Go Bot, Go!
Pi2Go-Lite is a new fully integrated robot kit that makes it easy to get into robotics with the Raspberry Pi. We speak to its creator about how it works, then build our own autonomous line-following robot.
How to get your Pi to go
Lead Image © lineartistpilot, 123RF.com
There are hundreds if not thousands of things you can do with a Raspberry Pi and that's half of the attraction of everyone's favorite credit card-sized PC. One of the most popular projects, though, and one that has hundreds of its own dedicated add-on boards and associated components is robot building.
It's rarely easy to get started. You need the right motors for the chassis, the correct voltage for the sensors, and a way to power everything for more than 30 minutes without waiting another three hours for the batteries to recharge.
4tronix [1] think they have the answer with Pi2Go-Lite [2] (Figure 1). Like many other solutions, it offers a complete "one stop shop" kit, and all you need to do is add a Raspberry Pi and some AA batteries. It's cheap too, starting at UK£ 30, making it barely more expensive than the Raspberry Pi itself. At that price, of course, you need to assemble everything yourself and it does – even by the maker's own admission – involve quite a lot of soldering. According to 4tronix's build instructions [3], it will take about 90 minutes to put together from scratch.
[...]
Use Express-Checkout link below to read the full article (PDF).
Buy this article as PDF
Express-Checkout as PDF
Pages: 4
Price $2.95
(incl. VAT)
(incl. VAT)
Buy Raspberry Pi Geek
TABLET & SMARTPHONE APPS
US / Canada
UK / Australia
Related content
-
SunRover part 1: Track motor controller/power system
Take your first steps in building a solar-powered robot.
-
Building Rasp Pi into Mindstorms projects with BrickPi
BrickPi lets you build a Raspberry Pi into your Lego Mindstorms projects – you can even connect your Pi to Mindstorms sensors and motors.
-
Create a remote control motorized robot arm
Use an Arduino Mega to manage a 4-motor robot arm and a 2-motor car chassis. The MIT App Inventor package was used to create an Android app that controlled-the robot.
-
Building the SunRover navigation system
The Switch Doc continues his effort to build a solar-powered robot. This month the emphasis is on the navigation system.
-
SunRover Part 2 – Solar Power Controller/Power System
Putting power in your robot is more than just running wires – you'll need to make sure the power supply doesn't cause interference that will disrupt other components. This article explores the problem of electrical noise and describes the design for a multiplexing solar power system.
