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[on:]

I'm programing my first robot for a school project and it's a little complex for my first time.
The teacher wants it to use a laser senor to avoid obstacles.
I'd like to start with just making the thing turn and go from there

[Reply #1 on:]

Do you have any arduino knowledge? The first place to start would be the Blink and Blink without delay examples.

Also do you plan to use DC motors or servos?

[Reply #2 on:]

Did you read the sticky topic at the top of this section, called "Read this before posting a programming question" ?
Does the senor speak English, or only Spanish?

[Reply #3 on:]

Do you have any arduino knowledge? The first place to start would be the Blink and Blink without delay examples.

Also do you plan to use DC motors or servos?

I can turn the LED on the board on and off
and DC motors and yes there is a motor controller

[Reply #4 on:]

yes there is a motor controller

Ok so look at the pins the motor controller uses and make one motor run. It might/will have an Enable pin, Direction pin and Speed pin. All of which will need to be set properly and defined.

Example:
byte/#Define    Enable = 2  //High = allows motors to run
byte/#Define    Direction = 4 //High = forward, Low = reverse ...Might be switched depending on shield
byte/#Define    Speed = 3 //0-255 PWM


void setup()
{
pinMode(Enable, OUTPUT);
pinMode(Direction, OUTPUT);
pinMode(Speed, OUTPUT);
}

void loop()
{ /*your code here*/ }

[Reply #5 on:]

I'd like to start with just making the thing turn and go from there

Makes a lot of sense - I'd suggest you pick the very smallest thing you can test and build up from there. No point complicating matters with the sensor until you can drive around.

[Reply #6 on:]

thank you
so i need to figure out what pins on the board link to which motor

[Reply #7 on:]

The motor controller needs to be connected to pins on the Arduino to control it.  They may already be connected if the motor controller is a shield that plugs into the Arduino or you may need to connect them yourself.  Once the control pins are connected and you have connected a motor to the controller you can consider writing a program to turn it on/off, reverse it and control its speed.  Then the real fun begins.

It would be helpful to know which motor controller you are using.

[Reply #8 on:]

The motor controller needs to be connected to pins on the Arduino to control it.  They may already be connected if the motor controller is a shield that plugs into the Arduino or you may need to connect them yourself.  Once the control pins are connected and you have connected a motor to the controller you can consider writing a program to turn it on/off, reverse it and control its speed.  Then the real fun begins.

It would be helpful to know which motor controller you are using.

a roboteq AX3500
my plan was to make a gameport to usb cable and use a usb shield