Recently a funny robot idea came into my mind - The Sparkler.
What does it do?
The Sparkler is a tank track robot. It drives around and waits till you clap your hands. If you clap your hands, it puts a sparkler out of its container (similar like a quiver for arrows), lights it off, waves during the sparkler burns and throws the spent sparkler then away. Yes, defenitely outdoor enviroment is recommanded. And I rememeber now, Picaxe has the music tone playing option "Happy Birthday". What a birthday surprise!
Main things to do:
• Design a robot arm, which is able to put out sparklers from the container like arrows from the quiver, wave and throw it away.
• Hack a storm-proof piezo ignited lighter (temperature sensor DS18S20 or similar could be used to assure the light off procedure):
Lighter actuator suggestion:
Because I only want to use one MCU output pin to trigger the lighter, we have to be a little bit tricky:
If the Picaxe output pin 7 is high, pin 2 of the CMOS hex inverter 4049 is low and pin 4 high. The motor starts to turn in one direction till micro switch 1 separates pin 4 of the hex inverter from the h-bridge input 2. Both h-bridge inputs are now on low level - the motor stops. If the Picaxe output pin 7 is low, pin 2 of the hex inverter is high and pin 4 low. The motor starts to turn in the other direction till micro switch 2 separates pin 2 of the hex inverter from the h-bridge input 7. Both h-bridge inputs are again on low level and the motor stops.
Here is my robot hand, which will grip and hold the sparkler. I like to use epoxy plates for my robots - Easy to cut, drill and glue (superglue) and very stable. I plan to use two more servos for the complete robot arm.
Just tried to play some national anthems. Many applications thinkable...Birthday, wedding, soccer world cup. I think I call the robot Celebrating Bot --- CB :D