Here is the robot I made in my Freshman Electrical and Computer Engineering intro class.
This is a programmable robot that can store 256 commands which consist of 4 functions: Left motor, right motor, led, and buzzer circuit. The robot is programmed by entering each command into memory, it will then execute for the duration of one clock cycle (which is adjustable) every command entered once the key pad is removed and the start key is pressed.
Several students modified the robots and they held a little competition where we tried to pull the most weight, complete an obstacle course, be best of show, or go the fastest. I entered the contest for "best of show." The modifications on this robot consist of 6 additional transistors, and lots of resistors. Basically what I did was hook the circuitry from a pocket equalizer (the ones that make machine gun, air-raid, and other various annoying noises) up to the speaker driver so every time you would program the buzzer, it would make a machine gun noise. I also hooked up a Gattling gun that I made out of paper and hooked it to the same output of the buzzer driver input. The 6 LEDs on the front of it trace outwards when the led button is pressed. I did win the contest.
Before I started this class I basically knew Ohms Law (thanks to Capital Center, a program offered by PCC to High School students) and basic fundamentals. I now know how to use the transistor to do "cool stuff." In this class I also learned more about, Op-Amps, Flip flops, zener power rectifiers, and various gates like AND NOR inverter etc.
E-mail Jeff Mucha and tell him how
you like the robot.
