fischertechnik Easter Egg Robot

How to create a programmable Easter Egg Robot using fischertechnik elements!

I play with different educational manipulatives for a living. (Visit www.weirdrichard.com). Over the years I have built different holiday themed models using all sorts of toys.

An article in the Idaho Statesman about vision impaired children participating in an Easter Egg Hunt caught my attention. ("Valley kids hunt for Easter Eggs by Ear" Idaho Statesman 03/22/08).

"A half dozen kids with visual impairments had no trouble finding the eggs - but not because they were brightly colored pinks, purples, greens and blues. They found them by listening for beeping sounds coming from a large egg in each hidden pile.....The audio-enhanced Easter egg hunt was brought to the kids at the Madison Early Childhood Center for the second year by the Qwest Pioneers, a group of retired but active former telephone company employees."
(http://www.idahostatesman.com/235/story/330617.html)

You can download a copy of a Beeping Egg from TelecomPioneers (the world's largest industry-related volunteering organization) at http://www.telecompioneers.org/shared/content/BeepEggManual.pdf

It was fun to develop a new version of the beeping egg. The fischertechnik programmable Easter Egg Robot emits a loud regular beep. Once the sonic ranging sensor detects someone closer than 100 cm, the beeping dramatically speeds up! Once the child finds the egg, they can shut it off by pressing one of the switches.

This instructable will describe how to create a programmable Easter Egg Robot!

Note: There are a variety of programmable interfaces that can be used. I used the fischertechnik Robo Interface and the Robo Pro graphical programming language (v 1.2.1.30). This interface can also be controlled with Microsoft Robotics Studio or Logo. I used a cad program to create most of the images for the Easter Egg Robot.

Step 1 Amelia Explains and Tests the Egg

Amelia Explains the fischertechnik Easter Egg Robot:

Amelia Tests the fischertechnik Easter Egg Robot:

Comments

[octobermuffin]

I love it! I think it is the best robot project!

[suzyhaislip]

WOW, I love it! Suzy

[GWJax]

A nice little add on is for it to move when the person is getting too close to it so it would be harder to find and a lot more fun and lower the tone or beep on it so its harder to hear too. But great job.. Looking foward to see what you have instored for us next! Jax

[ftking_83702]

have not field tested a "runaway" mobile Easter Egg Robot with visually impaired children, but it is easy enough to add the EER to a treaded chasis. In this example, I used the a modified Robo Explorer chasis with pulse wheels and touch sensors.

[GWJax]

Now thats what I talking about, Great job!!!! Jax

[ftking_83702]

Thank you. I added an Addendum with a different chassis design in the comments.

[ftking_83702]

You can make the Easter Egg Robot mobile! Program the EER to move to a new location when someone gets close!

Construct a chassis and add the Egg. The interface will control both motors on the chassis.

To build this particular design, you would need the following elements:

4 Gear Wheel T20s
4 Hub Nuts
2 Link 15s
2 Motor Reducing Gearboxes
2 Clip Axle with Gear Teeth T28s
4 Spacer Rings
12 Spring Cams
4 Building Block 15 with Bores
2 Mini Motors
10 Building Block 30s
4 Building Block 15s
4 Flat Hub Collet
2 Building Block 15x30x5 with Groove and Pins
4 Clip Axle 45s
2 Axle Couplings
84 Chain Links
2 Building Block 5s
8 Building Block 7.5s
2 Clip 5s
2 Building Plate 15x30x5 with 3 Grooves

[admin1]

this is the best FT product ever!!!!!!!!!!

[ftking_83702]

Just wait...I have some better ones in the wings.

[DELETED_palmirast]

(removed by author or community request)

[ftking_83702]

Thank you so much! I am glad to share. I am working on a similar series of projects using Baufix elements, and I would like to use those in the Giraffe Laugh Centers.

[Scurge]

great instructable! prolly the most detailed i've seen yet. GJ

[ftking_83702]

Thanks! I appreciate the note.

[nm918273]

very nice i like it

[ftking_83702]

Thank you very much!

[dsman195276]

nice! very cool! but alas, i only have the old version of the interface, so i can't download the program to the egg, but would have to keep the computer connected to it. i don't know if i have the sonic distance ranger. thats the problem with FT, there is so many different parts that you could have, unlike K'Nex were there is only around 20 different parts that are used to make everything. but FT is allot more possibilities.

[ftking_83702]

Thank you! I appreciate the compliments. I agree with you about ft. ft manipulattives are more like what you would find in a hobbyist workshop. ft has specific elements for specific tasks. As a rule, I use the more common ft elements in my creations. 19 different kinds of elements (including electronic components) in the Easter Egg Robot. The ft Sonic Distance Ranger is new (officially released last month in the US)! I was excited to use it.

[dsman195276]

well, if the sonic distance ranger is that new, there is no way i have it. darn.

[Itsgoofytime]

Great instructable! Good explanation and put together, only problem is that it is somewhat out of reach for others. +1 rating.

[ftking_83702]

Thanks for the compliments (and the rating!) I think the Easter Egg Robot can be modified to use other manips. (The original plans from TelecomPioneers use Radio Shack components). fischertechnik is a great constructive, and easy to use! Their kits and spare parts are available online. Generally I use a different interface (such as a modified SuperCricket) and sensors, but I thought it would be fun to build a robotic device that was completely ft based. Again, thanks so much!