BrutBot

This is BrutBot.

He is my first robot and is based on the Arduino UNO with the Adafruit motor shield and a Parallax ping))) sensor.  I started with a "start here" kit but grew impatient with fried picaxe chips and infrared sensors, so I decided to try Arduino with an ultrasonic sensor instead.  

I came up with the idea of using an empty deodorant container one day during the summer, so I washed it out and started working on the design. 

I hadn't worked on BrutBot for quite a while, but I was inspired to keep working after going to Maker Faire and meeting Chris the Carpenter, robotgoldfish, and ignoblegnome.  I enjoyed talking with Chris and seeing all of the great robots at the table.  I just want to thank Chris for encouraging me and my passion for robotics and I really hope he (and the people at Let's Make Robots) likes my final product!

Update: 10/7

I had the idea last night to use one of Radio Shack's "Digital Sound Modules" to record and play back a sound through BrutBot's speaker.  My parents had some friends over from Boston today, but I got them to drop me at Radio Shack while they were at the grocery store. 

Replacing the Playback switch was a little tricky, but I figured it out and used a 2n3904 transistor to control the sound with my Arduino board.  Right now, he says "I can't find my teeth!" which my dad's friend recorded as a test, but I plan to change his saying. Maybe a slogan from a Brut commercial?

Any suggestions?

I hope to make the following improvements ASAP:

• Edge Detection
• Put the speaker on the back of BrutBot to use
• Work on BrutBot's code to make him a little "smarter"
• Some type of bump/collision sensor