I have a dump barrel that looks like R2D2 that I would like to automate. (If you don't know what a dump barrel is - it's one of those coolers from a gas station that holds cold beverages near the registers typically. This one was a Lipton tea advertisement).
At one point in time (couple years ago), I saw that arduino had a robotics kit that included a few small servo motors and a controller along with a few other components. I'm not sure if this still exists as I don't see it available under 'kits' anymore but regardless ...
The question - do you think this sounds like an arduino application? I'd like for it to be remote controlled. If not - any tips and/or recommendations on where to look or how to start?
My husband has finally started to repaint so I'm up next to automate it, I would like to start generating a plan. My main concern right now is finding the necessary components to bring it all together.
Start with a Arduino Uno. It is probably the most used Arduino so there are lots of tutorials, example code, hardware setup tutorials and libraries. The IDE (Integrated Development Environment) that you use for programming and uploading has many examples for just about anything you want to do. Differential steering is the way to go for a cylindrical robot. You need 2 motors, geared motors preferably, and a motor controller to fit the motors. Here is a link to help size the motors robot motor sizing calculator. What kind of remote control? There is IR (short range line of sight) and radio control. Radio control can be done using a RC model transmitter and receiver or there are several different radio modules with different ranges and protocols.
Ground - Thanks for the response. I'll take a look at the sizing calculator, I might try to purchase everything this summer. Do you have any recommendations on where I could purchase the motors? I see the Uno has some PWM outputs, I assume those would be utilized with whatever motors were purchased, is this correct?
I'd like radio controlled; I'm not familiar with IR. I thought I saw an option board for something like this a couple years ago, but didn't see it when I searched tonight. Do you know if they have something I didn't see?
I apologize for all of the questions. I'm not concerned about the programming aspect or anything, but I have zero knowledge of arduino and prefer to research once something is in my hands and I have a direction, so I'm a bit lost at the forefront! I really appreciate the advice and suggestions.
I really can't recommend a motor vendor. I get my motors from old printers and stuff. First decide on the wheel diameter and estimate the rest of the parameters to enter into the sizing calculator. That will get you close to the motor specs to look for. Once you have a motor you can choose a motor driver. You will need a drier that can handle the stall current of the motor to be safe. Try to find motors with encoders built in. The encoder will allow you to measure the rotations of the wheels and therefore how far the robot has traveled.
By IR remote control I mean controlling the robot with a TV (or similar remote). Easy and cheap to do but short range (20-30 ft if you are lucky), line of sight and won't work outside in sunlight. And the IR detector/decoder need to be facing the remote transmitter.
RC radio control would be using a transmitter sending to a RC receiver. The Arduino would take the servo PWM signals and translate into robot commands.
Radio modules (RF24, 433Mhz) allow you to send commands in a format that you devise. Control input can be from joysticks or keyboard entries. Both methods have better range than IR and are not line of sight.
What do you guys think of the ArduinoStarterKit? Worth it or purchase the board, couple servos, and IR/RC components? Any tips on where to get the remote control things? I didn't see anything from Arduino and I am a little hesitant on trying to integrate random third-party devices being that I am so unfamiliar with these devices.
This should all give me a direction at least and rough idea for a BOM.
I really appreciate the replies thus far. I've obviously never worked with this stuff before so I don't really know what I'm getting into. As a point of reference, my experience has all been with industrial automation - Rockwell/Allen Bradley.