My first robot
UPDATED: Code on how to make this sort of navigation inserted below.
My first robot!
I did not have a clue to all the stuff you can buy, and so I thought I was the only one in the world making Robots, and was inventing eveything from scratch..


But.. I actually managed to make some pretty cool code, quite nice navigational system that I have been using in many projects afterwards:
Basics of the code:
Main routine:
Drive ahead!
Pan head from left to right, and back
Constantly return sonar range
When facing green areas:
if sonar range > “interesting” (if there is no obstacles even faaaaar away, an open door or similar to make us curious) and if we did not just do this several times already without seeing anything close, then stop turning head, and start to turn body till head faces an obstacle, or just something far away, or body-turning has ben done for a while. Then continue in main routine
When facing red areas:
if sonar range < “danger” (if something is close in front of us), and head is turned more left than right (in this example):
Turn body a little to the right (away from danger) while turning head a little to the left (towards the danger) - Keep this up until head is in green area, and then continue in main routine

1.000 pics, sorry if this is too much, but I was so much in love ;)






Thanks for asking about the code. i have made a simplified version (without all the extras of this particular robot), just the navigation.
Hardware setup needed for this to turn into something:
1 "Picaxe robot":
2 motors on a motor-driver
1 servo, on which is mounted 1 SRF05
The code below will make this setup navigate like my first robot, featured in video above - you can use belt-track or just a robot on 2 wheels - same code.
Feel free to ask or comment & have fun :)
CODE BEGIN:
EEEH! EEEH! EEEH! ALERT: Since this code is now slowly becoming a "standard" base for quite many projects, I am only updating it one place, you can find the latest version here from now on :)

Awesome!
Wicked Cool,
Any chance we can get the entire code you wrote? I would love to steal some snippits from it!
www.rocketbrandcustom.com baby!!
Yes, of course, I will post
Yes, of course, I will post the code, and I will also make a walkthrough. My wife just gave birth, so I am kinda hung up, but I have breaks, will post shortly!
/ Frits
There you go
Code inserted in the bottom of the post now :)
/ Frits
Thanks fo' da code...
Didn't you read the subject line?
-Thanks-
www.rocketbrandcustom.com baby!!
where you get that fast
where you get that fast motor for the "laser"?
exuse my bad english -I'm from holland-
Hi Peterdwerg, and welcome
Hi Peterdwerg, and welsome here :)
The "motor" is a standard mini-servo.
If you go to any hobby store where they sell servos, you will see that the standard ones mainly come in 2 sizes. And the one I used is the small one "mini-servo". It only has a weight of 9 grams.
Then you will also see that they come in different speeds. The slower they are, the stronger they are.
/ Frits
ok, the "laser" isn't so big
ok, the "laser" isn't so big so you don't need a strong motor.
thanks!
ok, the "laser" isn't so big
ok, the "laser" isn't so big so you don't need a strong motor.
thanks!
You got it!
Both there is no weight, and so you can use light and fast servos - and also, it looks faster because it is turning a light on a stick.
If you are just going for speed, you should consider the motors here (they sell them without the wheels at the site) http://letsmakerobots.com/node/90
/ Frits
Fritz's first robot
The navigation is
The navigation is surprisingly good, especially for your first robot.
One thing I noticed -- did you make those tank treads yourself out of tape? That's awesome :)
Dan
The navigation is what I am
The navigation is what I am trying to push out everywhere;
http://letsmakerobots.com/node/254
It IS surprinsingly good - not because I made it, but it always amazes me, sorry if I sound too happy for my own work :) It is free for download, try it!
Tape is only on tracks to make them skid easier - They where rubber, and the robot suffered. Adding tape made it move MUCH more smooth, and still with plenty of grip.
http://letsmakerobots.com/node/387
/ Fritsl