Building first robot

[Duster]

I am wanting to build my first robot this summer. I would like to use a pic with programing to control it but i need to take some baby steps to get to that point first.

I figure that i should design the base of the robot nothing more then wheels and battery's. I think that i should start by just inputting the directions to the motors and what not before i start using a pic. I think that i should use 2 motors one for each of the back wheels and just one wheel in the fron that rotats. That way i can basically turn each motor on/off for direction and inverse the input to motor for reverse, and was thinking of using say a switch for each thing( i.e. if 1,2,3,4 are high motors 1 and 2 forward if 1,2 are high and 3,4 low motor 1 forward and motor 2 off) or something to that effect. I am not set on how i am going to do this so if i am going in the wrong direction plz tell me.

Basically there are alot of websites i have read but none i have found focus on the real basics. I would like to know what kind of motor i need to look for, what kind of ic that might help me accomplish this goal of inputs and outputs as i described above or should i use pic. And any websights that i should look at that might be helpful if you have any. Thanks for any help you can give.

 

[kizzap]

I myself am thinking of doing something like this. I'll share with you a few little hints.

A-do lean towards using a PIC. It may not be economic to write your code up for the first time so i would advise you to look for some on the internet

B-with the base i would recommend if it is not going to be run on carpet to go for a two wheeled design. so that it doesnt completely loose its balance put some rests(just wire bent to shape) on the bottom. I am making my base circular with the wheels centered so that it is easier to control and manuver

C-when you are talking about the swithes i think you are talking about a H-bridge. they are the most common things that people use to control motors. they can either be made from transistors or a dedicated IC(I'm not sure but i think that there was a tutorial that used an IC from the 74 series IC's)

Hope this helps

Kieran

 

[Mullemeck]

if you don't know anything about pic programming i suggest that you fist tries to blink whit som leds an small experiments before you starts with your robots.