8 Arduino Robots You Can Build For Less Than $125

Entry-level Arduino projects, while they can be educational, are often not all that exciting. Creating a traffic light traffic light good for learning programming, but once you do, its usefulness is over. timer timer — it’s great, but not everything is so exciting. Want to do something more fun? Try building an Arduino-controlled robot: here are eight options available.

Pololu Zumo Robot Kit ($100 + Arduino)

Zumo

This kit comes with everything you need to build a programmable robot — you just need to add an Arduino! This is a crawler robotic platform that allows rolling on less smooth surfaces, as well as six infrared sensors to prevent collision with objects. Throw in a dozer blade, motors, a buzzer and a couple more sensors to keep the robot on the move and you have a great Arduino beginner project.

Pololu 3pi Robot Kit ($100)

3PI

The 3pi robot comes with its own microcontroller. And while it’s not technically an Arduino controller, the ATmega328 at the heart of the device is compatible with the Arduino development platform so you can practice Arduino programming. with this kit. It also includes an LCD screen so your robot can display messages! With LEDs, buzzer, reflection sensors and two independent motors, this is a great robot for both beginners and intermediate hobbyists.

MeArm Pocket Robotic Arm ($50 + Arduino)

mearm

Not all robots are tiny wheeled threats — there are plenty of other options! This robotic arm comes with a full acrylic frame and four servos; you just need a small screwdriver to assemble it and an Arduino to control it. You may need to do some experimentation and web searching to figure out the best way to program it, but you can check out Lifehacker’s article on building a manipulator to learn how to get started.

Feature-packed 4WD Robot Car ($47)

4wd-arduino-robot

Although the description of this robot car on AliExpress is written in Russian, it still gets good reviews for being a fun, easy to operate and versatile little robot. The kit includes a car chassis, a sonar sensor to prevent accidents, a remote control to control the car, and an Arduino board, making it very useful for beginners to program microcontrollers.

ArdBot ($19 + Arduino)

ardbot

ArdBot is a basic mobile robot that you can get up and running quickly, and the chassis is highly expandable so you have a platform where you can create and learn so much more. The original ArdBot was detailed in the magazine Servo but you can find everything you need in this article from Robotoid. It also includes all the part numbers of the components you will need to move your first robot.

oddWires obstacle avoidance robot ($80) [Больше не доступно]

oddwires-arduino-bot

This kit comes with Arduino and Motor Shield so you can get started with this simple 2 wheeled robot and then move on to more complex and complex projects. An ultrasonic distance measuring module keeps the robot from colliding with anything, and the chassis allows you to easily install other sensors and actuators. oddWires designed this kit to use as little soldering and interconnects as possible, so it’s a great kit for beginners. (And if you already have an Arduino, you can get the same kit with motor shield, but without the microcontroller, for $54.)

Basic Cherokey 4WD Robot ($110)

Cherokee

One of the more expensive options for a basic robot kit, the four-wheeled Cherokey does provide some very cool features that you won’t find in other beginner’s Arduino robots — in particular the fact that you can control this little robot from your iPhone. Just download the GoBLE app and you should be ready to go. Technically speaking, the brain of this Cherokey comes from the Romeo development board, but it’s Arduino compatible so you won’t feel the difference. The kit comes with an ultrasonic transducer and a mounting bracket, but you have plenty of room to add additional transducers or even a robotic arm.

James (changing)

If you don’t like the idea of using a kit to build something, there’s a robot that will suit your true DIY spirit: meet James. This tutorial from Instructables will show you how to take a bunch of the parts you can get from the Arduino starter kit starter kits starter kits or buy separately and put them on the frame you cut yourself. You’ll need a bandsaw or other power tool to cut the acrylic, but if you want to do that, you shouldn’t have any trouble following the rest of the instructions.