DIY Line Following Robot

NewImage

Build a 2pi line following robot. by mark moran via instructables

I recently built my first robot and figured I’d share the steps and results. It is a simple line-follower built on the PlastoBot platform in Gordon McComb’s Robot Builder’s Bonanza and driven by an ATmega328 chip connected to an SN754410 dual H-bridge motor driver. I’m also a big fan of David Cook’s Intermediate Robot Building and website, so I highly recommend anyone interested in amateur robotics check them out.

After building the wood, plastic, and metal bases in the first section of Gordon McComb’s book, my next goal was to make one actually move. I considered adding a remote control receiver and turning one into a DIY RC car, but I wanted my first robot to move autonomously, so I decided to try building a classic line follower.

I had seen several amazing videos of Pololu’s 3pi Robot and I wanted to see if I could build a simplified version. I’ve never seen a 3pi in person, but Pololu has documented everything so well, and their tech support is so helpful that I figured I could find out whatever I needed to know online. This version does not have an LCD display, LEDs, buttons, a timing crystal, or any of the other bells and whistles that the 3pi does, but the heart of it is rather similar – the microcontroller, motors, sensors, power module and software algorithms are taken right from the 3pi, hence, the 2pi.

Read more


Adafruit publishes a wide range of writing and video content, including interviews and reporting on the maker market and the wider technology world. Our standards page is intended as a guide to best practices that Adafruit uses, as well as an outline of the ethical standards Adafruit aspires to. While Adafruit is not an independent journalistic institution, Adafruit strives to be a fair, informative, and positive voice within the community – check it out here: adafruit.com/editorialstandards

Join Adafruit on Mastodon

Adafruit is on Mastodon, join in! adafruit.com/mastodon

Stop breadboarding and soldering – start making immediately! Adafruit’s Circuit Playground is jam-packed with LEDs, sensors, buttons, alligator clip pads and more. Build projects with Circuit Playground in a few minutes with the drag-and-drop MakeCode programming site, learn computer science using the CS Discoveries class on code.org, jump into CircuitPython to learn Python and hardware together, TinyGO, or even use the Arduino IDE. Circuit Playground Express is the newest and best Circuit Playground board, with support for CircuitPython, MakeCode, and Arduino. It has a powerful processor, 10 NeoPixels, mini speaker, InfraRed receive and transmit, two buttons, a switch, 14 alligator clip pads, and lots of sensors: capacitive touch, IR proximity, temperature, light, motion and sound. A whole wide world of electronics and coding is waiting for you, and it fits in the palm of your hand.

Have an amazing project to share? The Electronics Show and Tell is every Wednesday at 7pm ET! To join, head over to YouTube and check out the show’s live chat – we’ll post the link there.

Join us every Wednesday night at 8pm ET for Ask an Engineer!

Join over 36,000+ makers on Adafruit’s Discord channels and be part of the community! http://adafru.it/discord

CircuitPython – The easiest way to program microcontrollers – CircuitPython.org


Maker Business — “Packaging” chips in the US

Wearables — Enclosures help fight body humidity in costumes

Electronics — Transformers: More than meets the eye!

Python for Microcontrollers — Python on Microcontrollers Newsletter: Silicon Labs introduces CircuitPython support, and more! #CircuitPython #Python #micropython @ThePSF @Raspberry_Pi

Adafruit IoT Monthly — Guardian Robot, Weather-wise Umbrella Stand, and more!

Microsoft MakeCode — MakeCode Thank You!

EYE on NPI — Maxim’s Himalaya uSLIC Step-Down Power Module #EyeOnNPI @maximintegrated @digikey

New Products – Adafruit Industries – Makers, hackers, artists, designers and engineers! — #NewProds 7/19/23 Feat. Adafruit Matrix Portal S3 CircuitPython Powered Internet Display!

Get the only spam-free daily newsletter about wearables, running a "maker business", electronic tips and more! Subscribe at AdafruitDaily.com !



No Comments

No comments yet.

Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.