Blue Lightning
Builder: Byon GarrabrantBlue Lightning is my first line following robot. It was built for the November 2004
PAReX robot competition in Phoenix, AZ, my first robot competition.
I started by buying a dark blue 4' x 8' sheet of Sintra (PVC). This provided PLENTY of chassis material, as you can see in most of my future bots. It is very easy to work with, cut, screw into, etc.
I mounted an ARC 1.1 Controller for the robot brain to the top, and wired it to a hand wired line sensor board with 8 sensors to detect white vs black.
I sandwiched two Solarbotics motors bewteen the PVC, and mounted the batteries below. The ARC can drive the motors directly with its on-board H-bridge.
I cleaned up the wiring to the sensor board, mounted everything, and had it line following with minimal code.
Even at max speed, it had no problems staying on the line, so I figured I needed bigger wheels to get more speed. Greg had made some bigger wheels, but it still wasn't fast enough.
I had Greg design and Pololu cut some large 6" diameter wheels out of acrilyc, and found rubber band to use as tires. The bot look a little silly, and people laughed, but they wouldn't be laughing for long...
Since the sensors no longer reached the line, so I added a long "nose" the to bot, and mounted the sensors out on the end with a couple small casters.
It was now running nice and fast, so it was dubbed Blue Lightning, and it took first place in the PAReX line following event.
The ARC was moved to the bottom of the bot to give it a electronics-free top view. Then the ARC was replaced with my own home made "Minimal Brain" board, and taken it to compete at the LVBots Challenge, where it also took 1st place.
I let Timmy race it in the second LVBots Challenge. It is currently pieces due to the glued PVC sheets coming apart. I plan to repair it, and keep it on the bot shelf. My first home built robot was a success!
