A Robot In 2 Hours: We Will Show You How!

Even in your wildest imagination, you wouldn’t have thought robot building would be simple for a tech ‘not-so-savvy’ somebody like you. In less than 2 hours and a budget of $85, you can create your own robot. All you require is a servo, two motors, a few wheels, a Picaxe Controller set, IR sensor, some screwdrivers, wire cutters, soldering iron, etc. However, keep your hopes low because the robot would not be good enough to play your favorite music..well, not yet!Before you get started, lay your hands on a good Picaxe starter pack with USB compatibility, since this would form the crux of your ‘bot. And if servos, sensors and motors sound like Latin, keep a tech dictionary ready! In addition to these ‘important’ items, make sure you get a few ‘not so important, but useful’ items as well. These include a double-sided adhesive tape, wires, LEDs, and a pair of scissors.

The first step to building your robot is fixing the wheels to the motors with the help of some adhesive tape. Rubber bands can serve as tires for the wheels. Check for the balance and smooth movement of the wheels and the servo. The brain of your ‘bot comes next. In the Picaxe board, insert the big chip, microcontroller, resistors and other vital elements. Solder 4 pieces of wire to the A and B holes in the board. The servo should also be connected to the board. The Picaxe documentation will help you with the entire process of matching the reds to the browns, blacks to the reds, and so on. Once this is done, install the Picaxe Programming Editor on your PC. Use the manuals to fix the Jack/USB/Serial, batteries and jack stick. The LEDs can serve as a nice addition. With some programming help from your geeky neighbor, you can test your ‘bot. If the robot turns, twists and shows any signs of activity, you can rest assured that you have got it right.