Robots (Physical Ones)

So /proggles/, lately I've been getting into building robots and remotely operated vehicles, and I have a problem.

I just can't fucking hardware. I'd consider myself a pretty witty/competent programmer, but I've never really done a project where I need to figure out how to power and operate motors (or even what sort of motors to purchase).

I know I can use an Arduino or something similar for microcontrolling, that's not an issue, but do any of you guys build robots/remotely operated vehicles? If so, are you aware of any guides to hardware that you can share?

Arduino

Enjoy paying $50 for things real hardware hackers can do on a $0.15 budget

>>1
You can take apart a cheap RC car for motors. Depending on what you're intending to do, you could have to buy RC servos. Arduino is indeed expensive, get a $13 diavolino or a TI MSP430 launchpad for less than $5.

>>2
I'm not a hardware hacker at all, I'm a CS student.

>>3
Thanks. Diavolino sounds promising.

My current project is a remotely operated car. It's going to carry a network bridge and operate over my school's massive wi-fi network so that it will have a large range. I want it to be all-terrain and pretty rugged, so cheap RC stuff won't cut it, unfortunately. In addition to the motor problem, I'm unfamiliar with how to power everything too... Maybe a car or lawnmower battery?

>>2
Enjoy paying 100$ to be able to program your PICs, faggot.

>>4

your kind of dense for a cs student
if all you need to do is add wifi functionality to an RC (a tough and rugged one to meet you're specs)  wtf are you doing thinking about lawnmowers n shit?

heres an example of what you want to do, i found it on the site called google.com
http://www.jbprojects.net/projects/wifirobot/

>>6
What about his ``kind of dense''?

(ps. get the fuck out of my /prog/ you rude son of a bitch)

Buy lego mindstorm. Problem solved

Let's see.  Given the above:

T = total price per project
f = upfront investment
n = quantity needed
p = price per unit

f + np = T

$100.00 + 3 *  $0.15 = $100.15
  $0.00 + 3 * $50.00 = $150.00

This confirms my suspicions that the Arduino is for dilettante wankers who are easily led by marketing, and too stupid to use anything else.

>>7

_________

>>9

what exactly are you buying with that $0.15?

>>11

Microcontrollers in bulk, carefully spec'ed out and programmed to meet the needs of the task at hand.

The guy who uses an Arduino to make an LED flash is driving to his mailbox in an overpriced tank.

>>5
What costs $100 and allows using cheap microcontrollers?

>>13
http://www.atmel.com/dyn/products/tools_card.asp?tool_id=2735

Not sure of the equivalent for PIC, as I don't use them.

>>13 >>14
My bad, they appear to have a USB one, now, too (I have the RS-232 one):

http://www.atmel.com/dyn/products/tools_card.asp?tool_id=4254

Using an Arduino is always a good idea, despite the price. If you don't, you will never be featured on hacker blogs.

>>16
0/10

Microchip PICkit3 costs $50
Atmel JTAGICE3 costs $200

AVR Dragon costs $50, but needs additional components to be useful. If you only need programming you can get an adapter for under $20.

>>5
My kind of dense does spend a lot more time thinking about mathematics, algorithms, and puzzles than mechanics, thanks.

>>6
Where's the fun in just putting stuff on a regular RC car though? No hack value to that, sir. I was going to construct the frame from PVC pipe, and go from there. This site did prove useful though, anon, thank you.

>>19
>thinking about mathematics, algorithms, and puzzles

You'll enjoy the challenge of squeezing every last byte out of a proper µC, then.

>>20
I'm looking forward to it.

No, that was one of the first things that was scrapped mechanically. Once you unlock a class you can grind it for as long as you want.

 Hello sorcerer Sanae.