Remote Controlled Robot

This instructable was created in fulfillment of the project requirement of the Makecourse at the University of South Florida (www.makecourse.com). In this instructable, I'm going to show you how to make a robot that can be controlled with any infrared remote. Here is what you're going to need to complete this robot:

1. Arduino Board

2. Jumper wires (both male-male and female-female). However, if you have male-female wires, that would make your wiring cleaner.

3. Two continuous rotation servo motors.

4. Two wheels (make sure that your wheels can somehow be attached to the servos).

5. L-shaped mounting brackets (8 pieces). These can be found here.

6. Infrared remote.

7. Infrared receiver.

8. Infrared obstacle avoidance sensor.

9. Two LED lights, one green and one red.

10. Two resistors.

11. Breadboard.

12. Velcro.

13. Two State Switch.

14. Two batteries.

15. You need to be able to 3D print because this Robot has five 3D printed parts.

16. Make sure that you have many 3 mm screws and nuts with different lengths for fastening.

17. Heat shrink wiring wrap.

18. Lighter or a torch.

Step 1: Making the Chassis and Its Cover

The chassis is what will hold everything together. You can machine it using any hard material, but I used a 3D printer and made it thick for it to be able to hold everything together. The cover is what goes on top of the chassis to cover all the wiring.

Chassis:

I have showed the important dimensions, all other dimensions can be made closest to how they are seen in the drawing. Any holes that do not have dimensions are 3 mm in diameter.

Cover:

Holes are shown for the components that need to be visible, like the lights, switch and infrared receiver.

There are two slots that can be opened to fix any wiring issues.

Step 2: Attaching the Servo to the Chassis

Using two L-shaped mounting brackets on each side, a servo can be attached to the chassis. Use two 3 mm sized screws to attach the L-brackets on the holes and two nuts on the other side as shown in the pictures. The servos can be attached also using a screw and a nut on each side. Repeat this step for the other servo.

Step 3: Attaching the Wheels

I have used three wheels for this robot. Two of the wheels that I used are made specially for servo motors and can be attached by removing the servo fan and putting the wheel instead using the same screw. The third wheel is a caster wheel that can swivel. The four holes that are on the opposite side of the motors are used for the caster wheel and it is attached using four screws and nuts.

Step 4: Attaching the Infrared Sensor

Start by printing a small pipe that will hold the sensor in place. Use a 3x30 mm screw and a 3 mm nut and start screwing from the top, put the red pipe in followed by the sensor, followed by a nut and screw tightly. The sensor should be placed on the hole nearest to the edge on the fat end and in the center.

Step 5: Attaching the Arduino and Breadboard to the Chassis

Use velcro to attach the Arduino board as shown in picture. Put a piece on the chassis and corresponding piece on the bottom of the Arduino board to make it easily detachable. The breadboard is adhesive underneath, remove the sticker and place it behind the arduino board on the fat end of the chassis.

Step 6: Mounting the Batteries

Be advised that you have to use two batteries for this vehicle because it uses motors. Use a piece of velcro and make a hole in the middle of it. Attach the velcro by screwing in a 3mm screw in one of the holes away from the caster wheel to allow it to swivel, wrap a corresponding velcro piece around the battery and wrap the first piece around it. Do the same for the other battery. I have used a 7.2 Volt batter for the servos and a 9 Volt battery for the Arduino board. I have attached the 7.2 Volt battery using wires and a heat shrink wire wrap. Put the wires in the positive and negative terminals and put the heat shrink wire wrap around it and burn it using a lighter. I have used a click pin with a wire that can be plugged in to the Arduino board directly.

Step 7: Wiring

I have a attached picture of a diagram that clearly shows the wiring of all components.

Step 8: Attaching the Cover

The cover can be attached to the chassis using four L-shaped mounting brackets on the slanted faces on the edges and 8 screws and nuts. There will be two openings on the cover to be able to screw in the nut from the inside.

Step 9: Attach Components to the Cover

Push the components out on the cover as shown in the picture attached, use tape to tighten the components from the inside. If the dimensions are followed, the components should fit tightly but the tape is used for back up. There are four components that have to be visible that include, a red LED, a green LED, infrared receiver and a two state switch.

Step 10: Covering the Holes in the Cover

Slide the two doors in to cover the two holes.

Step 11: Programming

I have attached the sketch for Arduino that uses C++ to run the robot. Make sure that you change the buttons code in the Arduino for your IR remote to match the forward, backward, left, right, etc ... commands.