V3 Arduino Autonomous Robot Kit Guide
This is a robotics kit I designed to teach students ages 10 and up the basic concepts in robotics. This was after I saw that no kit met the requirements I wanted my students to learn. Some kits were too basic and mostly just plug and play. I wanted students to wire their circuits and understand how the componets work together. The kit includes electronics, sensors, actuators, programming and a little bit of mechanical components to assemble. The kit is Arduino based so is programmable in a C (Arduino's version). If you have other Arduino kits you can easily adapt these experiments if you have the same sensors, an Arduino board and actuators. This kit has been used worldwide to teach robotics from high schools to college.
STEP 1: Download latest assembly instructions and Arduino programming software
| v3_kit_parts_list.pdf |
| screws_and_ruler_template.pdf |
| power_assembly.pdf |
Download the Arduino Programming Environment for Windows PCs (Windows 7, 8, 10), Linux or Mac OS 10.10 or newer.
Lastest version of the Arduino programming environment https://www.arduino.cc/en/main/software
Lastest version of the Arduino programming environment https://www.arduino.cc/en/main/software
Print this nice Arduino syntax reference sheet and keep at your side when programming
| arduino_syntax_sheet_3.pdf |
Watch this video and read the guide below on how to assemble this kit
| assembling_the_v3_robot_8_7_20.pdf |
STEP 2: Hands-on Experiments. Select each experiment for instructions.
Experiment 1: The purpose of this experiment is to help you install and run the Arduino software, test your robot and create your very first programs. You will learn computer programming basics, wiring a circuit on a breadboard with LEDs, resistors, piezo buzzer for sound effects and creating custom sound effect and songs plus servo motors making the robot move forward, left, right and backwards, spin with pulse width modulation motor control. You will also calibrate your servos, learn the Arduino programming structure and functions plus keyboard control of your robot.
Experiment 2: Introduction to sensors. Program switches (feelers) and also infrared sensors as input sensors to allow your robot to navigate autonomously. Imagine creating your first smart robot already! We start with something as simple as a bumper switch that when the robot hits a wall for example it triggers the robot to go backwards and move in another directions. We will also be introduced to using infrared sensors to detect objects ahead of time before running into them or to follow an object. You will learn about voltage sinking and sourcing voltages, using a mechanical switch to trigger a function and some neat Arduino tricks.
Experiment 3: Sonar sensor (sound sending similar to a radar) and autonomous navigation! We will be installing a sonar sensor and have the robot detect objects in front of it to navigate autonomously. The sonar sensor is mounted on a micro servo so it can scan for objects. This popular sonar sensors will introduce you to timers.
Experiment 4: Infrared remote control navigation. You will read and decode the infrared remote control and use them to send these codes to an IR receiver connected to the Arduino to move the robot in all directions. A fun way to program functions into a remote control and take manual control of your robot. You can program each button to have the robot perform a specific function including a function to set the robot to do autonomous tasks!
Experiment 5: Line following (with a twist) using small infrared sensors mounted on the bottom of your robot . We add a twist to it to follow a line and avoid hitting obstacles at the same time. You should be familiar with detecting objects now. This is a popular and fun competition that many robotics clubs do.
Experiment 6: Build and program a robot that can do sumo wrestling. Two robots sumo until one gets pushed out of the sumo ring. Robots perform by themselves with no human interaction! Using your line following sensors to avoid leaving the sumo ring and infrared sensors to detect your opponent build this fun project. You get to put together lots of the skills learned on previous experiments.
Experiment 7: Bluetooth connectivity. Control your robot and read sensors wireless from your Android phone using Bluetooth. Create your own Android App using the MIT APP Inventor web based programming environment. Monitor sensors using your phone. The possibilities are endless! Any Android OS device only.
Experiment 8: Reading gyroscope and accelerometer values for navigation control. We will learn how a gyroscope and accelerometer work. You will use the values to make your robot react accordingly when going up or down steep slopes. As an add-on bonus we will experiment with Processing by using the accelerometer as a video game controller.
Experiment 9: Let's talk about Processing and how to use your robot kit to make and control video games! This is a fun one from Pong to Flappy Bird style games.
Experiment 1: The purpose of this experiment is to help you install and run the Arduino software, test your robot and create your very first programs. You will learn computer programming basics, wiring a circuit on a breadboard with LEDs, resistors, piezo buzzer for sound effects and creating custom sound effect and songs plus servo motors making the robot move forward, left, right and backwards, spin with pulse width modulation motor control. You will also calibrate your servos, learn the Arduino programming structure and functions plus keyboard control of your robot.
Experiment 2: Introduction to sensors. Program switches (feelers) and also infrared sensors as input sensors to allow your robot to navigate autonomously. Imagine creating your first smart robot already! We start with something as simple as a bumper switch that when the robot hits a wall for example it triggers the robot to go backwards and move in another directions. We will also be introduced to using infrared sensors to detect objects ahead of time before running into them or to follow an object. You will learn about voltage sinking and sourcing voltages, using a mechanical switch to trigger a function and some neat Arduino tricks.
Experiment 3: Sonar sensor (sound sending similar to a radar) and autonomous navigation! We will be installing a sonar sensor and have the robot detect objects in front of it to navigate autonomously. The sonar sensor is mounted on a micro servo so it can scan for objects. This popular sonar sensors will introduce you to timers.
Experiment 4: Infrared remote control navigation. You will read and decode the infrared remote control and use them to send these codes to an IR receiver connected to the Arduino to move the robot in all directions. A fun way to program functions into a remote control and take manual control of your robot. You can program each button to have the robot perform a specific function including a function to set the robot to do autonomous tasks!
Experiment 5: Line following (with a twist) using small infrared sensors mounted on the bottom of your robot . We add a twist to it to follow a line and avoid hitting obstacles at the same time. You should be familiar with detecting objects now. This is a popular and fun competition that many robotics clubs do.
Experiment 6: Build and program a robot that can do sumo wrestling. Two robots sumo until one gets pushed out of the sumo ring. Robots perform by themselves with no human interaction! Using your line following sensors to avoid leaving the sumo ring and infrared sensors to detect your opponent build this fun project. You get to put together lots of the skills learned on previous experiments.
Experiment 7: Bluetooth connectivity. Control your robot and read sensors wireless from your Android phone using Bluetooth. Create your own Android App using the MIT APP Inventor web based programming environment. Monitor sensors using your phone. The possibilities are endless! Any Android OS device only.
Experiment 8: Reading gyroscope and accelerometer values for navigation control. We will learn how a gyroscope and accelerometer work. You will use the values to make your robot react accordingly when going up or down steep slopes. As an add-on bonus we will experiment with Processing by using the accelerometer as a video game controller.
Experiment 9: Let's talk about Processing and how to use your robot kit to make and control video games! This is a fun one from Pong to Flappy Bird style games.
Lectures and References
Lecture 1: Intro to Robotics and Robot Programming 1
Lecture 2: Robot Programming 2
Lecture 3: Robot Programming 3
Lecture 4: Motors, Speed Control, PWM, PID and H-Bridges
Lecture 5: Sensors and Robot Navigation
Lecture 6: Gears Ratios, Pulleys, Sprokets, wheels and Tires
Lecture 7: Industrial Robotics 1, Kinematics and Dynamics
Lecture 8: Industrial Robotics 2, Manipulator Path Control
Lecture 9: Industrial Robotics 3, Robot Cell Layouts
Lecture10: Computer Vision & Artificial Intelligence
Lecture 2: Robot Programming 2
Lecture 3: Robot Programming 3
Lecture 4: Motors, Speed Control, PWM, PID and H-Bridges
Lecture 5: Sensors and Robot Navigation
Lecture 6: Gears Ratios, Pulleys, Sprokets, wheels and Tires
Lecture 7: Industrial Robotics 1, Kinematics and Dynamics
Lecture 8: Industrial Robotics 2, Manipulator Path Control
Lecture 9: Industrial Robotics 3, Robot Cell Layouts
Lecture10: Computer Vision & Artificial Intelligence