Autonomous Bots - Arduino powered

Manager: Derek Seigler
Team: George, and a cast of may others ...
Premise: Take an old RC car that has outlived its usefulness, add an arduino possibly a motor controller, a sensor or two and build an Atonomous vehicle that can navigate a basic track.

Goals and Summary:

Atonomous Bots -  Born out of the first Arduino classes, autonomous bots are a fun easy project to learn Arduino programming and circuit bending.  We race in the parking lot when the weather is warm and the beer is cold.

The Premise: Take an old RC car that has outlived its usefulness, add an arduino possibly a motor controller, a sensor or two and build an Atonomous vehicle that can navigate a basic track.  

What you need:

•  Arduino
• Motor Controller Shield (Optional if you have the right RC Car
• An old RC car, preferrably working when you start
• Sensors of choice Ping (SR-04 or Parallax), Infra-Red, Bumper Switches, Feelers etc.
• Servos (optional but useful)

In theory these bots are easy to build.  It practice the hardware can be quirky at times an programming for exceptions in your environment can be quite challenging.  We have had 2 races this year with more to come in the Spring.  Get to the Arduino classes today and begin your quest for Bot racing gold.