How to Build a Simple Arduino-Powered Robot That Cleans Your Bathroom Floors

Building your own robot to clean your bathroom floors may sound intimidating, but it's actually quite achievable with basic electronics knowledge and components. In this guide, I'll walk you through the full process of constructing a simple cleaning robot powered by an Arduino microcontroller.

Selecting the Right Parts and Materials

The first step is gathering the right electronic components and structural materials to build your robot. Here's what you'll need:

Electronics

• Arduino Uno - The "brains" of the robot that will control the motors and sensors. The Uno is inexpensive but powerful.

• Motor driver - An L298N dual H-bridge motor driver allows the Arduino to control two DC motors bidirectionally.

• DC motors - Two geared DC motors drive the robot's wheels. High torque motors work best.

• Ultrasonic sensor - Mounted on the front, this pings out ultrasonic waves to detect obstacles ahead.

• Battery pack - A pack of 4-6 AA batteries powers the Arduino and motors. Rechargeable batteries are ideal.

Structural Materials

• Chassis - The base of the robot, made from a plastic cutting board or acrylic sheet.

• Wheels - Two rubber wheels fit onto the DC motor shafts. Get substantial traction.

• Caster wheel - A swiveling wheel in the back stabilizes the robot.

• Zip ties and screws - To fasten the electronic components and wheels.

• Enclosure (optional) - A plastic food container protects the electronics.

Assembling the Chassis

With the parts gathered, it's time to assemble the basic chassis:

Cutting the Chassis Board

• Use a jigsaw to cut the chassis board into a rectangular or square shape approximately 8" x 10". Round the corners to prevent cracking.

Mounting the Motors

• Mark locations near the rear of the board for the two motors, spaced apart the same width as the wheels.

• Drill holes to accommodate the motor shaft height. Zip tie each motor in place.

Attaching the Caster Wheel

• The caster wheel goes in the front. Drill a hole and use zip ties or screws to fasten it. This completes the basic chassis.

Adding the Electronics

Next, we'll mount all the electronic components to bring the robot to life:

Arranging the Circuit

• Lay out all the components on the chassis first to visualize the circuit flow.

• The Arduino powers the motor driver, which controls the motors. The sensor connects back to the Arduino.

Securing the Arduino and Breadboard

• Use zip ties or adhesive to firmly mount the Arduino near the front and a small breadboard for the sensor circuit.

• Connect the motor driver pins to the Arduino following the wiring diagram.

Linking the Ultrasonic Sensor

• Mount the sensor module to the front of the chassis angled downward.

• Connect the trig and echo pins to the breadboard, then jumper wires back to the Arduino.

Connecting the Battery Pack

• Use hookup wire to connect the motor driver and Arduino Vin pin to the positive and negative terminals of the battery pack.

• Optionally, mount the pack on top of the chassis or in an enclosure.

Programming the Arduino

Now for the software that makes the robot function autonomously:

Importing the Required Libraries

• In the Arduino IDE, import the NewPing and AFMotor libraries that contain useful functions for ultrasonic sensors and motor control.

Writing the Motor Control Code

• Use AF_DCMotor objects to control the two motors, with parameters for speed and direction.

• Write functions for forward(), backward(), turnLeft(), turnRight(), etc.

Adding Obstacle Avoidance

• In loop(), continuously ping the ultrasonic sensor to check for obstacles.

• If distance < 20 cm, stop and reverse before turning to avoid collision.

Putting It All Together

• Finally, have the robot drive forward by default, pinging the sensor, and reacting to obstacles.

• Upload the code and watch it drive around and avoid walls! Debug as needed.

Constructing the Body and Finishing Touches

A plastic enclosure gives the robot some personality:

• Use hot glue to affix a food container or Tupperware upside down on top of the chassis. Cut holes for wiring.

• Decorate as desired - googly eyes, markers for arms, etc. Let your creativity run wild!

• For extended runtime, mount a larger battery pack externally or internally.

• Improve traction by switching to treaded wheels or adding Velcro.

With some basic skills and electronics components, you can construct a fun Arduino robot that dutifully cleans your floors! Start simple, then enhance the design for more features. A rewarding DIY robotics project awaits.