The intro project is intended to be an easy starting project for members of CRF. The idea is to provide a starting point that both teaches the basics of robot building and can serve as a platform for further projects. To make it possible for everybody to build a robot, driving down the price of the project kit has been a primary concern, this means that every component has been selected with cost in mind.

Although the kit can be used in many ways the two most obvious uses are a mini sumo robot and a line following robot. If built as described here, both options are available in the same robot, there is no need to decide in advance which one to built.

Complete building instructions with sample code can be found here.

Supplies 5V to control logic and sensors from a higher voltage power supply such as a battery pack.

Each reflex detector can be used to measure the reflectivity of an object, in this project they are used to detect white lines on a black driving surface, either for line following or line avoidance. The gain of these detectors are preset, but the detectors are connected to an analog-to-digital converter allowing setting the threshold between black and white in software.

Powerful 8-bit microcontroller (�C) with room to expand at a good price. In the basic kit the �C runs at 8MHz allowing up to 8 million operations per second. It has 8KB built-in flash for programs and 1KB eeprom for storing settings when powered down. A total of 23 IO pins. 6 channel 10bit A/D converter for reading sensors. A USART for serial communication with for instance a PC. An I2C-compatible interface for communicating with other ICs or external boards such as ultrasonic range finders and high-power motor controllers.

Each motor controller can drive a motor forward or reverse and is rated for motors up to an impressive 60W. Both motor driver is connected to individual PWM outputs on the �C allowing for variable speed in 255 steps in each direction.

The LEDs are controlled by the microcontroller and makes it easy to show the current state of the robot. And it looks nice with some blinking lights

The ISP (In System Programming) connector allows programming the microcontroller while it is in the system.

A simple pushbutton switch that can be used in software to start or stop the robot, change mode of operation, be used as front bumper to detect collision or something entirely different.

2 DC motors
Each motor can be used to drive a wheel on the robot, with two wheels differential steering is possible.

Used for programming the microcontroller. It is compatible with any PC with a standard parallel port, and features buffered drivers protecting the PC from damage i case of a malfunctioning microcontroller or robot.

Using 2 reflex detectors with adjustable gain connected directly to the microcontroller’s external interrupt pins and and tachometer discs on the wheels, current speed and traveled distance can be measured.

Allows the robot to express itself with audio. With beep and tweets the state of robot can be expressed even when the LEDs aren’t easily readable.

Identical to the ones in the basic kit, these can be used in 4 channel line sensor for line following or the rear corners for 360 degree line avoidance.

Gives the robot 4 wheel drive for better steering, acceleration, top speed and pushing power.