MAKE ROBOTS

How to make your robot

Welcome in my blog 

Everything here is so easy, that after you have gone through it, you can make a robot in a couple of hours. Why can't you do that now?

Because there are so many little things you need to know. This is an attempt to let you know exactly all these little things, and nothing more. Fast, and based on 2 years of experience of what people need to know to get started. If you hurry, you can run through this, and be robot builder in a couple of hours. But expect to use a good weekend - Learning takes time - even though it is very easy, it just takes some time, all the little things to get to know :)

There are other "How to get started building robots" out there. This one is focusing on getting you around everything extremely fast. You need no knowledge of ... anything. And you will learn everything... well, the basics of everything ;)

Materials needed

It used to be a hassle to buy the materials, because not one single webshop was carrying everything needed, and you had to buy from several shops.

Good news is that LMR have started a cooperation with Solarbotics, one click get's you all the parts:

You can get everything needed for the project here, in "The LMR Bundle"

- And if you buy it there, you even support us, so we can keep hosting letsmakerobots.com

Everything you need can also be found in webshops, and via Google, if you do not want to buy the LMR bundle. And as it is sold in webshops, you can get it where you are, in any country.

Mechanical Tools

·         Essential

o    Small screwdriver set
These small screwdrivers are necessary when working with electronics. Don’t force them too much though – their size makes them more fragile.

o    Regular screwdriver set
All workshops need a multi-tool or tool set which includes flat / Phillips and other screwdriver heads.

o    Needle nose pliers
A set of needle nose pliers is incredibly useful when working with small components and parts and is a very inexpensive addition to your toolbox. These are different from regular pliers because they come to a point which can get into small areas.

o    Wire strippers/cutters
If you are planning to cut any wires, a wire stripper will save you considerable time and effort.  A wire stripper, when used properly, will only remove a cable insulation and will not produce any kinks or damage the conductors. The other alternative to a wire stripper is a pair of scissors, though the end result can be messy.

o    Scissors, ruler, pen, marker pencil, exacto knife (or other handheld cutting tool)
These are essentials in any office.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=51TgbvcNwCQ&feature=player_detailpage

How to make a Remote Controlled 

Robot Car????

Hi friends,

At this time, I have created a hub on technology and on how to make a remote-controlled robo toy car.

Here are the tips to make it:

COMPONENTS REQUIRED:

1. Chassis.

2. Remote Control Kit

3. Batteries.

4. Motors.

5. Wheels.

CHASSIS:

The main frame of the robot, the body which holds the motor, wheels, the receiver of the Remote Control kit and the batteries.

Motors can be used to drive a car which uses differential turning mechanism. This is the simplest steering possible and is achieved by turning one motor on and the other motor off to achieve steering. The on and off controlling of the motors is done by using the remote control.

The chassis is where you can really apply imagination to make the chassis as light as possible and suitable according to the challenge. What is essential to realize is that the weight of the motors is pretty standard and can't be reduced beyond a certain extent. In a robot with limited power supply (i.e. a battery) the power to weight ratio has to be kept maximum. This can be done by limiting the weight of the chassis. Chassis can be made out of:

1.    Wood (using right angles to attach motors, drilling and attaching the front wheel is easy)

2.    Plastic (not easily available, but if found makes a very light chassis).

3.    Metal (Most common chassis which is available at Lamington Road, not recommended 

because the motors can get misaligned very easily resulting in poor turning).

4.    Duct tape (alone can be used to attach the motors to each other, makes a fairly sturdy 

yet light chassis) 5. Plastic Pipes.

In a race, the lightest chassis is usually the best, whereas in a Robowars kind of challenge, a heavier chassis might be advantageous.

REMOTE CONTROLLED KIT:

Making a remote control kit at the beginners level is a hard thing to do. I would suggest you go in for a readymade kit which is available online and requires no experience to run and is fairly a beginner proof.

Check out

www.robokits.org

BATTERIES:

Used for supplying power to a remote controlled car, rechargeable batteries are usually the best ones. I suggest you visit this shop called Pitambara at Lamington Road which sells only batteries. Otherwise a standard 300-500 RPM motor runs well between 9 to 12 volts, and alkaline batteries of the brand Camelot or Zinc carbon batteries of brand Hi Watt. The appropriate series parallel combination can be used to provide more power than a standard battery can provide.

MOTORS:

For a remote control car, we use Geared DC Motors. A DC motor is a low torque, high RPM motor which has to be geared down to reduce the speed and increase the torque. The gearing is done internally in motors available in the market.

Motors convert electrical energy of the batteries to mechanical energy, which is used to drive the wheels. Motors should be of around 300-500 RPM and can be bought for around 200 INR (4 US dollars according to the current rate) at either Hindustan Electronics or Servo Electronics, both at Lamington Road. These motors should be connected with their shafts in a line with each other such that differential turning mechanism works.

WHEELS:

Wheels are mainly of two types in this basic car, one is the type attached to the motors at the back, which are used for steering, and another trolley (castor) wheel in front, which allows 360 degrees free rotation and avoids friction on the ground. The wheels can be put on the shafts either by using screws or by wrapping the shaft with masking tape first. The trolley wheel and masking tape are available at any Hardware Shop. The other two wheels may be bought out from a good collection at Servo Electronics.

Links to refer online for remote-controlled toy car making tips:

General Robotics in India (good forums, good to get an idea of the scope of robotics beyond human controlled robots):

www.roboticsindia.com

www.societyofrobots.com

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/booksbybibin/ (a good tutorial on basic electronics)

Happy Motoring..........

V-Bot: Radio Control Car to RC Robot Transformer

Remote controlled car making tips and resources

·         Radio Control Race Car Kit (Build yourself) by Elenco
Educational toys, games, and software make learning fun! Learning is fun with knowledge adventure's interactive software games.

·         Re: how to build a remote control car (how does it work)

·         Building RC Cars - Tips for Building Fast Remote Control Cars
Building tips for making rc cars go faster and handle better.

·         Howto: Make A Robot Car - Part 1: Overview | BlogCadre

·         Build an RC Car or Truck - DIY Radio Controlled Cars and Trucks
From a kit or buy your own parts and plans, building your own RC car or truck can be the ultimate thrill for the RC modeler. Find plans, instructions, and project ideas to build your own RC cars and trucks.

·         http://imakeprojects.com/Projects/screwdriver-rc-car/
This radio-controlled vehicle is made from cheap cordless screwdrivers, a couple wheels, and an old R/C controller unit. It uses no electronics other than the R/C controller itself, and it steers without any need to pivot the motors or wheels.

Hey kids, create your own now

A kid playing with a remote-controlled robo car

Robo car which can convert into a humanoid robo also

Assemble an all-new RC car.