Mousebot Revisited

Step 2 Scavenge some parts

The Mousebot requires several parts which we can conveniently borrow from the donor mouse, its eyes and its whisker.

Open up the mouse and locate the components that we'll be harvesting, the momentary switch and the infrared emitters (the clear ones).

Remove the PCB and desolder the push switch and both IR emitters.

Comments

[coleyy]

RADIO SHACK! duh

[kyzerjade]

how 2 make a robot??? because it is needed for my project............

[kyzerjade]

how do i make the robot mouse???

[guy123]

how do i remove the pcb from the mouse

[the_letter_7]

don't you just pull upwards? i wouldn't think it was soldered to the actual plastic

[i_hate_site_specific_logins]

Desolder it

[Shrinking_Universe]

I am really strugglin'. I can't get out the IR emitters and i'm afraid I might break it. Is there any way I can get it out? Please I need help...

[rocketman221]

Get a desoldering iron

[Nitornos]

I don't have desoldering tools; melt the solder and smack it on aluminum foil before it gets hard again.

[jonathan95123]

get de-soldering braid(easily obtained from radioshack) and that heps remove solder from stuff, thats what i used anyway.

[chemy999]

desolder them from the circuit board

[viperfreak27]

can you use CdS photoresistors instead of the IR emitters? or is there an alternative to the IR emitters because i don't have an old mouse, is there another place to get them?

[Nitornos]

I got mine for a dollar at Goodwill.

[Shrinking_Universe]

Psh, I broke off both my legs on the IR emitters. Will this still work?

[Shrinking_Universe]

How can I take off the top?

[super_genius]

does it matter which momentary switch you use, or are they just both the same?

[dumdog927]

where is the PCB and push switch?

[Doveman]

Can i buy the IR emitters and the momentary switch? If so, where?

[tydeus]

when you desolder, do it quickly. Research from throwies tells me that electronics can only withstand soldering heat for a few seconds before they're ruined. i would practice on just trying to remove solder or something before trying this.

[essgeebee]

Albeit slightly a late reply, but for anyone doing any desoldering components from a PCB, there is an easy way: Take some thin gauge copper wire (I use the insulating braiding from a piece of coaxial cable), and work it into a flat strip, usually 1/8" to 1/4" wide. Now the fun bit - coat the wire in solder paste, and heat so the paste "melts" into the wire. You may need to repeat this step to saturate the wire adequately. Now, to de-solder, simply place the strip of wire above the pin and heat through the copper wire (alternatively, you can heat the pin itself until the solder liquifies, then touch the copper braid to the solder) - the paste in the wire will suck the solder out of the PCB/pin. When the copper wire gets to have too much solder in it, just trim the end off, and start with a fresh piece. (Usually every couple of pins, depending on the width of your copper wire.) Sorry if this has been covered somewhere else in the site - I'm new here, but thought it might help someone out ;)

[lucky2006]

how do you make the robot follow light. wouldn't it work just as well without?

[jakedeathless]

Because of their special properties, Infrared emitters (IR emitters) are actually more sensitive when used as IR detectors than detectors themselves. Perfect for following light.

[tydeus]

they emit IR O.o actually by the picture i'm going to guess ball mouses work the same way Eintstein found the speed of light. As that gear moves the link between the two peices is broken, letting the computer know how much to move the mouse. I know nothing about electramonics...

[robotix]

"emitters"

[robotix]

What do the IR emiters do?