New Arduino ROBOT

Forum 2005-2010 (read only) General News
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Kit Introduction

Now you can finally learn, teach or simply enjoy using Arduino in a complete Robotics Kit.

The kit includes motors, mechanical parts and several sensors to explore the different parts and capabilities of the Arduino platform.

Ultimately you will program your Arduino to work in a full control loop coordinating output (motion, LCD) and input (sensors) in a closed control loop.

The kit is ideal for learning and teaching robotics, programming and the Arduino platform itself.
The manual included has detailed step by step activities that will guide you through different projects to learn about Arduino, programming, sensors, input and output, electronics, etc.

Additionally the kit poses an excellent proposal for fast prototyping projects and hobbyist activities and the low price tag makes it a great all round kit for all occasions.

Additional Information

Activities List

For Teachers and Students:

  • Understand how a Microprocessor and a control loop works
  • Introduce Programming Concepts
  • Learn about sensors and analogue input and output.
  • Introduce the Popular Open Source Arduino Platform
  • Learn about servos and PWM control (only in Deluxe edition)
  • Develop typical learning activities:
  • Line Following
  • Line Tracking
  • Obstacle Avoidance with Switch Sensors
  • Obstacle Avoidance with IR sensor (only in Deluxe Edition)
  • Object Seeking (only in Deluxe Edition)
  • Navigating and solving mazes

The included manual has step by step activities that will introduce all the concepts and guide you from simple systems up to more complex and full featured robotics applications.

You can view the POPbot manual with the complete activity list here: POPbot Manual (8 Mb).

For Hobbyists and Advanced Users

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Hi

The kit looks very nice and for the price like a great proposal.

I've taken a look at the videos available and it looks like a very good platform.

I've also looked around the web and the manufacturer - Inex - seems to have a large experience and portfolio with this type of robot platforms.

Has anyone purchased one of these already ?

Do you know if it comes with some sort of manual to introduce arduino and some sample code?

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Just FYI the videos I was refering to are here http://robosavvy.com/store/product_info.php/products_id/547

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Hey pramilo

I purchased one of those in the website of the announcement above (robosavvy.com) but they will only ship to me next week because it's a new product and they don't have it in stock yet.

To answer your questions, with what I know so far:

Yes, the kit comes with a manual that explains all the parts, how to interface with different types (for example the serial protocol for the serial lcd, reading Analogue sensors - distance and IR reflection for line tracking) etc.

It also introduces the necessary Arduino code to interface with the various parts.

All of this is then shown with lots of activities included in the guide. All activities are very well documented.

The manual seems to be here robosavvy.com/RoboSavvyPages/Inex/POPbot/POP-BOT-MANUAL_preliminary.pdf

As for the technical capabilities of the platform, I know it is based on Arduino mini design with an ATMEGA 168 and includes Multipurpose IO ports, Dedicated Analogue ports, sound output (buzzer), two push buttons and I2C interface port.

I haven't seen any I2C activities in the manual though (and it doesn't seem to include I2C parts).

I also noticed it has a port for a programmer so I'm assuming you can reprogram the ATMEGA168 and replace the whole Arduino Bootloader.
(it becomes essentially and ATMEL ATMEGA168 wheeled platform which is also way cool if I get the hang of Arduino and want to move to direct ATMEGA programing).