PowerSmart Photovore

 

It's NOT a Popper!

These projects use a circuit based on Wilf Rigter's Solar PowerSmart Head designs, with the intent of creating an entry for the PV Challenge in the Eastern Canadian Robot Games in fall, 2004. The event did not run (just as well, didn't have the bot ready!).

Manta

This was a bicicyle configuration using two Solarbotics GM10s. The aluminum chassis was 4" square but oriented diagonally. The outside corners were folded down to make "training skids".

Bottom View

You can see the nose-wheel steering, using a pinch roller from a little recorder, and the rear drive. The drive wheel is custom made from a cassette drive wheel; it is a little larger in diameter than the SB wheel.

Front End

 Detail of the steering and light sensors. The CdS cells did not work as well as photodiodes. The yellow "wings" are tactile sensors that thoroughly spoiled the sharky look of the chassis! But the drop-down folds of the chassis snagged too easily, so the tactiles had to be wide.

Rear End

Closeup of the drive arrangement. The motor is mounted to a sintra "U" bracket, which in turn is screwed to the chassis. I don't like hot glue and use it only where necessary for temporary mounts.

Unicycle

Dissatisfied with the first prototype, I attached both motors to make a single steer/drive unit. This will be mounted in a tricycle arrangement, probably using my optimal chassis design.

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