Entrry level robot build

[jes1510]

I started working on my little entry level robot build. I am using an old CD case for the chassis. It's pretty sturdy and has a ton of room for a small robot. Everything is held on with double sided foam tape. The battery box is mounted underneath with double sided tape as well.

I ordered a motor control shield from NKCelectronics for this robot. The shield was only $11 and looks like it is perfect for what we want to do.
http://www.nkcelectronics.com/freeduino-arduino-motor-control-shield-kit.html

They also have a cheap serial version of the Arduino that is 100% compatible.
http://www.nkcelectronics.com/freeduino-serial-v20-board-kit-arduino-diecimila-compatib20.html

Radio shack battery holder:
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2062253

Using the motor shield and the NKC Freeduino would get us really close to the magic $50.
Freeduino: $16.99
Motor Shield: $11
Solarbotics wheels and motors: $15.96
AA Battery holder: $1.99
17 x 10 breadboard from solarbotics: 5.95
QRD1114 IR sensors: $5.40 for 4

Total: $57.29 excluding shipping and taxes

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[mrtimklein]

There's likely going to be too much rain to do the yard work that needs to be done, so I might get a chance to start work on mine this weekend. I'm going to begin by combing the scrap piles at home. I know that I've got the Freeduino, some Solarbotics GM-style motors, a couple of 293D chips. I'm not sure what I've got for a surface detector -- perhaps something cobbled together from an optical interrupter.

[jes1510]

You could grab an IR LED and IR transistor from radio shack if all else fails.

[Adrenalynn]

How about the IR emitter/detector pair from "The Shack"? 276-142 [catalog number]

Cheap and fast.

[mrtimklein]

Woo hoo! One of two L293D chips off of an old 8 inch floppy drive controller still works, and I've got it breadboarded and driving a pair of motors swiped from some BIO Bugs. Control is just me tying the inputs to 5v or ground with a pair of wires. The motors pull 80 mA (free running) to 150 mA (slowed with fingers). I'm considering running the 293/motors from a 9v battery (current setup), with a second 9v for Seeeduino power.

At this rate, I'm not sure that I'll have a whole robot ready for Tuesday, but it's something.

As far as edge sensors go, I'm sticking to my "make it from trash" ideals. We'll see how that goes.

Tim

[Adrenalynn]

You gutted 8 inch floppies? Blasphemy! ;)

[mannyr7]

You gutted 8 inch floppies? Blasphemy! ;)
She typed this with toggle switches. :p

[mrtimklein]

The gutting happened twenty years ago, when 8 inch drives weren't quite revered antiques yet. The controller board lived since then as a clock on the shelf -- with one of those clock kits stuck through a convenient spindle hole. Then one day I noticed a little L293D printed on a couple of it's chips ...

Tim