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How to Build a Robot at Home
Do you want to learn how to build your own robot? This is easy and quite cheap
to do! The tutorial below will instruct you on how to build a BeetleBot, which
moves very similarly to a Roomba. This is a great introductory robotics project
for almost any age or experience level.
2 small motors (these can be found in some toys and in electric
toothbrushes)
2 SPDT or 3-way switches
1 AA battery holder (with space for 2 batteries)
1 piece of metal (roughly 1x3, aluminum works well)
2 spade connectors
Heat-shrink tubing
1 small bead
A handful of paper clips
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Fit the heat-shrink tubing to the wheel on the motor. Cut a piece of the tubing
just a little longer than each wheel, fit it onto the wheel and shrink it using a lighter or
the soldering iron. You may wish to put a few layers in increasing diameters to really build
up the tires.
Glue the switches to the backside of the battery holder. Glue the switches to the
back end of the battery holder on the flat side. This should be the end which the wires
come out of. Place them at an angle in the corners, such that the contacts farthest from
where the lever-looking metal bar goes into the device are touching at the center line of the
device.
The levers, which are the switches themselves, should be at the outside, near the
wires.
Things Youll Need
Steps
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Place the metal strip. Place the 1x3 strip of aluminum just behind the switches,
center it, and then bend the excess down at a 45 angle. Glue it in place with hot glue.
Let it set completely before moving on.
Attach the motors to the metal wings. Using hot glue, attach the motors to the bent
down sections of metal such that the tires are touching the ground. You will want to
pay attention to the charge markings on the motors, as the tires will need to go in opposite
directions. Make sure that one motor is placed upside down, as compared to the other.
Form the back wheel. You will need a back wheel so that the robot doesnt drag.
Take a large paperclip and form it into the outline of a TARDIS or a house, with a
medium-sized round bead at the peak. Place it at the opposite end from the protruding
wires and hot glue the ends of the clip to the sides of the battery holder.
Solder the robot. You will need to use a soldering iron and solder to connect all of
the electrical wires between the components of the robot. This must be done carefully
in order to ensure that it works. There are several connections you will have to make:
First, solder the connection of the two switches.
Next, solder a small wire between the two center connections on the switches.
Solder two wires, one from the negative motor and one from the positive motor, to
the final connection on the switch.
Solder a longer wire between the remaining connections on the motors
(connecting the motors to each other).
Solder a longer wire between one of the back connections between the motor and
the back section of the battery holder where the positive and negative charges
meet.
Take the positive wire from the battery holder and solder it to the center, touching
connections on the switches.
The negative wire from the battery holder will go to the center connection on one of
the switches.
Create the feelers for the robot. Cut the rubber/plastic ends off of the spade
connectors, open up two paper clips (until they form a shape like a bugs feelers), and
attach the spade connectors to the feelers with more heat-shrink tubing.
Attach the feelers to the switches. Attach the feelers to the switches using the
spade connectors and glue (if you need it, they should clip or slip on just fine).
Turn it on by putting in batteries. The robot should move in much the same way a
roomba does. It just wont clean your floor. Probably. Congratulations! Make sure to
teach your little guy the Three Laws of Robotics.
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You can create a shell for your little robot using household items and
otherwise customize it to look however you would like it to. Just be
careful not to impede the connections or wheels.
Be careful using all tools.
Dont put the batteries in the battery holder until youre done. You dont
want to shock yourself.
http://makezine.com/projects/make-12/beetlebots/
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Categories: Robots
Recent edits by: Annalee Reid, Jordan, Hailey Girges
In other languages:
Italiano: Come Costruire a Casa un Robot, : , :
, Espaol: Cmo construir un robot en casa, Portugus: Como Construir
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