Introduction: R/C LEGO "Coaster" Droid

About: I am Electronic Visualization Artist. I look at things through the Looking Glasses.

The Coaster Droid or "CDroid" is a bigger version of R/C LEGO 'Velocipede' Droid that I built recently. And this one I want to add the sensor to it so it could avoid hitting the obstacles.

The "CDroid" uses LEGO® components similar to the previous built "LEGO® Track Bot", and "Dart Shooter Droid" uses the same vertical gearbox and base similar to Lego Track Bot. But instead of using the same triangle tracks, I used the CDs as the wheels, and use Hubs that I took them from toy car.
This Droid is capable of rotating it body to both left and right similar to Dart Shooter Droid. On top of the body I placed the IR distance sensor, so the Droid can avoid hitting the obstacle.

Here is the short description of the "CDroid":
- The robot is controlled by Arduino Compatible Board (Palm Arduino Plus).
- The robot is wirelessly communicating with Arduino via XBee module, RN-XV WyFly module or Bluetooth.
- The robot is equipped with IR Distance Sensor (Sharp - GP2Y0A21YK0F).
- The robot will automatically override the commands if it facing an obstacle.
- The body is made out of LEGO® Components.
- The wheels are made out of CDs.

See videos and more photos in Step 8.

Disclaimer:
LEGO®, TECHNIC, are property of The LEGO Group of Companies (http://www.lego.com), which does not sponsor, own, authorize or endorse this creation.

Step 1: Parts & Tools

Vertical Gearbox Support & Base Components
All the details for components to build the Vertical Gearbox Support & Base Components please see details at
R/C LEGO® Dart Shooter Droid, Step 1: Parts and Tools.

Double Gearbox Kit
Tamiya 70097 Twin-Motor Gearbox Kit or similar.

Servos
1 no.   - Sub-Micro Servo 3.7g (Pololu #1053) or similar.
Parts for Coaster Droid Body (Photo 1)

2 nos. - Liftarm 3 x 3 L-Shape with Quarter Ellipse Thin (#32249), Red
6 nos. - Liftarm 3 x 5 L-Shape with Quarter Ellipse Thin (#32250), Red

1 no.  - Panel Fairing # 7 Small Long, Large Hole, Side A (#32534), Red
1 no.  - Panel Fairing # 8 Small Long, Large Hole, Side B (#32535), Red

4 nos. - Panel Fairing # 5 Small Short, Large Hole, Side A (#32527), Red
4 nos. - Panel Fairing # 6 Small Short, Large Hole, Side B (#32528), Red

1 no.  - Technic  Block 3 x 5 x 1 2/3 (#32310), Red

2 nos. - Dish 2 x 2 Inverted (Radar) (#4740), Tan

2 nos. - Plate, Round 1 x 1 Straight Side (#30057), Transparent Green

1 nos. - Hose, Ribbed 7mm D. 4L (#78c04), Silver

7   nos. - Axle 2 Notched (#32062), Red
10 nos. - Axle 2 Notched (#32062), Black

8 nos. - Connector Peg with Friction 2M(#2780), Black
4 nos. - Connector Peg with Friction 3M (#6558), Black

4 nos. - Pin Long without Friction Ridges Lengthwise (#32556), Black
2 nos. - Axle Connector with Axle Hole (#32039), Light Gray
2 nos. - Axle Connector with Axle Hole (#32039), Red

2 nos. - Connector Peg/Cross Axle (#6562), Light Gray
2 nos. - Connector Peg/Cross Axle (#6562), Tan

2 nos. - Axle and Pin Connector Perpendicular(#6536), Black
2 nos. - Axle and Pin Connector Perpendicular(#6536), Tan

2 nos. - Axle and Pin Connector Perpendicular Double (#32291), Red

6 nos. - Axle and Pin Connector Perpendicular 3L with Center Pin Hole (#32184), Red

2 nos. - Axle and Pin Connector Angled #3 - 157.5 degrees (#32016), Tan
2 nos. - Axle and Pin Connector Angled #5 - 112.5 degrees (#32015), Tan
2 nos. - Axle and Pin Connector Angled #1 (#32103), Light Gray
2 nos. - Axle and Pin Connector Angled #2 - 180 degrees (#32034), Red

2 nos. - Liftarm 1 x 4 Thin (#32449), Red
4 nos. - Liftarm 1 x 3 Thin (#6632), Red
4 nos. - Liftarm 1 x 3 Thin (#6632), Tan

4 nos. Bush for Cross Axle(#6590), Light Gray
4 nos. - Bush 1/2 Smooth (#32123), Light Gray

2 nos. - Cross Axle 8M (#3707), Black
2 nos. - Cross Axle 6M (#3706), Black
1 no.  -  Cross Axle 5M (#32073), Black

CDs and Hubs
2 nos - CD disks (old, new, etc. that does not matter, up to you)
2 nos. - Hubs (I got these hubs from Electric Dragster Kit by Middlesex University.)
Note: You could do something similar to this  "Mousetrap Powered Car" project by dustynrobots

IR distance sensor (Sharp - GP2Y0A21YK0F)
I got this Sharp distance sensor from Adafruit (Product ID 164)

Palm Arduino Plus

Palm Arduino Plus is Arduino compatible board that included motors controller IC (L293D) on the PCB. And Palm Arduino Plus is designed to be used with LEGO® components.
See details of Palm Arduino Plus.

Wireless Radios
There are three options of wireless radio modules to be used, since Palm Arduino Plus has those ports available,
  • XBee module,
  • RN-XV WiFly module,
  • Bluetooth module.

Tools
X-acto Knife
Super Glue

Step 2: Vertical Gearbox Support & Base

"CDroid" used basically same way to support Twin-Motor Gearbox (photo 1) as I used in my R/C LEGO® Dart Shooter Droid and LEGO® Track Bot. It consisted of triangular frame that used the Pythagoras' Theorem applied to use in diagonal Bracing (As shown in Photo 2 & 3.)

For Lego Track Bot's Twin-Motor Gearbox installation see Lego Track Bot Step 3: Gearbox & DIY Motor Controller PCB.

Following are the photos show how to assemble the wheels and hubs on to the Vertical Gearbox Support & Base:

Photo 1 The Vertical Gearbox Support & Base from the R/C Dart Shooter Droid project.

Photo 2, 3 Removed all the track and wheels out of the Vertical Gearbox Support & Base. Then adds the 40T gear (#3649) and two 8T gears (#3647) on to the top as shown.(Also see details at R/C Dart Shooter Droid, Step 8.

Photo 4, 5 Insert the hubs to the motor shafts on both side.

Photo 6, 7 Snap the CDs to the hubs.

Photo 8 Palm Arduino V3 and DIY motor controller PCB installed on R/C LEGO Dart Shooter Droid.

Photo 9 Palm Arduino Plus with XBee module installed.

Photo 10 Install Palm Arduino Plus on to the front of the Coaster Droid.

Photo 11, 12 Shows the existing servo for rotating the body of the droid.

Step 3: Droid Body

Following are the photos show the assembly sequence of the Droid Body.

Photo 1, 2 Two Two Cross Axle 6M (#3706) and Three Axle and Pin Connector Perpendicular 3L with Center Pin Hole (#32184)

Photo 3, 4 Four Bush 1/2 Smooth (#32123)

Photo 5, 6 Cross Axle 5M (#32073) and Two Bush for Cross Axle (#6590)

Photo 7, 8 Cross Axle 6M (#3706) and Two Axle Connectors with Axle Hole (#32039)

Photo 9, 10 Two Axle and Pin Connector Perpendicular 3L with Center Pin Hole (#32184)

Photo 11, 12 Two Liftarms 1 x 3 Thin (#6632)

Photo 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 Cross Axle 8M (#3707) and two Liftarm 3 x 5 L-Shape with Quarter Ellipse Thin (#32250)

Photo 18, 19 Two Liftarm 3 x 3 L-Shape with Quarter Ellipse Thin (#32249)

Photo 20, 21 Two Liftarm 1 x 4 Thin (#32449), Two Connector Peg with Friction 2M(#2780) and Two Liftarm 1 x 3 Thin  (#6632)

Photo 22, 23, 24 Two Axle 2 Notched (#32062) and Two Axle and Pin Connector Perpendicular (#6536)

Step 4: Droid Body (Cont.)

Following are the photos show the assembly sequence of the Droid Body.

Photo 1, 2, 3, 4 Technic  Block 3 x 5 x 1 2/3 (#32310), Axle 2 Notched (#32062) and Axle and Pin Connector Perpendicular 3L with Center Pin Hole (#32184)

Photo 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 Cross Axle 8M (#3707)

Photo 11, 12 Two Axle 2 Notched (#32062) and Two Axle and Pin Connector Perpendicular Double (#32291)

Photo 13, 14 Four Connector Peg with Friction 3M (#6558)

Photo 15, 16, 17 Two Liftarm 3 x 5 L-Shape with Quarter Ellipse Thin (#32250)

Photo 18, 19, 20 Two Axle 2 Notched (#32062) and Two Axle and Pin Connector Perpendicular (#6536)

Photo 21, 22 Two Liftarm 3 x 5 L-Shape with Quarter Ellipse Thin (#32250)

Photo 23, 24 Panel Fairing #5 Small Short, Large Hole, Side A (#32527) and Panel Fairing #6 Small Short, Large Hole, Side B (#32528)

Photo 25, 26 Panel Fairing #5 Small Short, Large Hole, Side A (#32527) and Panel Fairing #6 Small Short, Large Hole, Side B (#32528)

Photo 27, 28, 29 Two Connector Peg/Cross Axle (#6562), Panel Fairing #7 Small Long, Large Hole, Side A (#32534) and Panel Fairing #8 Small Long, Large Hole, Side A (#32535)

Step 5: Droid Body (Cont.)

Following are the photos show the assembly sequence of the Droid Body.

Photo 1, 2 Two Axle and Pin Connector Angled #1 (#32103) and Two Connector Peg with Friction 2M(#2780)

Photo 3, 4 Panel Fairing #5 Small Short, Large Hole, Side A (#32527) and Panel Fairing #6 Small Short, Large Hole, Side B (#32528)

Photo 5, 6, 7 Two Axle 2 Notched (#32062)

Photo 8, 9 Two Axle 2 Notched (#32062), two Red Liftarm 1 x 3 Thin (#6632), and two Tan Liftarm 1 x 3 Thin (#6632)

Photo 10, 11 Two Connector Peg with Friction 2M(#2780) and Two Connector Peg/Cross Axle (#6562)

Photo 12, 13 Panel Fairing #5 Small Short, Large Hole, Side A (#32527) and Panel Fairing #6 Small Short, Large Hole, Side B (#32528)

Photo 14, 15 Two Axle and Pin Connector Angled #2 - 180 degrees (#32034)

Photo 16, 17 Two Axle 2 Notched (#32062)

Photo 18, 19 Two Axle Connector with Axle Hole (#32039)

Photo 20, 21, 22 Two Axle 2 Notched (#32062)

Step 6: Droid Body (Cont.)

Following are the photos show the assembly sequence of the Droid Body.

Photo 1, 2 Two Dish 2 x 2 Inverted (Radar) (#4740) and Two Plate, Round 1 x 1 Straight Side (#30057)

Photo 3, 4 Two Axle and Pin Connector Angled #5 - 112.5 degrees (#32015)

Photo 5, 6 Two Axle 2 Notched (#32062)

Photo 7, 8 Two Axle and Pin Connector Angled #3 - 157.5 degrees (#32016)

Photo 9, 10 Two Connector Peg/Cross Axle (#6562)

Photo 11, 12, 13 Cross Axle 8M (#3707) and Hose, Ribbed 7mm D. 4L (#78c04)

Photo 14, 15, 16, 17 Two Bush for Cross Axle (#6590)

Step 7: Distance Sensor

Photo 1 Show the parts needed in this Step.
  • Two mounting screws that come with 9G servo.
  • Two Connector Peg/Cross Axle (#6562)
  • Black Hose, Classic 4mm D. 12L (#x467c12) or similar
  • Distance IR Sensor (Sharp - GP2Y0A21YK0F)

Photo 2 Insert Rubber tube into connector end of Connector Peg/Cross Axle (#6562)

Photo 3, 4 Use X-acto knife to cut off the rubber tube flush to the connector.

Repeat the steps above to make one more.

Photo 5, 6, 7 Use the screw to secure the Sensor to the connector.

Photo 8, 9, 10 Install the Sensor to the Droid body as shown.

Photo 11 Test the sensor.

Step 8: Photos & Videos

Following are the photos of the finished CDroid, and video shows CDroid in Action.


Videos

- Test 01 - test motors and IR Distance sensor.



Video

- Test 02 - test motors only.




Remote Control Contest

Participated in the
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