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4WD RPi Robot Thread

wct097

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Purchased one of these:



Whippersnapper Runt Rover (637156)

My goal is to control it using my Raspberry Pi B+ using a wifi connection. Ideally I'll be able to control it over the internet as long as it's connected to any internet connected wifi.

Initially, I'm going to start with just controlling it over local wifi using the command line to run scripts. Have some experimenting to do. The easy way to make it run would be to have a single dual motor driver chip with both motors on each side wired up to the two outputs. Basically a 2-channel control with two motors per channel acting in tandem. I'm curious about the possibilities if I control each motor independently. Want to play with driving it using one wheel at a time, two wheels and how skid steering works with different combinations of wheel input.

Fun project to play with. Would be cool to upscale it and build a big outdoor bot, complete with the ability to self charge or dock for charging, to drive around my property while I'm at work.

Will post up pics of the progress. Depending on when my stuff gets delivered, I may have something to show by the end of the week... likely the end of next week.
 

wct097

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I think I can accomplish the following with this thing.

* RPi control of bot
* Independent motor control for all 4 wheels, though the likely result will still be both motors on a side working in tandem
* Isolated electrical systems between the bot and the Pi (bot battery can die, Pi & camera still alive)
* Ability to power on/off the bot's electrical system (low power or sleep mode)
* RPi camera for remote operation (already done)
* RPi "phoning home" whenever it's connected to a known or open wifi network (already done)
* Sending commands to RPi from cloud based server
* Maybe a mobile app to control it through the cloud based server
 
To each his own, but you seem to have some sort of fetish with having a zillion projects going on at once. This project is an utter waste of time when you have a disassembled tractor and all the other shit you have going on.
 

wct097

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To each his own, but you seem to have some sort of fetish with having a zillion projects going on at once. This project is an utter waste of time when you have a disassembled tractor and all the other shit you have going on.
I'm not wasting time playing video games lately, so I may as well waste time elsewhere. Gotta have something to do in downtime other than watch TV, you know? Not really sure how my tractor project plays into the conversation, but I actually need to call the machinist today and see what the deal is with the tractor engine.
 

Justin

Damn.
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To each his own, but you seem to have some sort of fetish with having a zillion projects going on at once. This project is an utter waste of time when you have a disassembled tractor and all the other shit you have going on.
This is the precursor project to his autonomous drone tractor project!
 

Brock

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To each his own, but you seem to have some sort of fetish with having a zillion projects going on at once. This project is an utter waste of time when you have a disassembled tractor and all the other shit you have going on.
:bigrofl:
 

Justin

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Too bad you can't autonomously drive a broken tractor. Although, I guess you wouldn't have to worry about wrecking if it just sits in the same spot all day.
Rebuilding engines on his TJ and M3 were precursor projects to rebuilding a tractor. These things go in stages Scooter. :jump:
 

wct097

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Only on JU can a thread about a fun science project turn into a personal bashing fest regarding the OP's various interests and activities. :clapping:
 
Only on JU can a thread about a fun science project turn into a personal bashing fest regarding the OP's various interests and activities. :clapping:
:beerchug:

You can use your autonomously driven tractor to pull weeds from your garden while you are shooting your guns.


Joking aside, it just seems like you tend to have a ton of projects that in some cases are not really related. My comment was more geared towards that in regard to it seeming like you hop around from one thing to another randomly. I had trouble finding time to clean my boat, much less have the time to focus on all the projects that you have. If you can swing it, by all means, go for it. Just from a ten thousand foot view, seems like you have a shitload of stuff going on.
 

wct097

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Few of my projects take me a ton of time on a regular basis. The tractor has been sitting pending a quote and work done by the machinist. I don't expect to spend more than a few hours here and there on this one. Would be cool to do the super advanced version with some manner of autonomous functionality, but I doubt that'll happen.
 
Few of my projects take me a ton of time on a regular basis. The tractor has been sitting pending a quote and work done by the machinist. I don't expect to spend more than a few hours here and there on this one. Would be cool to do the super advanced version with some manner of autonomous functionality, but I doubt that'll happen.
One of my co-workers programmed his Pi to run his satellite antenna tracking system. The tracking system is in his garage attic, and he controls it from work. It is a work related activity, but nowhere in our office to permanently place satellite antennae, so he just used his house.
 

wct097

NPD Club President 2021-2022
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One of my co-workers programmed his Pi to run his satellite antenna tracking system. The tracking system is in his garage attic, and he controls it from work. It is a work related activity, but nowhere in our office to permanently place satellite antennae, so he just used his house.
I can already see a pile of practical uses for the stuff. Really cool, IMO.

Also, I disagree that I'm all over the place with interests though. I like technology and mechanical stuff. Almost everything that has my interest falls into those categories.
 

wct097

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It begins. Forgot one of the grounds on the right side of the top chip. Waiting on more stuff to come in. Everything needed to complete the circuit will be here tomorrow. Dunno about bot kit & motors though.

 

wct097

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Got the stuff delivered to the office today. Put it together after hours but didn't have time to do much more than validate that I can make it go forward and backwards. Rotating in place on carpet seems like it won't happen with this little guy. Too much traction and not enough torque. Fast enough to crash into the wall and have the USB battery go flying off. Going to bring some zip ties, soldering iron, and cutters with me tomorrow. Might get it firmed up a bit on my lunch break. Want to be able to leave the Pi running on it's battery, but have it cut the bot off to save power so that I can fire it up at will.
 

wct097

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Got it moving forward and back, but my MOSFET based on-off system wasn't working as I expected and thus I was pulling the leads for the battery packs out.... hot lead fell against one of the motor control wires and the Pi started smoking..... no more RPi B+. :teary:

Good thing I still have a B, 2, and 3....
 
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