Simple light seeking robot with 555 timing IC

In this Instructable I will show you how to make a robot that will be able to move towards a near by light source. This project uses a very simple circuit, so just about anyone can make it. I still have several improvements to make on this robot, but this is a good design for people who are new to this kind of thing. I made this robot using the 555 ic, because it is a very common, and easy to use component good for beginners, and does not require using programming or very complicated set up.

Step 1: Materials and tools

Materials for the circuit:
-NE555N IC chip
-two identical photoresistors (often called light dependent resistors or LDR) (I had to order these from mouser electronics)
-two identical motors
-battery case for 4 AAA batteries (or AAs. depends on how much weight your motors can take)
-50k potentiometer
- printed circuit board
-solder
-bread board (for prototyping)

Materials for base:
-one piece of 1/8 inch plywood roughly 6" x 3"
-two other small pieces of scrap wood
-screws of various sizes.
-wheels (I used lego wheels)
-if you use lego wheels you will need a lego axle for two of the wheels.
-glue (gorilla glue is good if you have the patience otherwise hot glue will work.)

Tools:
-soldering iron
-hot glue gun
-drill (and bits)
-screw driver

Comments

[chelle.cee]

Hello im interested with your project but i'd like to know specifically what type/kind of identical motors that your pertaining to? Because i need the specs. your reply will help a lot and will be highly appreciated Thanks ! :)

[Higgs Boson]

Unfortunately I no longer have the exact specs on the motors, but they aren't very critical. As long as the motors that you use have identical specs so that one doesn't pull harder than the other, etc. A problem that I ran into was that the motors I used spun too fast and didn't have much torque. I fixed the problem by using a Tamiya gear box.

[pboylan]

It's difficult to see what's above the ic when you are installing the motors, could you post a clearer picture of that?

[Higgs Boson]

I would...but alas this robot is no longer in my possession. Looking at the schematic should tell you everything you need to know though.

[rishi1993]

how much voltage motor should i buy for this project that is?

[Higgs Boson]

1.5-3v. The 6v power supply should divide the voltage well between them, but look for a slower rpm, or the motors will turn so fast that the change in speeds which is supposed to make it turn will have no affect, not to mention the issue with torque.

[rishi1993]

how much voltage motor is used
i have used 1.5 v motor it run very fast freely but when i put it on ground it does not run .please help me

[Higgs Boson]

The motors just do not have enough torque. You could look for a slower motor, but I recommend buying a tamiya gear box. they are only about $10 off of amazon and should solve your problem, giving your motors a lot more torque.

[Derek Vigil]

A good idea would be to use a solar panel so that way it could charge itself.

[Higgs Boson]

If you did this then you would need to get a solar panel that can produce 6v.

[Derek Vigil]

Or four mini solar panels that produce 1.5v each.

[Higgs Boson]

Yeah that would be cool. it would find the light to charge its batteries, and then keep going. Just like a living organism looking for food.

[emdarcher]

great idea, it seems like living technology is not far off.

[Derek Vigil]

Mwahahahahaha! I am making that.

[avi55]

Hi
Could you tell me how to modify the circuit so that the robot out to a source of infrared light instead of a normal light?

thanks

[Higgs Boson]

If you replaced the LDRs with phototransistors and put a visible light filter over them that should work, maybe even just putting a visible light filter over the LDRs so that more or less only IR light can get to it.

[SUBYRIDA25]

So I'm trying to build this robot and I'm kind of unsure as to what specific parts I should buy.

For the motors: Radio Shack sells motors that run about the speed you describe. (a little faster actually) but they say they are 1.5-3 volts. Can I use them because the voltage is split between two motors or will the 4 AAA batteries making 6V be too much for them.

Also, can you send a link for the specific photoresistors you used in this project? Thanks for the help.

[Higgs Boson]

The radio shack motors should work. (I think that is where I got my motors) but you should try to find slower, or even get a gear box. If you choose to use a gear box, I recommend using the tamiya twin motor and gear box which you can get on amazon for about $9 plus shipping. You could use any photoresistor, photo cell, cds cell and so on for this, and unless I'm mistaken I'm pretty sure radio shack sells some photo cells that would work fine for this. either way here is the link address from where I got my sensors:
http://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Unspecified/J4-805-1R/?qs=sGAEpiMZZMtMMZj6jYbQBRnn68eVuJ2u

if copying pasting the address doesn't work tell me and I will include a link in the instructable.

P. S. the 1.5-3v motors should work fine.

[SUBYRIDA25]

Ok, Thanks, I went to Radio Shack and picked up the parts. I am using a chip that read 555p and not 555cn. The package said 555cn but the chip is different i'm guessing. I thought maybe it was a manufacturer difference. Do you think it will still work?

[Higgs Boson]

So long as it has 555 on it it will work.

[charlez95]

here

[theshivakumar043]

it is not working . when the light is off then it should not work but is working with out light also then what is perpose

[Higgs Boson]

Yes this is true. in the dark the robot still runs. this may seem to defeat the purpose of having a light seeking robot, however the robot is designed to seek a state of equilibrium with the light. in other words it moves until the amount of light on both LDRs is the same. That being said, in the dark with identical amounts of light on the sensors it will move straight. My suggestion to you if you don't want it to run in the dark, is to add two NPN transistors to the motors so that no power will go to them unless the light exceeds a certain level. I am going to experiment with this circuit a little bit, but if it works I will be sure to post it.

[spankeerrrrrrr]

how can i increase a motor's torque

[Higgs Boson]

you could add gears, but usually you just need to buy it with more torque.

[blinkyblinky]

Thanks.

[Master anuroop]

i also want a drawn circuit in jpeg format

[freeza36]

he wont. he is a very secretive guy (or gal???)

[Master anuroop]

so please post it

[freeza36]

He is not going to post it.

[Higgs Boson]

I don't understand how doing it in ms paint will make it any better

[cambigfoot]

Really??? for the past week ive been trying to find a light seeking robot circuit and i finally found one 2 days ago XD

[R.A.T.M]

:megusta:

[agambhir]

is awsome but please give me a photo of a drawing of circuit drawn in ms paint

[Kiteman]

How bright does a light need to be for the robot to follow it?

For instance, in that last step, it seems to be following reflected torch-light.

[Higgs Boson]

It is not so much the brightness as the angle it strikes the LDR. Although it does need to overpower any ambient light, or other light sources in the area. Otherwise anything should work.

[tycoon12]

HOW DO YOU MAKE THIS!!!!!!!

[Higgs Boson]

Did you read through it?

[Higgs Boson]

I have a hand drawn schematic, but I based the schematic off of something else I saw on instructables.

[blinkyblinky]

Do you have a full schematic? Even hand-drawn is fine.