I got the wireless key-fob working:
Family and friends have been having a lot of fun driving it around.
My end goal is to let the ‘bot talk to a base station connected to a PC. I REALLY want to write an RF bootloader, so I can reprogram without touching the ‘bot. This is the hardware for the base station ( Still need to write the software and firmware):
I ordered a Nordic-FOB from Sparkfun to make the coding for the wireless module easier. While I’m waiting, I decided to hack together a pre-prototype of the deskpet using a Baby Orangutan from Pololu, that has an ATMega168 and an LB1836M, the same motor driver that the real board will use. If you want one of those Baby-O’s, get it quick, because they upgraded the motor controller on it, and the old version is going fast. On a good note, they added the LB1836M to their IC page for me, so they should be much easier to get now.
Here’s a pic of the prototype:
P.S. If you are looking for a cool off-the shelf ‘bot, the 3pi from Pololu looks really nifty. Can’t wait until it comes out…
I finished laying out the PCB during lunch today. Maybe I can clean it up and get it out to BatchPCB for fab by tomorrow morning:
I finally got around to taking some pictures of the base:
