This post explains the different steps necessary to use a MultiWii compatible board for two axis servo-based stabilization. Many people try to make projects that require stabilization and don't really want to have to worry about programming; fortunately MultiWii comes to the rescue and helps you ge…
Leap Motion Gesture Controller RobotShop recently received samples of the new Leap Motion gesture input device and see incredible potential for use with manipulating virtual objects as well as for control or physical robots. When you first see the Leap Motion device on its own, it's almost impo…
In this tutorial we are going to cover Data Acquisition boards (or DAQ’s as they are better known) and how to program them using FlowBotics Studio which uses the FlowStone graphical programming language inside. Data acquisition devices form the basis of most robotics systems obtai
Barobo Linkbot Barobo's Linkbot all-in-one smart actuators allow anyone without any knowledge of robotics to create and "program" robots. Each actuator is packed with many features including: • Atmel AVR Microcontroller: Compatible with Arduino so you can re-flash with your own firmware usin
The Lynxmotion BotBoarduino, Bot Board II, and SSC-32 are known as great controllers, but some people get confused about VL, VS, and their different configurations. Well, here it is: the definitive Guide to the Power Supply Options for the Lynxmotion Controllers! Before going into the specifi…
Here's a nifty project I found off of Hackaday - how to build your own 16 point (4bit) digital compass. Instead of using the popular 3bit Dinsmore compass the author decided to build his own. The author attached a magnet to a reflective encoding disk. Using four infrared photoreflectors he w…
Zac Soden details his cheap and simple microcontroller, the Pic Processing Unit or PPU.. A couple of years ago I posted an article on the PPU (see page 2) - a complete micro-sized PIC16F84 processor board for robot applications. Since then I have recieved heaps of feedback on the PPU but some re…
A short article on how to build a simple infrared proximity detector. Adapted from the Stamps In Class robotics curriculum. After setting up your robot's motors and letting it run, one of the first things you'll realize, is that most likely it will run straight into a wall.
This year (2001), my parents have assigned me the task of doing a science fair project. After many many brainstorming ideas, I've finally settled on the idea of a project about maze solving robots and algorithms. I read Robot Science and Technology's article about the C* algorithm, with …
We all dream of having appliances and machines that can obey our spoken commands. Well, let's take the first step towards making this happen. In this second iteration of Carlitos' Projects, we are going to build a speech-controlled Arduino-based robot. You may be thinking that makin
This is the first in a series of electronic or robotic DIY projects. These projects are accompanied by instructional videos that will help you trough the many steps involved in completing the task at hand. For this first iteration, we are making an RGB LED Mood Cube. Glowing colour-changing obj
The RoBoard has been controlling robots for some time now. It is a single board computer featuring a Vortex86DX, a 32bit x86 CPU running at 1 GHz with 256MB DRAM, lots of PWM IO for controlling servos, and more. RoBoard RB-110 Single Board Computer A recurring feature that was always asked w
RoombaDevTools.com is a great way to get started hacking your Roomba. You can read a review of the RooStick (at left) over at TodBot.com. It allows you to easily connect your computers USB port up to the Roomba's serial hacker interface. Other nifty products include the RooTooth, which lets you c…
In this article, Jean-Christophe shows you how to maximize the utility you get out of a Sharp GPD12 rangefinder. Overview: This application note is intended to provide a good overview of the Sharp GP2D12 sensor (Fig. 1) and its use, especially for dynamics application. I hope it will…
Craig Gardner shows you how to build an infrared remote decoder - control your robot with a TV remote! Adding a form of remote control to your robot can be fun but radio can sometimes be over kill. Infrared such as used for your TV, VCR and other equipment is a simple way to add control to a proj…
Do not miss the new, up-to-date and detailed How to Build a Robot - Grand Tutorial Series This article lists some ideas for starting a simple robot. A good read for beginners. If you like this article, check out this. How to Build A Simple Robot, The Beetle Robot. This is the first of a series o…
