Unnamed as yet...!!

First of all, let me say I LOVE this site, it's exactly what I've been looking for for quite some time - Keep up the good work!!

I've been messing about with microcontrollers for a while and thought it's about time I did something a bit more tangible than just flashing LEDs and making servos move back and forth!! So I've decided to make a robot that I can keep extending and adding features to and maybe end up with something cute and fun.

For the time being I'm going to be using a PICMicro 12f675 until the samples I've ordered come through or until I can afford a PicAxe or similar to extend the range of functionality. Unfortunately this will leave me with only 6 pins to play with, but I like a challenge!!

Here are some mock ups I have quickly done in 3D to show what I hope my finished bot will look like.

The challenge I've set myself is to create something with a bit of character and that looks good, and is as compact as I can manage for as little money as possible. A tall order, I know!!

The Ball at the front of the robot will be able to pan and tilt, a bit like a head to give the impression of 'looking' around. I hope to eventuallyincorporate some sonar or infrared rangeing capabilities into the 'head' and maybe some auditory and/or visual feedback too so it can interact with the environment or track objects or whatever I finally decide to use it for!!

I am still very much planning this robot, but any ideas or feedback would be greatly appreciated, even at this stage!

I will be using JAL to program the microcontroller, and mostly using whatever components and materials I have lying around. Wish me luck!!