2011. 6:05 AMosalomak says:
What this mean? What I did wrong?


avrdude: stk500_getsync( ): not in sync: resp=0x00 
avrdude: stk500_disable ( ): protocol error, expect=0x14, resp=0x51
Jul 15, 2011. 1:12 AMosalomak says:
My broblem was board choice...
My Motoruino board works with Arduino Duemilanove...
I first try choose Arduino Diecimila, but it's not accept that...
Jul 15, 2011. 2:47 AMguibot says:
Hello!

Assuming it might be the FTDI cable please confirm that you are connecting the black cable on the same side where it says GND.

Confirm also you are selecting "Arduino Duemilanove or Nano w/ ATmega328".

Please let me know if it worked.


Jul 15, 2011. 4:20 AMosalomak says:
Yeah! It's working now... :)
Jul 15, 2011. 5:08 AMguibot says:
Great!! ;)
Jul 15, 2011. 5:02 AMosalomak says:
Yeah, my bad... I have dyslexia... :D
And "broblem" mean problem... :b
But now everything working perfectly...
FTDI cable working very well too. :)
Now I try to do that same project without laptop... 
Some kind of wireless thing... I post some pictures later... 
Jul 14, 2011. 8:23 AMAvadhut.Deshmukh says:
i have another idea to use ic l298d motor drivers
what correct ?


plz reply
Jul 14, 2011. 9:53 AMAvadhut.Deshmukh says:
i have L298N motor board 1 in 2 dc geared motor !!!

my robot started working thank you
Jul 7, 2011. 1:04 AMosalomak says:
Thanks for informations! :)

My project is almost same as yours, but I add mouse controlled servos for webcam's rotation...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFvQRWXX24U
Jul 6, 2011. 10:53 PMosalomak says:
what software you used to programming Motoruino..?
Can I use Arduino software to programming Motoruino...? :)
Jul 2, 2011. 10:11 AMkaran13 says:
while creating face tracker ,i am comming across some problem i have added
pface detect
pface detect.dll
controlp5
jmyron
jmyron.dll
and folowed every step respectively but on the message bar an error is coming
that-............................./pfacedetect.dll -cannot find dependent file .
i am using win 7 32-bit. can u tell me where i am going wrong .
thankyou
Jul 3, 2011. 9:49 PMkaran13 says:
i have addrd these files in the skech
Jun 27, 2011. 8:48 AMkaran13 says:
does versions effect the making of application
Jun 27, 2011. 6:59 AMkaran13 says:
which version of processing r u using
Jun 21, 2011. 5:02 AMkaran13 says:
hai my robo started working thank you man..............i want to know that is there any way we can control robot through our voice
Jun 18, 2011. 8:50 AMkaran13 says:
(removed by author or community request)
Jun 16, 2011. 4:29 PMcrxksa says:
forgive me if i am slily
where did you buy the motor
;)
Jun 16, 2011. 2:46 PMcrxksa says:
hey in the video you show iPhone controlling the robot
can you give me link for it

thanks
Jun 16, 2011. 6:47 AMkaran13 says:
where should v connect battery connection in h bridge l293d

1-40 of 87next »

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Author:XicoMBD(My site: franciscodias.net)
Hi, My name is Francisco Dias and I'm a student from Lisbon, Portugal. Have a look at my website: http://www.franciscodias.net/