Simple Bots: Scrub

As part of my effort to make our life easier through robotics, I have made a low-cost cleaning bot called Scrub Bot. This state of the art cleaning robot is great at polishing floors and shining glass tables (provided that you soap it up first). It also disperses small particulates evenly across your floor in such a manner that your home may look cleaner than it actually is. That's not all! Thanks to its unique non-patented frisbee design, Scrub Bot allows you to easily add all of your favorite thingamajigs and what-nots directly to the bot without wondering where to put them. Create a circuit to toggle each motor independantly for a more "intentionally driven" effect. What are you waiting for? Make one today! Everyone, but your pets, will thank you.

Step 1: Go get stuff

You will need:

(x1) Frisbee
(x3) Scrubber brushes
(x3) Adjustable tracks
(x2) Computer fans (of the same size)
(x1) 9V battery connector
(x1) 9V battery
(x6) 1-1/2" bolts
(x18) nuts for 1-1/2" bolts
(x6) 1/2" bolts and nuts
(x1) a bunch of small zip ties

Comments

[ade souza]

the reason it will not move is because 1.there maybe too much friction between the surface and the brushes. 2.the air flow through the fans are not configured correctly. try using some stability for it -- and reorient the fans

[ade souza]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/58556129@N04/8698474814/

[damato32]

I just finished mine, and it doesn't move too much. I've loosened the slider tracks, tightened them, repositioned the brushes a few different ways, but nothing I try will produce movement more than a couple inches, at most. Nothing at all like the video posted here. Any suggestions?

[ade souza]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/58556129@N04/8698474814/

[tan123]

Try bending the bristles back, or trimming them on a slope so the front bristles are slightly shorter than the back ones.

[85_DaRkBlOod_69]

We had made the scrubber as a model for our science project.....
I just wanna know all about scrubber to defend our model like why does it moves or turns ,etc...
Plssssss. I need your help!

[randofo]

Also, post a picture of your bot so we all can see!

[randofo]

What about it do you think makes it move and turn? What do you think would happen if you had not broken off the fan blades?

[taco dog]

I'm having trouble finding "scrubber brushes" that aren't like to big can you tell me where you got yours?

[ihavenolastname]

i don't have a adjustable track...wat else can i use instead of the tracks?

[ihavenolastname]

i don't have a adjustable track...wat else can i use instead of the tracks?

[ayodeji]

can i use a vibrator motors found in mobile phones

[randofo]

Those are much too small. Try some of the motors inside of motorized back massagers.

[jdseagull]

instead of cutting the blades of the fan placing them adjacently and connecting them with opposite polarity will make them rotate..Any improvements in this???

[randofo]

You can't easily reverse the polarity on computer fans. They are not designed to be reversible.

[ShashankPH]

Instead of adjustable lid supports, can I use anything else

[randofo]

Yes! Improvise. See what works for you. There is no right answer. I just went with what seemed to work at the time.

[damato32]

Here's my bot. This one doesn't move much at all. Any ideas why?

[randofo]

Nope. No clue why. Maybe the screws aren't holding it firmly enough to the frisbee and the vibrations are not being translated down into the brushes? It is hard to say. It appears to be built correctly.

[ceeceemerto]

what happens if you only use one fan instead of two fans?

[randofo]

Two fans create competing vibration patterns. It will still work with one fan, there will just be less of a dynamic vibration/motion.

[ShashankPH]

Nice Thing but can I use 1 Computer Fan ?

[sandchica]

Those adjustable supports can be found on google by looking up "adjustable lid supports". They are mainly used for storage trunks and things like jewelry box lids.

[burnerjack01]

How long does the battery last? Seems like a big draw on a little battery.

[randofo]

I don't know. I haven't replaced the battery yet. So, at very least, an hour.

[harkaran]

will dis work faster if i put 4 comp fans instead of 2 ?

[Eman012]

How long does it take to finish this? And how much the materials?

[rlnbkseeberger]

Instead of the bracket/moving things, you could use velcro. Assuming the brushes don't slide on the track when moving. I think that would be cheaper, easier to adjust, and easier to provide symmetry to the movement.

[Eman012]

How can I make the rotation of the scrub faster?

[dessa_kazune04]

is there another name for the adjustable tracks?
or any substitute ?
cause i've been to ace hardware and they dont even know what that thing is.
it's really hard to find it here in philippines.

[randofo]

It is called an adjustable support. They are use for things like holding up chest lids that pivot upwards or window panes.

It appears to have Ace part #5300421

Here is a photo.

[dessa_kazune04]

thanks a lot!

[Arc Trooper 5555]

Would a pager motor or two work instead of the fans?

[randofo]

Unlikely to be powerful enough for something of this size.

[nubabuba]

what do the tracks help with exactly? i have a school tech fair and i would love to make one of these

[randofo]

Positioning the brushes changes its footprint (how it comes into contact with the floor) and by extension, the patterns in which it moves. The frisbee is not perfectly flat, so moving the brushes is actually slightly changing the way it contacts the floor. If you leave them mildly loose on the track to reposition itself, you will start seeing different behaviors emerge.

[nubabuba]

ok thanks

[nubabuba]

would it work the same if you just glued the brushes to the frisbee?

[2321252]

WHAT SUBSTITUTE WE CAN USE FOR Adjustable tracks

[randofo]

You should be able to find these in the hardware store where they sell window fixtures. If you are in the US, you can definitely get these at Ace Hardware.