How to Make a Simple Solar Powered Robot

Robotics may be useful for research and automation, but there is still a long way to go when it comes to a good power source. Long life for a hard working robot just isn’t realistic, especially if it is going to be deployed as a combat robot. One way around this problem might be the use of free energy from the sun. In this article you will learn to create a robot that mimics the behavior of a sunflower—that is, following the movement of the sun. The robot you will build does not require any batteries.

Things You'll Need

• Solar panel
• Printed Circuit Board (PCB)
• Motor

Instructions

Make a solar powered robot that follows the sun

1. Connect the solar panel to your PCB via soldering the connections to the diodes, transistor, and the motor.

2. Connect a large circle magnet to the axil of your small DC motor.

3. Glue the magnet in place, and let it dry.

4. The Magnet is the base for your solar powered robot, which will turn to face the direction of the sun. The solar powered robot is complete.

Tips & Warnings

• Look for sub assembly PCBs at your local electronics store. This could save you the time of building your own PCB. You will need a PCB that includes a couple of diodes, a transistor, and a connection for hooking up a small DC motor.