[Rick], an Adafruit learning system contributor, is excited by the implications of STEM’s reach into K-12 education. He was inspired to design Red Rover, a low-cost robot that can be easily replicated by anyone with access to a 3-D printer.
This adorable autonomous rover is based on the adafruit Trinket microcontroller, but will also rove under the power of an Arduino micro. It really is quite simple—the Trinket drives two continuous rotation micro servos and pretty much any flavor of rangefinder you like. [Rick] tested it with Parallax PING))), Maxbotix, and Grove sensors, and they all worked just fine.
What’s truly awesome about Red Rover are the track treads. [Rick] initially experimented with flexible filament. While he had good results, it was not a cost-effective solution. What you see in the picture and the short video after the break are actually rubber bracelets from Oriental Trading.
The plastic part count comes in at seven, all of which can be printed together at once. [Rick]’s gallery includes both small and large chassis and three different servo mounts. The Red Rover guide builds on other adafruit guides for Trinket general use, servo modification, and Trinket-specific servo control.
Update: Added [Rick]’s demo video after the break!
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yw5I9pKP2Uo&start=923]
[thanks Phil]
“micro servers” -> “micro servos”
FTFY
Those treads are really cool, as is the project itself.
An absolutely genius hack to use those bracelets for tracks. I wonder if they will suddenly increase in price as demand ramps up?
FYI:
I really love using those bracelets for tracks. Unfotunately, that online shop doesn’t seem to ship to Europe. I tried to search the Ebay and this looks very similar http://www.ebay.com/itm/12-New-Neon-Bright-Colored-Chain-Link-Silicone-Bracelets-B1232NEON-/221272172353?pt=Fashion_Jewelry&var=&hash=item3384d96741 . Seems like “12 Neon Chain silicone Bracelets” is good search phrase for Ebay, if the link above gets inactive.
Looks like the eBay ones are smaller with fewer links. You may need to modify the design to make it work.
Interestingly, oriental trading’s FAQ and checkout don’t behave as this knowledgebase article suggests:
http://cp-orientaltrading.kb.net/display/4/kb/article.aspx?aid=1283
Just bought some of these… I’ll give them a try and update the guide if needed. If they are smaller, I can do a nano rover!
Well… it looks like they are a little bigger. You’ll probably have to adjust the hub a bit to get these larger bracelets to fit snuggly. Heh… I like that word. Snuggly.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/39340194@N04/11978420956/
I think these are the same bracelets: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Candy-Chunky-Curb-Chain-Link-Silicone-Rubber-Wristband-Bracelet-Bangle-6-Colors-/161126163748?pt=UK_JewelleryWatches_WomensJewellery_Rings_SR&var=&hash=item2583de2524
So do quite a few others, I wonder how confused the seller is right now with the sudden increase in sales?
Bought a couple of the bracelets, this looks like a great robot to take to meets.
Such a large increase that they are out of stock! Fortunately, they still have the Hallowe’en ones on for $8 per dozen.
Just for the record, these just arrived in the post and they are a little larger than the ones used in the original project. They vary slightly in the design, but that doesn’t seem to be a problem.
Now I need to make a second chassis, anyone know where the source files are for this, the stl is hard to manipulate.
Does the moustache improve functionality and is the next logical upgrade a goatee?
Only if you want your robot to turn evil.
For me next update would be a goatse on the rear side of robot.
I want one!
That is awesome, I essentially built the same type of robot back in college. Somewhere before Arduino had become a thing. Forged from a Tamiya gearbox/track kit, two protoboards and powered by an Atmel chip freshly plucked from an STK-500.
Sorta amazing to look at the advancement that has occurred in such a relatively short period of time. I have to admit I’m certainly a little jelly lol
I watched it perform 8 or 9 trials in the video, waiting for the test-runs to be over and hopefully lead into some actual driving-around, before I realized it was looping.
Heh, vine…
I did a show-and-tell where you can see it drive around in a box. Obstacle detection and navigation needs some love.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yw5I9pKP2Uo&feature=share&t=15m26s
Thanks! I have updated the post. Can’t wait to make my own.
Cute. And those tracks are cool. Great idea on the cheap source!
But I wonder about the diagonal tread pattern. If the tracks struggle for traction, wouldn’t the asymmetric pattern cause it to yaw unexpectedly? That might be improved by having the tracks reversed, so each angles in a different direction. But I still wonder if there might be issues when only one track slips.
Still, at less than .80/each, that is crazy cheap.
Wow,nice YouTube movie about how apt install virtual directory, I completely got it. Thanks reserve it up.