Arduino Robotics

[jeff77]

After watching a robotics competition a couple of years ago my son became interested in it so I checked online to see what basic components are used by the students in the robotics competitions. Schools have robotics clubs that start at 2nd grade and go all the way to University. My son is in 2nd grade now but there is not a robotics club at his school yet. For Christmas I got him an Arduino Uno micro-controller that came in a land rover/tank kit. Basically what you do is connect the Arduino to your computer via USB and enter commands to make it do things. What we have done so far is assemble it, download the software and make it move forward autonomously and control it using the keyboard on the laptop with the USB cord attached.

Anyway...we are completely new to this stuff and I was just wondering if anyone here may have some experience with it.

 

[TOG]

They use Lego Mindstorms at the school where I used to work, and they really like it, both teacher and students.

The TOG​

 

[Jesse]

Can you use a smartphone to control it? Or are you limited to the USB to your computer?

Sometimes you can download an app to control RC's.

 

[Kathi]

My grandson is into robotic engineering.At this point that is what he wants to major in.He has a free ride through college which is nice.

 

[jeff77]

Can you use a smartphone to control it? Or are you limited to the USB to your computer?

Sometimes you can download an app to control RC's.

Right now we have only been able to control it with the keyboard with the USB cord attached. It can be wireless, but I don't have the parts for that. One other thing that we have been able to do is program it to go forward when you turn it on (even without the USB attached). We just copy and pasted a code that we found in the online instructions to make it do that. There is a way to program it to move in any direction for the distance you want, but I haven't figured it out yet. What some of the students at the show had to do was program their robot to move through a maze all by itself. Some have sensors that detect the walls and some competitions you just calculate distance.

 

[jeff77]

They use Lego Mindstorms at the school where I used to work, and they really like it, both teacher and students.

The TOG​

I came across Lego Mindstorms when I was shopping online. They look very cool, but were a little too expensive. Although they were not near as expensive as some of the other humanoid robots.

 

[jeff77]

My grandson is into robotic engineering.At this point that is what he wants to major in.He has a free ride through college which is nice.

That is very interesting. At what age did he show an interest? Ask him if he has heard of the Arduino brand, Im sure he probably has.

 

[Kathi]

That is very interesting. At what age did he show an interest? Ask him if he has heard of the Arduino brand, Im sure he probably has.

At about 13.I will ask him.

 

[Jesse]

Right now we have only been able to control it with the keyboard with the USB cord attached. It can be wireless, but I don't have the parts for that. One other thing that we have been able to do is program it to go forward when you turn it on (even without the USB attached). We just copy and pasted a code that we found in the online instructions to make it do that. There is a way to program it to move in any direction for the distance you want, but I haven't figured it out yet. What some of the students at the show had to do was program their robot to move through a maze all by itself. Some have sensors that detect the walls and some competitions you just calculate distance.

You are probably already aware, but I saw they had a forum: http://forum.arduino.cc/index.php?action=forum

I looked the tank up, that looks like a blast and it looks like you can really go advanced on it! You are a cool Dad!

 

[jeff77]

You are probably already aware, but I saw they had a forum: http://forum.arduino.cc/index.php?action=forum

I looked the tank up, that looks like a blast and it looks like you can really go advanced on it! You are a cool Dad!

Thanks Jesse, I have been looking for info on that website, but I never thought to check the discussion forums. Maybe I will find something useful there. I am so new to this kind of thing that all the terminology is like a foreign language.

 

[Jesse]

Thanks Jesse, I have been looking for info on that website, but I never thought to check the discussion forums. Maybe I will find something useful there. I am so new to this kind of thing that all the terminology is like a foreign language.

I imagine you will be able to find someone on there to help you, or maybe there is already a thread on it. I hope it's an active forum, I didn't check that part.

You might also want to check out youtube, you will probably find people have posted a ton of stuff there. Probably overwhelmingly so.