Thanks to James for writing in to share this project with us! Check out the full build on hackster.io
For a year, I have been buying AdaFruit’s new Feather based items thinking that at some time I would build another tracked vehicle. Now I didn’t want to invest again in another platform that required special software/code to make work. I also wanted a robot controlled via my cellphone or tablet (Android/Windows vs Bluetooth BLE/Wifi).
I had experience with RaspberryPi, Arduino, PcDuino, Particle, Photon based WiFi enabled vehicles programmed with Python or C++. Most of these vehicles were built upon similar code samples.
The hardest thing about building this project would be soldering the headers on each of the 6 Feather based boards.
This project was going to be based upon the option to utilize either the Feather HUZZAH with ESP8266 or the 32u4 Bluefruit boards as the controller with the Motor FeatherWing and the FeatherWing Doubler to drive the Tracked/Tank/Wheeled platform of your choice.
My choice of vehicles were many, since I had 2-wheeled, 4-wheeled, and tracked based platforms on hand. I chose a tracked tank platform from Sainsmart.
PLEASE DOWNLOAD and review appropriate Adafruit training documentation from their website for each component utilized. It is very informative and is helpful and required to setup access and control in used by each module.
Featured Adafruit Products!
Adafruit Feather HUZZAH with ESP8266 WiFi: This is the Adafruit Feather HUZZAH ESP8266 – our take on an ‘all-in-one’ ESP8266 WiFi development board with built in USB and battery charging. Its an ESP8266 WiFi module with all the extras you need, ready to rock! Read more.
DC Motor + Stepper FeatherWing Add-on For All Feather Boards: A Feather board without ambition is a Feather board without FeatherWings! This is the DC Motor + Stepper FeatherWing which will let you use 2 x bi-polar stepper motors or 4 x brushed DC motors (or 1 stepper and 2 DC motors). Using our Feather Stacking Headers or Feather Female Headers you can connect a FeatherWing on top or bottom of your Feather board and let the board take flight! Read more.