LFT - CD Line Following Robot
My first project was to build a small line following robot, as this seemed to be
something which most people built first. After sifting through dozens of
websites looking for information about line following robots, I didn't really
find what I was looking for.
I remembered reading an article somewhere years ago about using everyday Compact
Discs (CDs) as building blocks for robots. They're lightweight, easy to work
with, a good shape and most of all we all get them through the door, in
newspapers and not to mention the Coasters we end up with burning CDs.
- The Basics -
I found some spare CDs and immediately inspiration struck. I'm POSITIVE I'm not
the only person to have used CDs for this purpose, and there will be other
sites out there with their own ideas about how to go about this, but this is MY
way :)
First off I found some nice little low voltage motors and gears, which made the
job of the moving platform easier. I've since found plenty of better
alternatives! The item I found has a multi ratio gearbox, which meant I
can play around to get a good base speed for the bot, and then tune the speed
later using the software. (Component Link)
The picture shown on the site above isn't what these gearboxes look like, but
the pictures of stage 1 of construction show them much better.
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