Salvaging Help

[hangar]

So I've read the excellent $50 robot tutorial and poked around for other advice, but I think I need some more specific pointers in my case. I'm a programmer and I think I can figure out how to make the chassis for my robot, but I need some help in figuring out where to start with the electronics. Building a robot will mostly be me trying to learn about electronics, so the more difficult and complicated it is, the better. Note that I'm a total noob at this, so forgive me if I get the terminology wrong.

For a long time I've collected old computers and printers with the eventual goal of "building a robot," but only recently have I really taken an interest. My plan was to take apart a couple machines and look for integrated circuits I could use as controllers. I took apart a couple printers, finding some motors, gears and switches as well as some material, but I can't seem to find any circuits I can use. My googling skills have failed me. The promising-looking ones with soldered connections (that I can probably remove) have no datasheets available.

But my plan is to try to see what I've already got in my computers, buy what I need to put them together, then build the chassis around the heart of the machine. But I need advice on what I should try to salvage and what I should buy.

I have a number of old desktops, laptops, monitors and printers, as well as boxes full of old cables, routers, some broken cell phones, and various other electronic equipment. I can probably find all the small pieces like the resistors, capacitors and diodes that I might want, but things like chips and the motors that I found on the printers are probably useless due to heavy power consumption.

What I think I need to buy is a programmer, servos and a battery pack, as well as the wires and connectors to put everything together. I can probably find on my own is the battery pack and wires/connectors, but I have no idea what sort of programmer or servos I should get.

So, I have two questions, what do you think I can salvage out of the parts I have and what sort of programmer and servos should I buy?

[Soeren]

Hi,

Building a robot will mostly be me trying to learn about electronics, so the more difficult and complicated it is, the better. Note that I'm a total noob at this, so forgive me if I get the terminology wrong.

I'd say: The simpler the better, considering your noobness.

But I need advice on what I should try to salvage and what I should buy.
[...]I can probably find all the small pieces like the resistors,[...]
So, I have two questions, what do you think I can salvage out of the parts I have and what sort of programmer and servos should I buy?

Salvage motors and mechanical bits first
Then go buy resistors etc., since it ain't worth your time desoldering and sorting except for large and expensive components that are easily removed.
Most of the active components you have to buy, if you want to be sure they're not damaged by desoldering (at least until you are more experienced).
If you have motors, there is no reason to buy servos.
Which programmer will depend on which µcontrollers you are planning to use.

[Trumpkin]

usually you can not get microcontrollers out of computers and stuff. basically it's not worth the trouble tearing apart stuff when you can get the parts really cheap usually. Atmegas 168 only cost about $6. the only parts worth salvaging are motors.

[Trikky2]

Don't forget a robot does not need to have a 'program' that is written by a person ... it can be just by it's environment ...... Sounds very complex but is actually a lot simpler than most bots here ... Check out :
http://junkbots.solarbotics.com/

Get the book ... it is great fun and you already have over 90% of the components

All the best.

Richard

[hangar]

Thanks for all the advice!

So, my question now is which microcontrollers/programmers should I get? There's lots of information on this, but it's hard to sift through.

[Trumpkin]

for your first robot go with  something Atmega based, such as the Arduino http://moderndevice.com/diecimila.shtml or the robostix http://gumstix.com/store/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=139&osCsid=
Plus the compiler is free! with PIC microcontrollers the compiler costs a couple hundred bucks. with the arduino you do not need a programmer cable.

[paulstreats]

with PIC microcontrollers the compiler costs a couple hundred bucks.

With the pic18 series (which are optimised for c code unlike the old pic16's), microchip have their own c compiler (C18). The student edition is free and fully functional - it just doesnt optimise code through as many levels, but at our level this isnt a problem. There are now also a selection of pic18's with USB ready hardware built into them

[hangar]

Okay, I think the PIC18 architecture is what I want, but there are a lot of different models. What sort of specs should I need for a starter microcontroller?

Also, how do I get the program onto the controller? Should I get some sort of starter kit?

Furthermore, what do I need to do to use these motors that I already have? How do I figure out what wire goes where?

Again, thanks for your help.

[Admin]

All of your questions can be answered here:
http://www.societyofrobots.com/robot_faq.shtml