Robot Rovers
2 hours
Ages 7-13
What Will You Make?
Meet the Rover, a simple and silly robot built with the Hummingbird Robotics Kit that can be easily customized to perform different tasks. Rovers work best using untethered or wireless control.
What Will You Learn?
With this project you’ll learn to use rotation servos to make a rover move straight forward and program the distance sensor to avoid obstacles.
Make a Robot Rover
Prepare the Chassis
Tape one side of the box closed. This will be the base of your rover.
Fold in the tabs on the top of the box.
Prepare the Wheels
Next attach the wheels. Snap the X-shaped servo horn onto the rotation servo. The wheel will snap onto the top of the servo horn. Secure the wheel and servo horn into place with the small, black screw included with your servo hardware. Repeat this process for the second rotation servo.
Attach Servos
Hot glue both rotation servos onto the base of your rover. The servos should be oriented so that the servo wires point towards the back of the rover.
Attach Battery Pack
Hot glue the battery pack to the center-rear of the rover.
Attach Caster
Hot glue the ping pong ball to the base of the battery.
Run the Wires
Run the wires into the box. Using a blade, create a small X in the side of the box, near the rotation servo. Use a pencil to widen that X into a larger hole. Feed the servo wire into the hole.
Repeat this step to create holes for the other rotation servo wire and the battery pack wire.
Add Headlights
Next give the rover some headlights. Create 2 X’s along the front of the rover. Feed the Tri-Color LED wires into the box through the X, until just the LED bulb is sticking out of the box.
Repeat this process with the second LED.
Create Steering Wheel
Now create a steering wheel by drawing a circle. We traced the masking tape roll, but your steering wheel can be any size and shape, so long as it fits inside the box.
Cut out the circle. Hot glue a servo horn to the center of the circle. We used the round servo horn, but you can use any servo horn that is available.
Push the steering wheel onto the position servo shaft. Hot glue the position servo into the rover so that the steering wheel is centered in the front.
Mount Distance Sensor
Mount the distance sensor by cutting 2 small cardboard tabs from the scrap cardboard and hot gluing them to the top-front of the rover, so that they stick up like 2 prongs. Slide the distance sensor over the prongs to secure it in place.
Plug in Hummingbird Components
Plug your components into the Hummingbird:
Servo Port 1: Driver left rotation servo
Servo Port 2: Driver right rotation servo
Servo Port 3: Position servo/ Steering wheel
Tri-Color LED Port 1: Tri-Color LED/ Headlight 1
Tri-Color LED Port 2: Tri-Color LED/ Headlight 2
Sensor Port 1: Distance Sensor
Note: If you are using the Hummingbird Duo, the Servo Ports 1 and 2 will be replaced with Motor Ports 1 and 2.
Create Your Character
Draw a character. It can look however you want. Because you don’t see the character’s feet, you can just draw your character’s torso.
Our character was cut from a piece of cardboard that was 15cm by 25cm.
Attach the Character
Fold out the rear flap of the rover. Place your character in the box so that it leans against the rear flap.
Create a bracket to hold the character in place. Cut a small triangle from the scrap cardboard. Hot glue the triangle to the back of the character. Secure the triangle to the rear flap.
If you’d like, you can create some hands and hot glue them to the steering wheel.
Need More Help?
Get more details and watch videos of the building process on the Birdbrain Technology website.
Program a Sensor
Distance Sensor
A distance sensor is a component that collects data based on how close or far you are to the sensor. The range of the distance sensor is 1 to 260 cm.
Use the video tutorials to learn to program using the distance sensor, as needed.
Rotation Servo
The rotation servo is a motor that can rotate at different speeds.
Use the video tutorials to learn to program using the rotation servo, as needed.
Program the Sensor
Determine the threshold for when something is “close.” Program your rover to go forward until it senses something is “close.” When something is close, make your rover stop, turn, back up, etc, to navigate around the obstacle.
Check out this example code.
What Is Happening Here?
Servos
This robot uses 2 servos to control a 2-axis head. A servo (a.k.a. servomotor) is a rotary actuator (mechanical device) that allows for precise control of angular position, velocity and acceleration. It consists of a motor coupled to a sensor. The micro:bit controller sends signals to the servo when the buttons are pushed that make the servo arm change position.
What Is Next?
Robot Parade Float
Decorate your rover to become a robot parade float. As a group, decide on a theme for your parade. Design your robot rover parade float that fits the theme chosen for your class.
About CodeJoy Education
CodeJoy (Kelsey Derringer and Matt Chilbert) created a live webinar studio that captures the essence of what it means to learn in a classroom. They combine multiple cameras, studio-quality video production, and thoughtful teaching to create an authentic classroom experience that you can join from anywhere. Think of a CodeJoy class as a live, fully- interactive TV show. CodeJoy uses humor, special effects, and narrative storytelling to engage and educate students about robotics and coding – allowing students to control REAL robots in REAL time during the session. Classes can serve large or small audiences, from a single classroom to an entire district!
Materials:
- STRUCTURAL
- Box
- Ping pong ball
- Recyclable materials
- TOOLS
- Box cutter
- Scissors
- Tape
- Hot glue
- DECORATION
- Permanent markers
- Pipe cleaners
- Feathers
- Googly eyes
- Art supplies
Suggested Technology:
- Hummingbird Robotics Kit - Find out more HERE.
- Computer, Chromebook, iPad, or tablet for programming
Additional Resources:
Vocabulary:
- Chassis: (“CHAS-ee”): the body of the rover.
- Wheels: 2 rotation servos, provide power to the rover
- Caster: something that can balance the rover, sometimes another wheel, in our design this is a stationary ping pong ball
