.
.
The Mini BUG Robot
In last blog post (tutorial) WE were practicing OUR soldering by creating “JOHNNY the ski-man“, a bit “Electronics-Art” using electronics components. In the video below, which I created with the FREEWARE <===> Windows Movie Maker <===> WE see ALSO “The Mini BUG Robot” who gives “JOHNNY” a ride. It is very easy to build that mini robot as there are ONLY six (6) components to solder.
.
.
The schematics
Let us first have a look on the schematics where WE will discover some NEW stuff, a mini motor; in this case it is an “vibration motor” which is used in smartphones. THEY exist as round, rectangular and in disk format, please check <===> Vibration Motor Images <===> in Google searches (images).
.
.
As you can see there is NOTHING special; we just put four (4) elements (2 LEDS, a vibration motor and a tantalum capacitor) in parallel. And we have a switch to switch on/off our circuit. As battery we use a “CR2032“.
Learn more:
.
Click image please to access the article.
.
The electronics parts list
Check below please to find out about the electronic components.
.
Click image please to enlarge.
.
Detailed parts list, supplier and prices
Please find below the detailed parts list as well as the supplier and the prices.
.
|
Item and quantity |
Supplier and order number |
Price |
| 1 x Stripboard | CONRAD: 529531 | 2,19€ |
| Silver wire 1 mm / 14 m <===> +/- 30 cm needed | CONRAD: 607657 | 0,40€ |
|
1 x Tantalum capacitor 47 uF/16V |
CONRAD: 481777 |
2,99€ |
| 1 x Switch | CONRAD: 1377837 | 2,19€ |
| 1 x Button cell holder | CONRAD: 650546 | 1,29€ |
|
1 x Vibration motor from old smartphone |
|
|
| 2 x 3mm LEDs red | CONRAD: 759472 à 0,20€ | 0,40€ |
| 1 x Cell CR2032 | CONRAD: 651088 | 4,19€ |
|
Total: |
13,65€ | |
.
As you can see it is a very cheap project, ONLY 13,65€ and easy to realize! ALL what YOU need is a bit time, passion and here we GO! 😉 Have FUN!
.
The tools needed
Check below please WHAT the tools are that you will need for this project. The small saw is needed to cut out a small piece of 55 x 45 mm from the stripboard.
.
Click image please to enlarge.
.
The soldering
Click image please to enlarge.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Feel FREE to make the wiring and connections as YOU want by following the schematics; on left-hand side you will see how I did it. Fix the vibration motor with a bit hot glue onto the stripboard as well (components side).
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Concerning the legs of the “Mini BUG Robot”: Cut 2 pieces of 9 mm off from silver wire and bend them both sides at +/- 3,5 cm, see PIC please, and solder them onto the stripboard.
.
.
...
Very important
In OUR above project we are using two (2) 3 mm red LEDs in parallel. It DOESN’T work when YOU take two different colors, I tried it out 😉 WHY!??? Please check links below:
- Why exactly can’t a single resistor be used for many parallel LEDs?
- Schaltungen mit LEDs (auf deutsch)
- …
.
.
|
The author Gust MEES is ICT Course Instructor, ”Member of the Advisory Board” from “Luxembourg Safer Internet” (LuSI), BEESECURE, Official Partner (Consultant) from the Ministry of Education in Luxembourg, project “MySecureIT“, Official Partner from the Ministry of Commerce in Luxembourg, project “CASES” (Cyberworld Awareness and Security Enhancement Structure). The author was also a winner of an electronics contest (Germanic countries) in 1979 and got his project published in the “Electronics Magazine ELO”). |
.
Stay tuned for next blog post(s) 😉
.
.
EDU: Digital CitiZENship, CyberSecurity, eSkills, Modern EDU by Gust MEES 