How to Make Simple Follower Robot?
Now this robotic be fancied by many children, especially those using the NXT or the better
known as LEGO. All you have to do is programming it so that it can do something, and appropriate means of sensors used, but the price of Lego robots page is still very expensive. As a solution, we can make a simple robot with much more reasonable price and affordable, it is easy to learn and would be very beneficial for children to sharpen their skills and creativity. Moreover, as the editor team received many enquiries after Darrel Gumulya, Matthew Judijanto, Christian Edwin Pranata, Ivo Christian Kurniadi, and James Janto (7th & 8th graders) showed how to make it in LAPTOP SI UNYIL program on Trans TV, Thursday, 5 February 2009. Therefore, this edition we want to expose it more details.
We need no special skills to do this experiment, just a basic knowledge of electronics is required. Components are easily found in electronic stores.
Equipments needed:
- Gearbox / DC Servo motor with 2 sets of wheels
- Wheel trolley size 1 pc
- Acrylic 20x20cm sheet 1 pc
- Screw & bolts 3x20mm size 8 sets
- Screw & bolts 3x50mm size 2 sets
- Series of sensor light 1 set
- Box Battery contents 4 + battery AA size 4 pcs
Components for the series of Light Sensor:
- PCB board uk. 5X7 cm 1 LBR
- Transistor FCS9012 2 pcs
- Transistor FCS9013 2 pcs
- LDR 2 pcs
- Red LED 2 pcs
- 1K Ohm resistor 2 pcs
- 100 Ohm resistor 2 pcs
- VR10K Ohm 2 pcs
How to…
- Cut the appropriate size Acrylic gearbox and front wheel
- Place the front wheels and the gearbox on the Acrylic
- Create a series of light sensor in accordance to the layout above; for making this sensor, give space to sensor no 1 & 2 between the black PVC insulation. The distance sensor must be wider than the black line (isolation) or it will make the robot sensor unable to work.
- Use Diptrace software (it’s a free downloaded program) to make the PCB; then print it using a laserjet printer with former magazine paper (or any art paper or any slippery surface paper), after printed then iron it in maximum heat until it sticks in the PCB and make sure the paper paste well. After ironing, soak the PCB in the water approximately 15 minutes (depends on how thick paper is), and clean the PCB (as right picture shown). After that, do a chemical etching using Ferric Chloride, and drill and placed the components as shown in scheme.
- Once completed, install a series of sensors in the rear wheel, with a small distance sensor approximately 1 s / d 1.5 cm from the floor surface, and calibrate the sensor sensitivity by spinning the VR10K to check the balancing of sensor 1 and 2.
How to calibrate?
Put the robot on the floor/table with no black line; then turn the VR10K sensor motor 1 to rotate, and put the robot on the sensor position above the black line until it stops, repeat it for the 2nd sensor.
THE MOTOR SHOULD MOVE IF THE SENSOR IS NOT ON BLACK LINE OR THE LED LIGHT REFLECT/BOUNCE THE FLOOR, AND VICE VERSA. IF IT DOESN’T WORK, REDUCE THE BATTERY/VOLTAGE RANGE BECAUSE THE MOTOR CYCLES MOVES TOO QUICKLY. (Mr. Uwo)