Building your own robot powered by an Arduino microcontroller is an enjoyable electronics project that can be done using common materials found around the house. With just a few inexpensive parts and some basic skills, you can construct a fun DIY robot that can roam around and be programmed to perform various tasks.
What You Will Need
- An Arduino Uno board - the "brain" of the robot that will allow you to program its behavior. The Uno is very beginner friendly.
- A robot chassis kit or build your own using cardboard, wood, plastic bottles etc. This forms the body or frame of the robot.
- Two gearmotors with wheels and mounting hardware - these will power the robot to move around. Standard hobby motors work well.
- A motor driver such as the L298N to allow the Arduino to control the motors.
- A battery pack - 4xAA batteries work fine to power the Arduino and motors. Rechargeable batteries are a good option.
- Jumper wires for connecting the components.
- Breadboard and some prototyping wires to build circuits.
Planning the Build
Before starting assembly, you'll need to plan out your robot build:
- Decide on a chassis design - this provides the structure that all components mount to. You can repurpose household items or purchase a kit specifically for Arduino robots.
- Figure out the circuit layout - how you'll connect the Arduino, motors, motor driver and power. A breadboard helps with this.
- Consider the placement of components so wiring is direct and tidy.
- You may also want sensors to interact with the environment - ultrasonic, line following and others.
Also have basic soldering skills and wiring knowledge before beginning.
Assembling the Robot Chassis
The robot chassis provides a framework to mount all the components on. Here are some options:
- Plastic boxes or food containers - sturdy and easy to work with. Cut holes for motors and mount with screws.
- Cardboard - an easy choice, just be sure it is stiff enough. Decorate with colored tape.
- ** Lego** - use Technic pieces and bricks to build a chassis. Allows easy modifications.
- Wood - cut a robot shaped frame out of plywood or MDF. Route wires through holes drilled in the frame.
- There are also many ready-made robot kits available for Arduino that include motors, wheels, and a chassis.
Consider the size, weight, stability and aesthetics when planning the chassis. Make it fun!
Wiring up the Electronics
Here are the main electronic components to wire up:
- Connect the Arduino to one side of the breadboard using jumper wires. This will allow you to plug in sensors and other components.
- On the breadboard, insert the L298N motor driver to control the motors.
- Run jumper wires from the driver outputs to the motors. Make sure polarity is correct.
- Connect 4xAA batteries in series to power the motors. Run this through the motor driver.
- Run a separate set of batteries to power the Arduino itself. Use 4x or 6xAA cells.
There are many combinations for wiring things up. Use jumper wires to prototype on the breadboard first before making permanent soldered connections.
Programming the Arduino
The Arduino code gives the robot its intelligent behavior. Some things to program:
- Motor control - make functions to drive the motors forward, reverse, turn, stop etc.
- Sensor inputs - process data from ultrasonic, IR or other sensors to react.
- Logic and decision making - use if-then statements, loops, variables and functions.
- Bluetooth control - make an app to steer the robot remotely.
Start with simple movement scripts, then add more complex interactions and behaviors. The Arduino IDE has example code to utilize.
Testing and Troubleshooting
Before sending your robot on its first mission, thoroughly test all systems:
- Check wiring connections - redo any loose wires and check polarity.
- Test motors - make sure they drive smoothly in both directions.
- Upload code - start with simple sketches to control one motor, then build up.
- Manage power draw - overloading the batteries can cause issues.
- Add bumpers - foam pads protect when colliding with obstacles.
Have patience, go slowly and methodically. Fix issues one by one until the robot performs as expected.
Enhancing Your Robot
Here are some ideas to make your Arduino robot more capable and fun:
- Add sensors like ultrasonic and infrared to detect objects.
- Install a servo to grip and pick up small items.
- Add voice control with speech recognition modules.
- Enable line following to have it navigate tracks.
- Make a robotic arm that can grasp and move objects.
- Build an autonomous lawnmower to roam your yard.
- Give it a personality with sounds, lights and behaviors.
The possibilities are endless! Start simple then keep expanding the capabilities.
So with some basic electronic components, household items and your imagination, you can build a uniquely personal Arduino robot pal. Developing it will teach you much about robotics, mechatronics and programming too!