Yeah i just got my arduino uno three days ago. I've been playing with it pretty much non-stop after that. I pretty much got the very basics of sketching in my backpocket.
Now i think its time for me to start doing some real projects so i might learn something. I thought doing robotics would be pretty interesting and cool, so i got a few questions..:
Im thinking of doing a line following robot. What do i need as a sensor to sense the line?
Is it compulsary to use a motorshield etc? Im on a budget..
What is the best way to turn the robot for such a project (turning frontwheels, skidsteering or...)?
What kind of DC-motors are used in such robot projects? One motor for 2 wheels or 2 independent motors (one per wheel).
(- More questions to come as proceed...)
Thats pretty much the questions. As i said im very very new to all this so any advice is more than welcome. And please, dont be afraid to say out loud what you might consider self-evident, because i might not be familiar with it
EDIT: I might build just an object avoidance robot first, because i think its easier to begin.
I built a little bot using 2 servo motors modified for continuous rotation. They are pretty easy to control via an Arduino with just a cheap voltage regulator powering them.
Look at the websites for parallax.com and pololu.com. They both sell lots of
parts, bases, and sensors for robotics. Parallax at least sells continuous-
rotation servos, and pololu has some inexpensive plastic bases [for differential-
steering]. Parallax will also likely have line-follower sensors.
Here is a very basic example of a line following robot with an example sketch etc:
Its a robot I built out of junk, and even the 'line sensor' is homemade using a laser and two IR(infrared) detectors. Its not the best example, but it does function lol.
It uses random DC motors from broken electronics. You can use a homemade H-Bridge or a half-bridge circuit to drive motors as well if you have some spare electronics around. Best way to turn is really a matter of how you want it to operate, functionality is similar either way.
The Arduino boards seem really tough, I haven't managed to kill one yet, and I've been all but trying to destroy one directly.
Its a robot I built out of junk, and even the 'line sensor' is homemade using a laser and two IR(infrared) detectors. Its not the best example, but it does function lol.
It uses random DC motors from broken electronics. You can use a homemade H-Bridge or a half-bridge circuit to drive motors as well if you have some spare electronics around. Best way to turn is really a matter of how you want it to operate, functionality is similar either way.
The Arduino boards seem really tough, I haven't managed to kill one yet, and I've been all but trying to destroy one directly.
Oh, okay thank you. I was planning starting with this very simple robot, which i have almost done. Im just wondering can my arduino sink the current...
Basically it has two wheels controlled by their own motors. I control the motors with transistors (and have a 10k resistor at their base).
Can the arduino sink the current from both of these? Using 5 Volt battery for motors and 9 Volt battery for arduino
I guess you could probably use the 5V source on Arduino to run small motors, but its probably best practice to use an external power source, with the Arduino just providing the signal to run it.
