How to Build a Robot - The BeetleBot

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introHow to Build a Robot - The BeetleBot

Welcome!

I have been in robotics since I was a kid and I am very passionate by robotics. I learn BEAM robotics around 1997-98 and started building robots for a science faire project call "Insectroides" in 2001. http://robomaniac.solarbotics.net ( they change server and the website links does not work anymore it is on Linux and it is CASE SeNsiTIve! ) here is the old one
http://members.tripod.com/robomaniac_2001/index.htm

One of my many robots was the beetle robot, a VERY simple robot that can avoid obstacles on the floor without ANY silicon chip! ( the red ladybug, second picture, is my FIRST beetlerobot )
the red ladybug use a home made PCB carve with a dremel and two playstation motors with rubber wheel from a walkman!

- NO PROGRAMMING
- NO ELECTRONIC COMPONENT

It use
2 - motors
2 - SPDT switch
1 - AA battery holder

I has 16 years old when my uncle showed me the principal of the SPDT switch ( Simple Pole Double Throw). I then took this idea and incorporated the design into the (world famous) beetle robot :P

Now I am 22 and want to show you step by step instructions how YOU can make this simple robot!

here are some videos of my beetlerobot in action!

The beetlerobot in the video is made using a Printed Circuit Board ( PCB ).
This design will be use if I make a kit one day!

Check them all out here!
http://www.youtube.com/jeromedemers

This Instructable is divided into three parts

- You will learn how to build the robot
- I will explain how the robot works
- I will then teach you how to fix your robot if it does not work ( Debugging )

Don't forget to read the complete tutorial before starting! And remember to wear safety glasses at all time because eye injuries ain't worth the risk! It will happen in a blick of an eye.

Have a great time!

ps- Check out Gareth Branwyn book, I made a one motor walker and he made a complete chapter with my robot!! He send me the book call " Absolute beginner's guide to building robots" A very great book!

Maybe I should write a book...

Jerome Demers aka ROBOMANIAC!

Updated july 2007 - I have added some pictures of the inside of my first beetlerobot. Home made AAA battery holder! I have also added some videos on youtube! http://www.youtube.com/jeromedemers

Updated 22 july 2007 - I added a picture and text on step 19 if your robot does not work :P

How to Build a Robot - The BeetleBot

next step »« previous step

step 1All the parts you need

Here ar the parts you will need: '''the robot parts' 2 - 1,5V motors 2 - SPDT switchs mechanically easy to trigger 2 - AA battery 1 - AA battery holder 1 - plasti…

step 2Preparing the parts

Cut 13 pieces of 2,5inch long electric wire. ps- cut 14 if you are supertisious.

step 3Preparing the parts

Now just remove around 1cm to each extremity of the wire. In other word, strip the wire at both end. That is 0.3935 inch to be precise. After that you need to thin…

step 4Group picture

Here is everything you need to start building ok ok I forgot the paperclips and ... what else? MUWAHAHAHA!

step 5start soldering

solder each wire to your parts.

step 6the famous third connection

Here is the principal and most important thing about the beetlerobot. It is call the "third connection" In you AA battery you have 2 wires that provide 3Volts. In …

step 7glueing switchs

Glue your switchs on the battery holder in a V shape. Don't forget to put the blue "third connection" wire in front. I have found a much more efficient way to but the…

step 8glueing the motors

Glue both motors on the battery holder Make sure they spin forward... I have just realise that this does not make any sense at all! :P Look at the third picture ho…

step 9the back caster

Here you are going to make the third wheel, the back caster using a plastic or wooden pearl. You can make something fancy or very simple. I took the BIG paperclip. If…

step 10soldering the brain

Here is the hard part, soldering each wire. Look at this picture and do the same :P One thing that I forgot to do back then, was to use different colours for the wires t…

step 11the antenna!

You are going to give your little robot some way to feel the world. Take the small paperclip and bend them to form some antenna. Glue them on the metal plate pf the…

step 12melting some shoes...

Take the heatshrink and shrink them on the shaft of your motors. Use a lighter to attach them. Yo can put more layer if you want to, different colours. I even saw some …

step 13FINISH!

CONGRADULATION! You made you first Beetlerobot! Cross your finger, put the AA into the battery holder and but the robot on the floor... Does it work? to stop it…

step 14how does it work?

[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Switch]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Switch ps- This robot does not stop the opposite motor when it touch a wall, it REVERSE the opposite mo…

step 15how does it work? - the motor

ok this is simple The electric motor spin when you apply electricity to it. It will spin clockwise and anti-clockwise when you swap the polarity. If the robot spin in…

step 16how does it work? - the motor and the switch

Here is the complete circuit and one half of the beetle robot brain! Click the next step to see how electricity flow in the circuit!

step 17how does it work? - the motor and the switch part 2

Here you can see what happen when electricity flow through the circuit. Check the second picture. So you can see that one battery will power BOTH motor when the robot ru…

step 18Debugging

I hope your cat is going crazy with the robot... maybe your dog? Does your robot go in a straight line? Here is a quick fix. If the robot start rolling in circle you…

step 19any questions?

I hope everythings work's perfectly for you, if no, ask your questions here! I took a picture of a special page from the wonderful book '''Junkbots, Bugbots, and Bots o…

302 comments	Add Comment

1-50 of 302

Dec 12, 2008. 2:20 PMwhillssays:

Wow this is an incredible robot and also very very simple. I have to do it I always wanted to do one and it's my time. Well great work guys Thanks about this information.

Dec 4, 2008. 4:22 AMgrampafishsays:

I couldn't understand the debugging page so i used a translator that i found on Google

Nov 17, 2008. 10:35 PMmoe1243says:

isnt this yours? http://sheekgeek.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2&products_id=29

Nov 18, 2008. 7:31 AMrobomaniacsays:

Yes you are right, it is the exact same thing!

Someone else already showed that to me. Check the first link I saw:
http://www.teachergeek.com/Electrical-Catch_the_Bug_Wholesale_50_Pack_Only_5_38_Bug.html

Patent Pending.... I think they try to patent the plastic mold that hold the motors.
I am not sure.

It is very ugly.

I am working on something much better then that!

Thanks!

Jerome

Sep 30, 2008. 11:42 AMdeffersonsays:

Good Afternoon everybody

I am Brazilian and I am in Brazil.

I study English and I absolutely love robots and eletronics.

The BeetleBot is very interesting and I´ll mount it soon.

Congratulations robomaniac.

Nov 16, 2008. 3:07 PMMigaczsays:

No way!!!

Oct 26, 2008. 6:26 PMrobomaniacsays:

Hey

Thanks Defferson!

I hope you enjoy the sun you have in Brasil, because here in Quebec, it is getting cold!

:P

thanks!

Jerome

Nov 2, 2008. 4:14 AMdeffersonsays:

It's right.

we like that.

Here sometimes is very hot (sunny), but not all days.

I thought you live in the U.S.

Quebec is very cold, but is very beautiful too and Canada is a great country.

Nov 14, 2008. 7:33 AMmoe1243says:

my beetle yay finally finished http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vwKS5celiFs

Nov 12, 2008. 9:09 PMzain66says:

Its an electric motor which runs with the help of AAA size battries of 1.5 v..

Zain

url=http://www.drugrehabcenter.com.ca

Nov 12, 2008. 5:41 PMmoe1243says:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vECGuWKRQw he used your idea without credit.. gj on the beetle i just finished mine just gunna make a shell and then try to keep it from going sideways lol any ideas on how to get it straight?

Nov 12, 2008. 7:03 AMmoe1243says:

k my antennas work but when i press both instead of them both going backwards they stop what can i do!!! and i want to get heat shrink but it comes in a big bunch and its expensive but i just need a bit what do i do?

Nov 12, 2008. 3:58 AMrobertmantesays:

do u really need to half voltage or is that just to save power

Nov 8, 2008. 9:27 PMbaseballfreak47says:

Hey robomaniac great project I originally saw a similar project on uchobby.com i was reading comments and i saw one from you saying he didn't give credit where credit was due. i saw yours. (which is much better i must say) Well getting to the point, I am creating a robotics website and am wondering if i can put your instructable in my website as long as I credit you and the people you credited?

Nov 2, 2008. 3:54 AMtheshadow_razorsays:

Hey question for you robomaniac, in your opinion, would college level education be required to know all that you do about robotics. Is it WORTH it, if I spend thousands of dollars learning how to build robots, as compared to buying lots of kits, and putting the stuff together myself. I am not serious enough about it to go to a college for it, but I am 19 now, and building almost anything interests me. From fake vampire fangs and hollywood fx stuff, to robotics and electronics. I don't KNOW a ton about that stuff, but it really interests me and i'm interested in learning more.

Nov 2, 2008. 5:50 PMrobomaniacsays:

I have learn all my stuff on the internet!

google.com is your best friend.

stay in school so you can get a cool job and healthy life style!

I am studiyng electrical engineering and love it!!

Oct 4, 2008. 4:27 PMMwfranklin67says:

Is it okay to use a AAA battery holder and 2 AAA batteries?

Oct 31, 2008. 9:38 PMDYLEGOsays:

yes they are both 1.5v it will just die quicker

Oct 4, 2008. 4:24 PMMwfranklin67says:

what kind of glue is best to do the glueing?

Oct 26, 2008. 6:21 PMrobomaniacsays:

hot glue is not the best fo real permanent application.

Epoxy is good but depends on how you apply and mix it.

the secret is to make a good grip for the glue.

There is ALL sort of glue for all type of application

May 7, 2008. 3:53 PMiamabeastsays:

I just finished building the beatle bot. Every time I turn it on it starts to breakdance. Any tips to fix it would be nice.

Oct 11, 2008. 6:39 AMsmilespoonsays:

hey nice bot,i hav a science fair at school and i wannna do this.how many wires do i need?around 13?

Oct 11, 2008. 12:54 PMrobomaniacsays:

check the other version.

The beetle robot version 2 is much better and easy to build.

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Build-a-Robot-The-BeetleBot-v2-Revisite/

May 7, 2008. 5:29 PMrobomaniacsays:

change song!

Sep 21, 2008. 6:35 AMknarleydudesays:

cool robot. have you ever trying a mix of robots like beam robotics and bipedal robots.

Jun 13, 2008. 1:45 PMemuman4evrsays:

Uh there selling these at the Radio Shack at my local mall...

Jun 13, 2008. 3:46 PMrobomaniacsays:

you are talking about what?

the battery holder? motors? SPDT switchs?

Don't buy there, they are to expensive.

I remember buying 20 pin soccket holder for 2.99$ at RadioShack and my local electronic store sold them for 20 cent.