SimpleBot the 5 Minutes to Build Robot. This is `the bot` for experimenters who are anxious to make their first robot and get it running. It`s held together with tape, so you can take it apart and experiment.

The example Simple Bot uses a couple of gearMotors with wheels, battery pack, etc..

One of any starting roboticist`s issues is making the robot base. In this case, the robot`s base is made out of the bodies of the gearMotors themselves. Simply arranging the gearMotors, then taping them together allows the experimental roboticist to take the starter bot apart and put it back together again.

NOTE: Don`t Forget to put a picAxe 08m chip. In some cases, depending on where you get your picAxe motor controller chip, you will have to replace the 08 with 08m, or write your own code... If pin3 high there`s an object... and check before you make the motors run!

Though Simple bot is taped together with black electrical tape, you can hot glue it together to make a permanent Robot. Think of this project as an idea generator, an inspirational project that is pretty much a two-wheeled differential drive robot with a drag wheel.

You shift the weight of the battery pack towards the rear for a drag wheel rather than shifting forward (need a front tricycle type wheel). Or balance it with back and front draggers like the upright RFL inspired Robot...

Simple bot drags a wheel made out of a soda pop twist off cap so it can freely slide around.

Parts Needed:
2 - GearDrive Motors
2 - Wheels (D ring, fits the geardrive)
1 - 4 X AA battery pack
1 - IR Detector (could make it yourself)
1 - 12 " or so of #12 wire (makes dragger)
1 - Motor Driver Board
1 - Power on/off switch

Recognize the schematic? That's right, it's the same picAxe 8m motor controller, so the only difference is the IR detector is mounted on the front of the pc board. Otherwise it's the same thing with different software, except in the test driving videos, the software is exactly the same. And don't forget to "flip" one or the other of the motor wires, so one of the motors turns in the opposite direction

Here is the program listing for the little bot... It's just a basic wall-follower, so it's not too astonishing.

Here's the software listing:

'-------------------------------------------------------
'
' picAxe MOTOR Control for 08m chip
' interrupts drive evasive tactics
' SOUNDS: Using 3-level A/D Converter output
' Created by: Jim Huffman
' Rev 0.1 November 11, 2007
' Rev 1.0 December 02, 2007
' Using the AXE motor drive combo board
'
' Rev 2.0 December 31, 2007
'-------------------------------------------------------
'
' Initialize System Wide Values
'
' Directives
' Select and initialize chipset
#picaxe 08m ' this is: picaxe08 in the setup that
' comes with the board
'#terminal 4800
'
' System resources
symbol m1 = 0 '(leg 7)
symbol m1en = 1 '(leg 6)ADC1
symbol m2en = 2 '(leg 5)ADC2,PWMout2
symbol IRsense = 3 '(leg 4)
symbol m2 = 4 '(leg 3)ADC4
' (leg 1 Vdd, leg 8 = Vss, leg 2 = Serial In)
'
' Motor Control constants
' speed control

symbol R = w0
symbol y = w1
symbol z = w2
symbol alrmCnt = w3

'
'--------------------------------------------------------
' Code Blocks:
'
init:
' set pins 0,1,2, 4 as outputs
let dirs = %00010111
let pins = %00000000 'set outputs low initially

random R
pause 1000

' Stop Motor
gosub move_stop 'don't go anywhere yet
pause 1000
'

setint %00001000,%00001000

'
'
main:
gosub move_forward
random R
pause 100

goto main
'
'
'--------------------------------------------------------
' Move this baby OUTPUT 2
move_forward:
let pins = %00010001
return

move_backward:
let pins = %00000110
return


move_stop:
let pins = %00000000 'kill everything!
return

turn_right:
let pins = %00010010 '
return

turn_left:
let pins = %00000101 '
return


interrupt:
' sertxd("The value of R is ",#R,13,10)
gosub move_stop
gosub move_backward
pause 300
gosub turn_right
pause 30
pause b1 'add a random spin around time
gosub move_stop

setint %00001000,%00001000

return