Parakeet Platoon Maze Platform

Let's Make Robots Robots
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Update: My robot placed 4th in the touch sensor maze at the National Robotics Challenge, and was nominated for the Honda Inovation award as well! The next step for this robot is to be submitted to Club Jameco for production as a platform/kit. After all, it costs about $60-90 to make, compared to the $140-180 Boe-Bot. I will add a video of its maze run soon.

 

Looking back on how I entered the world of robotics, I wished that I had a sturdy, easy to program Arduino shield and platform. Well, I made what I wished I had. It turned out to be my best looking robot ever! I made the shield in Fritzing (to attach to the Arduino Uno and the robot). The PCB image is attached (it is double sided, the darker wires are on the bottom). I know I have some empty space and rough edges on the pcb, but it still works flawlessly. The body is laser cut plexiglass with a thin black top and thick white core. It is bendable too! I only programmed it to show the h-bridge in action. I have yet to finish programming the sensors.

 

Solves Just About Any Maze (When Completed)

  • Actuators / output devices: 2 dc motors
  • Control method: Arduino Uno with Parakeet Platoon Maze Shield
  • Power source: Rechargable Rc Pack
  • Sensors / input devices: 4 Bump Sensors
  • Target environment: Flat Surface (including ramps)
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://community.robotshop.com/robots/show/parakeet-platoon-maze-platform
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Nice bot.

That is one crazy looking PCB.

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Unfortunately, I did not win

Unfortunately, I did not win the award, as Honda seemed to looking more at the drive train of the robot and not as much at the programming/electronics. I think this is why altapowderdog had his large sumo nominated but not his small sumo: the small sumo being undefeated and large one loosing every round.

However, it is still an honor to be nominated by Honda at the NRC for innovation! I plan on sticking with robots!

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Congrats on the Honor.

May we have some more up close pics of your bot? I would really like to see some more details.

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Way to go Drew \o/ Congrats

Way to go Drew \o/ Congrats \o/

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Thanks kariloy and birdmun!

Thanks kariloy and birdmun! However, my shield was killed right after my 1st run (I wanted it to go faster, so I added 8 volts on top of the 9, taking it to the edge of what the arduino could handle, as well as the shield). Unfortunately, it died and I had to solder on a new h-bridge/wires directly to the H-bridge so I could show the judges my debugging program. I should have a new one built soon enough though!