How to Build a Robot for Beginners

When someone mentions the word robot, an impossibly complex configuration of electronic parts and pieces all meshed together comes to mind. However, for the beginner robot enthusiast, a basic robot can be put together and put to use in only a couple hours and--quite possibly--with mostly household items and old toys. With a couple of RC servos, a battery and a controller/receiver combo, a fully controllable beginner robot is well within the realm of possibility.

Things You'll Need

• Wheel base
• Velcro (2)
• Professional grade glue
• RC receiver/controller combo (four degrees movement or more)
• Battery (nickel cadmium or lead acid)
• Servos (2)
• Dual lock tape

Instructions

1. Look around and locate any electronic parts that can be used in your robot. Do you have old toys laying around? Consider stripping down an old radio controlled car for parts. These cars will provide most of the parts necessary for your robot, particularly if the battery is still in good standing and can be salvaged.

2. Strip down the unnecessary pieces of the RC car, including the plastic frame, and leave just the wheel base. Set aside any parts (servos, battery, etc.) that may be used later. Also, locate a receiver and a controller that are compatible. If the RC car is in working order, you can use the receiver/controller combo from this vehicle for your robot. Otherwise, consider purchasing a receiver and associated controller that support at least four degrees of movement (up, down, left, right).

3. Take two pieces of velcro and use professional grade glue to attach them to both the top and bottom of the wheel base. Then, attach the battery to the bottom of the wheel base via the velcro piece, and the receiver to the top of the base in the same fashion.

4. Use dual lock tape to secure the two servos of your robot to the perimeter of the top of the wheel base. They should be located near the wheels and on directly opposite sides of one another.

5. Wire your components together through the receiver. Take the battery leads and wire them to the channel on the end of the receiver marked "Batt" or "Battery." This should be away from where the servos will be wired. Note that the connectors/channels where these connections will be made are located on the end of the receiver.

6. Wire the two servos to the channels of the receiver in a similar manner as the battery. Ensure that the servos are wired to channels that are directly adjacent to one another.

7. Power on your controller and test the movement of your robot. Ensure that no wires drag below the base of the robot and onto the ground. Add any decorations as you see fit to give your robot personality.

Resources

• Robot receivers