Hello all. I am looking at building a robot for a capstone project in a computer information systems class I am in. I am wanting to build something tracked that has a pan/tilt platform on top and I already have plans for the way I am going to build the tracks, I know what microcontroller platform I want to use, but the rest of it, I need help picking out parts for. The biggest issue is that I need to be fairly low budget. I want to start with a smaller version, which I see as a 8 inches to 1 foot long so I can use that to see if anyone I know would be willing to contribute financially towards the full size version.
1. Motors - I can’t really get a feeling for how much power something has by just looking at ratings, so I have no clue what to even start to look at.
2. Batteries - I need something with decent bang for the buck, without being too big or heavy for the rest of the thing. I like lead-acid because of the cheap factor, but would cheap cordless tool batteries work?
3. Motor controllers – I can probably build something, but if there’s one that is affordable, even better
4. Wireless system - I plan to make it computer controlled by Bluetooth or WiFi in the end, but for testing, I will need a standard controller
5. Accessory mount movement – I don’t know what to use to control the pan and tilt movement of the accessory mount. I figured it would be best to use a servo for the tilt mechanics since it only needs at most 135 degrees of tilt control. The problem is I need it to be able to support a decent sized camcorder. For the rotation, I figured a motor would be the best idea since I need full rotation. I was planning on connecting the motor to the turntable via chain or direct gear and then using a rotary encoder on the turntable to sense where its facing.
If anyone is selling anything that would be useful for this, I would love to know. I have no objections to buying used.
I think I remembered the vast majority of my questions, and I look forward to your experienced answers.
Thanks
PS - Judging by the number of verifications, i have a feeling that some members like turning their creations free on the website...