Line Following Robot Car Kit

 DIY, Easy, Informative, Project, Robotics  No Responses »
Dec 142017
  

A fun project kit for learning hobby electronics. This kit (amazon link) (ICStation) is suitable for almost any age hobbyist but if younger than 12 it would be wise if someone older and with a little more experienced helped.


On the big track.

Put together and ready to test.

Really enjoyed putting this little line following robot car kit together. Instructions in English are available here in PDF: WHDTS Smart Intelligent Robot Tracking Car Assembly Manual

LM353 Dual Operational Amplifier

The magic for this little robot is performed by an LM353 IC. It’s a sweet little Dual Op-Amp processor.
DUAL OPERATIONAL  AMPLIFIER 8 DIP. The LF353 is a JFET input operational amplifier with an internally
compensated input offset voltage. The JFET input device provides with bandwidth, low input bias currents and offset currents.

Kit Parts

One little detail is the assembly manual shows the LM353 installed incorrectly. Here’s a picture of the right orientation.

The parts come loose in a plastic bag so step one can be identifying what are the parts are and where they go on the Printed Circuit Board (PCB) chassis. If you’re helping a youngster put this kit together you can instruct them in reading the resistor codes or using a multimeter to identify the ratings of the resistors so placement on the PCB is correct. The PCB is really well marked so placement of the components is readily obvious as to the correct location even without referring to the instructions. The one-and-only critique I have is in the English instructions the picture of the LM353 in the socket is wrong. The right way is pin one (marked with a small circle) facing to the front. I’ve attached a picture above of the LM353 IC correctly placed. You can have a lot of fun and learning putting this kit together and understanding the theory behind the way the LDRs (Light Dependent Resistors) detect the difference between the black of the line and the white of the area outside the line. And the way this information is used to keep the Robot Car on the right path.

Well marked component locations.

 

Arduino Robotics

 DIY, Project, Robotics  No Responses »
Apr 222017
  

This eBook on Arduino Robotics is really worth your time to look over as it deals with all sorts of fun projects like a wall following robot, segway type robots (list below) and just so much more. If you like it I hope you track down a real copy that you can hold in your hands.

Paperback is just $13.95

Click here to sample this book.

 

 

Linus the Line-Bot
Wally the Wall-Bot
Making PCBs
The Bug-Bot
Explorer-Bot
RoboBoat
Lawn-Bot 400
The Seg-Bot
The Battle-Bot
Alternate Control

Check out all our Arduino eBooks

ARDUINO REMOTE CAR USING BLUETOOTH HC 05 ANDROID APP CONTROL

 Bluetooth, DIY, Easy, Project, Robotics  No Responses »
Sep 082016
  

If you’re looking for a robotics project to build. And if you want to be fun, quick, and easy this is the robot project for you. I found it at https://www.hackster.io/lovelyideas-in/arduino-remote-car-using-bluetooth-hc-05-android-app-control-3da97d  Mr. Jones Kys did a wonderful job developing this. Everything you need is available for download, including the Arduino sketch, schematic, and Android app.

Bill Of Materials:

  • Arduino – Uno,Nano, or Pro-Mini will work. Possibly others as well.
  • HC-05 Bluetooth module
  • Two DC motors and a chassis (you can be creative with the chassis)
  • L293D Dual H-Bridge motor driver
  • Power source (I used two 18650 Lithium Ion Rechargeable Batteries)
  • The Arduino IDE software (available for free at https://www.arduino.cc/en/Main/Software)

The rough prototype.

I put this together using an Arduino Pro-Mini and HC-05 Bluetooth module. An Arduino Nano would also work perfectly. I powered this using two Lithium Ion rechargeable batteries. I ran the hot lead to the RAW pin on the Arduino Pro-Mini. And the 5 volts for the Bluetooth module came from the VCC pin on the Arduino Pro-Mini. I am looking forward to cleaning it up as well as possibly including encoders on each wheel to solve the issue of one motor turning faster than the other, which causes the bot to veer off a straight line.

 

Motor with encoder wheel and two encoders.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You can see in the picture what an encoder looks like and also pictured is the encoder wheel you mount to your axle that spins inside the two protrusions on the encoder. Also you might notice the 0.1uF capacitor I soldered between the two terminals on the motor. That cuts down on theEMF emissions from the motor that can interfere with the radio signal.

Here’s a short video of the robot/car in action.

 

You can download everything you need and check out the project at:

https://www.hackster.io/lovelyideas-in/arduino-remote-car-using-bluetooth-hc-05-android-app-control-3da97d