Quick Notebook PC Robot Base

As a collaboration between TeleToyland and RoboRealm, we built a quick base for a notebook PC based robot using the Parallax Motor Mount & Wheel Kit. For this project, we wanted to keep it quick and simple, and we wanted to leave the top of the robot totally clear for the notebook PC. Hopefully this will show how easy it is to setup, and inspire more creative robots!

As with any good robot base, we have the all important motor power switch and a handle!

Step 1 Materials

For the motors, we used the Motor Mount & Wheel Kit with Position Controller from Parallax (www.parallax.com) (item #27971). These provide a nice assembly of motor, optical encoder and position controller. In our first rev., we aren't actually using the position controller, but for most robots, it is a very nice feature.

We also used the Caster Wheel Kit from Parallax (item #28971). We strongly prefer robots with two drive wheels and a caster over skid steering robots! In our experience, skid steering (4 powered wheel) robots have trouble turning on some rugs and patios.

For the motor controls, we used two of the Parallax HB-25 Motor Controllers. (item #29144)

For the Servo controller, we used the Parallax Servo Controller (USB). (item #28823)

For the rest, we used a 12"x10" piece of 1/2" plywood, 8" of 1x3 pine, and some screws and bolts. The main ones were 2.5" Flat Head 1/4"x20 bolts. The flat head bolts were used throughout to keep the surface of the robot flat.

Comments

[najibg96]

for what is it good?????

[ctopher1]

Now, With little effort and 8 C Cell batteries your computer can go anywhere without your assistance >:D

[MovieMaker]

I mean, where is your *.rbo file?

[MovieMaker]

Where's the code???

[wareneutron]

such a great idea haa!

[Hextor]

Any chance of getting your code, I have those motor controllers as well as roborelm I'd love to give this a shot.

[CarlS]

It's all done in RoboRealm - no outside code was used.

[fetchtables]

 Can you use this usb kit with other programming or is it just suitable for roborealm? Sorry I am a bit new to this stuff. I was looking at using an arduino but I have an old eeepc

[jaxxster1]

where can i scavenge the parts on the cheap?

[Fashim]

Man ive always though of making some sort of robot like a milo making robot =P. But sweet job

[agent]

Great idea. I'm gonna build one! Maybe on my own ideas though (i.e. arduino), but still a great idea! Epiphany moment: Have a laptop follow you :D (even if it uses an infrared target or something...)

[AK_Tesla]

great tutorial, and nice product placement.

[keni_matukoshi]

Now what about removing the third wheel? What do we need to enable a laptop to balancer itself on a pair of wheels?

[robomaniac]

Very nice, I have the same robot on my to-do-list. I have a DELL latitude and they have docking station on it. I plan to use the docking station to secure the laptop and make connection to webcam and electronic easy! I also have paralell on the docking station! I got it on ebay. I will use cheaper motors and BIG wheels! The back caster will be the hard thing to think and build. I want something efficient. Thanks Jerome

[wingbatwu]

Big wheels? Have you considered using a recumbent trike? One advantage is the availability of electric bicycle motors and parts

[Solderguy]

I seen this at http://hackaday.com/. Great job

[servodave]

Nice motors. The fact that there's encoders built in takes care of the hard part of making all that fit mechanically. (I've been there time and again--each time the project slow down significantly or just stops due to my lack of a lathe.) Buying your way out of THAT problem is smart. Plus, they're very shiny. They look like automotive seat/window regulator motors. How hot do they get in continuous operation? Looks like the encoders might be on the output shaft (that's good since it solves a lot of problems.) Have you noticed if there is a lot of backlash in the mechanics when you reverse directions? Also, do you know if the encoders have A/B and Index? I can't seem to find that info on Parallax website. Anyway, this is cool. I like it a lot.

[psymansays]

I have something surprisingly similar on my workbench right now, but I've built the motor drivers myself, and the drivetrain mechanics from scrap stuff. The 8 D-Cell batteries, though, that's the same. My camera is also on a pole, and the laptop is a full-sized Dell Inspiron. I have to say, this one looks nice! Mine's a little shabby in comparison, but the price tag was much lower.

[LinuxH4x0r]

Very nice! 5/5*