How a Remote Controlled Car Works
Remote control cars allow a user to take control of a scaled down vehicle via a remote handset. Playing with these toys has remained a favorite pastime for both young and old for decades.
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Power Source
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All remote control cars require a power source. Rechargeable batteries, such as nickel metal hydride or nickel-cadmium batteries, power small electric motors. Alternatively, some use small internal combustion engines.
Transmitter
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The remote control for these cars contains a radio transmitter which operates on a particular frequency that the receiver is designed to receive. When the user pushes the control the transmitter sends a specific number of electrical pulses corresponding to that action through the air.
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Receiver
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The receiver is situated within the car. It is constantly "listening" for transmissions from the transmitter within the user's remote control. When a transmission is identified it translates the number of electrical pulses into an action.
Servos and Circuitry
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The action identified by the receiver will run through circuitry, directing it to the correct place. This action may mean increasing the speed of the motor; it could also be an adjustment to the servos, which are small electric motors used to adjust the direction of steering.
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References
- Photo Credit radio control image by bluefern from Fotolia.com
