Hacking My RC Car Using Arduino and Android Smart Phone

Intro: Hacking My RC Car Using Arduino and Android Smart Phone

Have an old toy car? I hacked mine using Arduino and an H bridge circuit to control the motors, used my Sony Z1 Android phone to control it with the recent 1Sheeld I got from Kickstarter.

I thought to use the Gyroscope sensor in to drive it but after experimenting, I used the gravity sensor instead, will explain in details why later in step 5.

STEP 1: Required Stuff

Required components:

1- Android smartphone / tablet ( x1)

2- Arduino uno ( x1) $26

3- 1Sheeld ( x1) $60

4-Cheap RC car ( x1) (you can get it from a toy store)

5- Connectors male female (x4) $5.45 per 40 set

6- H bridge ( x1) $9.51

7-- Mediabridge USB cable (x1) $7.99

8- Male Dc Plug (x1) $2

Required tools:

1- Screwdriver

2- Wire cutter

STEP 2: Prepare RC Car

Here, you can find the steps for dis-assembly of the RC car:

1- Remove the bottom base screw of the RC car.

2- Remove the upper part.

3- Cut the wires from the original car PCB.

4- Remove the motor casing.

5- Cut the motor wires (as they are too short in my case).

6- Solder new ones (cut the jumper from the female side to prepare the wire for soldering).

STEP 3: Connect H Bridge

1- Connect the H bridge board with the motors.

Connect the motors terminal in H bridge where every motor take two exit

Front motor

Ch 1 to yellow cable.

Ch 2 to orange cable.

Rear motor

Ch 3 to Purple cable.

Ch 4 to blue cable.

2- Connect the battery

Connect the positive pole of the car battery to the H bridge where indicated on board "red cable".

Connect the negative pole of the car battery to H bridge where indicated on board "black cable".

3- Connect the male power plugs

Red with red and black with black.

STEP 4: Arduino,1Sheeld and H Bridge

1-Connect 1Sheeld on top of your Arduino board.

2-Connect the H bridge with 1Sheeld

Connect IN 1 in h bridge "yellow cable in picture " to pin 6 in 1Sheeld.

Connect IN 2 in h bridge "orange cable in picture" to pin 11 in 1Sheeld.

Connect IN 3 in h bridge "Purple cable in picture "to pin 9 in 1Sheeld.

Connect IN 4 in h bridge "blue cable in picture" to pin 10 in 1Sheeld.

STEP 5: Arduino Sketch

1- Now connect Arduino to your computer using USB cable.

2- Download Arduino IDE on your computer.

3- Download 1Sheeld library.

4- Put 1Sheeld library in Arduino-1.0.5-r2\libraries.

5- Copy the Arduino code below and paste it in your sketch.

If you want to control with complete speed ,without using PWM in control there is the code below.

//  have fun with smart car 
//  control using gravity sensor
//  Author:Ahmed mahmoud
//  Date:18 Augst, 2014

include <OneSheeld.h>

float x, y ;  //  define xand y to store values 
int forward = 9;  //  define forward direction
int bacward = 10;  //  define backward direction
int right = 11;    //  define right direction
int left = 6;      //  define left direction
void setup()
{
	//  define output ports
	
        OneSheeld.begin();
        pinMode(forward, OUTPUT);
        pinMode(bacward, OUTPUT);
        pinMode(right, OUTPUT);
        pinMode(left, OUTPUT);
}
 
void loop()
{
      // get sensor value      
        x=GravitySensor.getX();    
        y=GravitySensor.getY();
        
        // control right and left using y sensor direction
	 if (y >= 1)
{
       digitalWrite(right, HIGH);
       digitalWrite(left, LOW);
}
else if ( y <= -1)
{
  digitalWrite(right, LOW);
  digitalWrite(left, HIGH);
}
 else 
{
 digitalWrite(right, LOW);
 digitalWrite(left, LOW);
}//forward and backward 
 if (x >= 2)
{
 digitalWrite(forward, HIGH);
 digitalWrite(bacward, LOW);
}
else if ( x <= -2)
{
 digitalWrite(forward, LOW);
 digitalWrite(bacward, HIGH);
}  else 
{
 digitalWrite(forward, LOW);
 digitalWrite(bacward, LOW);
}	
}

If you want to control with varible speed using PWM in control, here is the code below.

//  have fun with smart car
//  control using gravity sensor
//  Author:Ahmed mahmoud
//  Date:18 Augst, 2014

#include <OneSheeld.h>
float x, y , xval, yval;  //  define xand y to store values ,and abslute value also
int forward = 9;  //  define forward direction
int bacward = 10;  //  define backward direction
int right = 11;    //  define right direction
int left = 6;      //  define left direction
void setup()
{
	//  define output ports
	
        OneSheeld.begin();
        pinMode(forward, OUTPUT);
        pinMode(bacward, OUTPUT);
        pinMode(right, OUTPUT);
        pinMode(left, OUTPUT);
}
 
void loop()
{
      // get sensor value      
        x=GravitySensor.getX();    
        y=GravitySensor.getY();
        xval=abs(x)*20;  //save abslute value for x and multbli it in 20  ( how get multibli number "1023/sensor range" )
        yval=abs(y)*30;  // save abslute value for x and multbli it in 30
        // control right and left using y sensor direction
	 if (y >= 1)
{
       analogWrite(right, yval);
       digitalWrite(left, LOW);
}
else if ( y <= -1)
{
  digitalWrite(right, LOW);
  analogWrite(left, yval);
}
 else 
{
 digitalWrite(right, LOW);
 digitalWrite(left, LOW);
}//forward and backward 
 if (x >= 2)
{
 analogWrite(forward, xval);
 digitalWrite(bacward, LOW);
}
else if ( x <= -2)
{
 digitalWrite(forward, LOW);
 analogWrite(bacward, xval);
}  else 
{
 digitalWrite(forward, LOW);
 digitalWrite(bacward, LOW);
}	
}

7-Download 1Sheeld from app store to your smart phone.

STEP 6: Finally,connect Your Smart Phone and Have Fun

1- Open app

2- Connect 1Sheeld with your smart phone

3- Choose gravity sensor

There are three sensor can do the same function but I choice gravity sensor to get my the required accuracy, Comparing the three sensor value, We can notice that gravity sensor value has various value in small range which help to making strong control

4- Test

5- Have fun

Comments

[seamster]

Cool! That looks like a lot of fun!

[isaacbutler22]

it is and really easy as well

[Valentín Núñez]

Hola Suena muy tentadora la propuesta de poder manejar tu choche con ayuda de Arduino y usar el celular Android como control :D

Diversion pura

[isaacbutler22]

Es muy divertido de hacer y bastante fácil.

[jack.simplechild]

excuse me sir, i want to ask.. is it the same if i use a new one RC car?
and.. can u give me and diagrams for making this?

im sorry if i disturbing u and for my bad english too..

[ahmicmahmoud]

I dont understand what do you want,so please show me more details to help you

[jack.simplechild]

im sorry before, my english really really bad

i mean..
there u say u use an old car.. is it the same step if i use a new one RC?
then can u give me the diagrams for making this?

[isaacbutler22]

yes it is the same if you use an old rc car or a new one the diagrams stay the same no need for new one :)

[mehranmemnai]

@jack.simplechild: Yes, you can use RC car, whether new or old. but old one is already purchased long ago and isn't in your use.

[isaacbutler22]

could you please either send my the exact code to copy and paste into Arduino or please put in on the page?? (email is [e-mail]) It would be very much appreciated

[Sourya28]

I am having some serious problem with communication with arduino UNO ,When i send any value through serial monitor, arduino take input as Zero only

On printing the sent value theough ' Serial.println(val) '

It only print 0 , no matter what i send..

Code as

int x ;

void setup ()

{

Serial.begin(9600);

}

void loop ()

{

while (Serial.available()==0);

x = Serial.read()-48;

Seria

l.println(x) ;

}

[marwaana]

hi there!

want to know if I can use my arduino mega 2560 in the uno's place

thanks

Marwaan

[TheA8nova.]

Hooray! I figured it out. It works!

[TheA8nova.]

On step 3,

" Connect the positive pole of the car battery to the H bridge where indicated on board "red cable".

Connect the negative pole of the car battery to H bridge where indicated on board "black cable". "

... on my H-bridge there is no indication on my board "red cable" or "black cable". Could you please explain more ? I am using the exact same components as you but a different remote control car.

Thank you.

[TheA8nova.]

Hello, I am having trouble with step 3. Could you post more pictures for step 3 please. Here is what my remote control car looks like.

[robert_slovenia]

Hello,

Can I use original Arduino wifi shield for this application? Will mobile app still work?

Thank you

[ukhan14]

can i use Bluetooth module HC-06 etc instead of "Sheeld" ?

[kevinrfq10]

I have a question

If i disconnect my arduino from the pc, will it still work with the sketch?

And, can you post more pictures of the way we have to connect the items... the Hbridge and the sheeld with the car

Thanks

[mehranmemnai]

Yes, It will still work