Experimental Robot-Ideas needed

@valerio

An Arduino CNC plotter shouldn't be hard to build just maybe expensive with sourcing the hardware required.

Maybe a remote control "robot" like this:
https://dronebotworkshop.com/nrf24l01-wireless-joystick/

An obstacle avoiding robot might be a bit boring to watch after a few minutes. Yes, autonomous navigation is complicated.

Maybe something like this?
https://www.instructables.com/XY-Plotter-Drawing-Robot-Arduino-Polargraph/

There are other things like that on the internet that might give on going fun after construction.

I seem to remember a little robot with a pen and stepper motor wheels that you place on a sheet of paper and it can be programmed to draw stuff.

@valerio Hi Valerio. That's an interesting bunch of projects. Is this a school project, or personal. 

@zander They are all personal projects.

I guess you can r2d2 because of that me or you is a fan of starwars but because it has lot of space to camera or electronics or even more batteries. it has a large wheel bass allowing you the freedom to change the center of mass. And, I am not telling make it as expensive as 10,000$, but just 100$. You can make it out of abs sheets. 

It's just a suggestion you have to decide 

I think I would use WiFi instead of Bluetooth... I have to admit bias, since my library is already made and does all the heavy lifting.  But from a practical standpoint:

1. Further range than Bluetooth
2. Better wall penetration than Bluetooth
3. Higher throughput than Bluetooth
4. Can use Web Development techniques for Client - Write once, runs on everything - iPhone, Android, Linux, Windows, Mac.  Don't have to write dedicated Aps.
5. Simultaneous clients, say... use phone to act as hand-held remote control, while laptop is getting real-time telemetry... graphing, history, etc.
6. Far richer development environment for client side.

My robot is Childs Play compared to your walking one, but I built it solely as a test bed for more software development on my web-library. https://forum.dronebotworkshop.com/user-robot-projects/inqling-a-test-mule/    I hope to go to our town's library today so I can upload content on my project.  I finished a client doing the control of my robot and hope to do a video and upload.  No way I can upload Gigabytes worth of vid from my house.  At least till I get Starlink. 😉 

As for an Idea...

I've been curious about the rotating Lidar.  It would be an intermediate step between the ones you mentioned (obstacle avoidance and autonomous navigation).  I always prefer to tackle large problems into intermediate milestones.  You could map from one location... get your web client to graphically show the map from one location, then move the robot and get another "snapshot".  Then the software side of integrating the two and start to build up the memory map of the robot's environment.

VBR,

Inq

@valerio - Made it to the local library so I can actually do searches in under thirty minutes... Don't know what your budget is, but I was thinking something like this unit and since you're quite adept at making things move, 😉 it'd be easy (for you) to make it scan around.

"https://www.amazon.com/Single-Point-Compatible-Rasppbarry-Communication-Interface/dp/B088NVX2L7/"

https://www.amazon.com/Single-Point-Compatible-Rasppbarry-Communication-Interface/dp/B088NVX2L7/

@inq

Your idea a map-making robot seems great.

I can replace the bluetooth remote with control from a computer, since you can see the surrounding environment thanks to the LIDAR.

I still don't think I would use wifi, as bluetooth serial modules seem simpler to use.

Anyways, thanks a lot for your ideas, they look really interesting.

@valerio Sorry for jumping in, but I am looking for some Bluetooth help, specifically examples of how to transmit music over bluetooth to something like a bluetooth speaker (Alexa). Can you point me to a library, my searches are not helping.

@zander Sorry, but I don't know how to do that.

Posted by: @valerio

I still don't think I would use wifi, as bluetooth serial modules seem simpler to use.

I understand.  You've got a lot invested in the MPU's you're using.

Although, I don't actually use a separate module... I use an ESP8266 to do all the WiFi, Web Server, Web Socket communications AND do all the controls of the robot.  I've finished uploading the ino file (109 lines).  It only requires 3 lines of code to implement the WiFi/Web Server portion.

Server code https://forum.dronebotworkshop.com/postid/30198/

The next posts after that shows the client side files and then the final video demonstrating the whole thing.

@valerio - I've made several crude wheeled robots ... with "vision" using TCRT5000L and HC-SR04.  Finding them wanting, I think my next experimenting would be with the "Time of Flight" modules available.  Because I've  Googled them in the past, this one showed up on my feeds that you may be interested.  I like the idea that it gives you multiple location reading at one time (8 x 8).  Adding it to some turret type arrangement, you could just scan around and let it take care of the vertical element.  Digging into it a little more, looks like its available in convenient break out boards and even an Arduino library.  I think I'm going to get one to play with.  It does not look like it is available in main-stream Amazon / eBay, but is at Digikey and Mouser

 VL53L5CX

Article - https://www.industry-asia-pacific.com/news/45968-time-of-flight-8%C3%978-multi-zone-ranging-sensor-from-stmicroelectronics-enables-innovative-applications

Library - https://www.arduino.cc/reference/en/libraries/sparkfun-vl53l5cx-arduino-library/

Breakout Board - https://www.st.com/en/evaluation-tools/vl53l5cx-satel.html

or... Sparkfun versions - https://www.sparkfun.com/search/results?term=VL53L5CX

Edit - Amazon does have it after all

"https://www.amazon.com/SparkFun-Qwiic-Mini-ToF-Imager/dp/B09YWSLVV9/"

https://www.amazon.com/SparkFun-Qwiic-Mini-ToF-Imager/dp/B09YWSLVV9/

@inq

Thanks for the suggestion, but I already have an infrared rangefinder, it was supposed to be used on the four-legged robot.

I was think about putting it on a servo so that it can rotate 180°.

It probably isn't necessary to make it rotate 360°, as the robot won't reverse too often.

Posted by: @valerio

@inq

Thanks for the suggestion, but I already have an infrared rangefinder, it was supposed to be used on the four-legged robot.

I was think about putting it on a servo so that it can rotate 180°.

It probably isn't necessary to make it rotate 360°, as the robot won't reverse too often.

Do you have a link to your infrared rangefinder?  I'd like to check it out.

VBR,

Inq