Earth Rover 

Part I

Arduino Semi-Autonomous Robot 

With Android User-Interface

Ok, I'm not even attempting to build something like a Mars roving robot  :o - but my mini budget earth rover is a good starting point for me to learn some more robotics. I've built RC and sequence (dancing) robots before see here, but not an autonomous robot with sensors that can find it's own way around a space.

I've pulled together some resources to start with, some used in previous projects:

• A 4WD robot car chassis here
  
   
• An android tablet
  
  
• A Japanese eight module DPDT relay board from Ebay £29 [to direct power to the motors]
  
  
• Arduino Mega 2560 dev board  from here
  
  
• An OWI-535 Robotic Arm from here
  
  

• An SRF05 ultrasonic sensor from here
  
  

• A selection of micro-switches to act as bump-sensors from here

• Blue-Tooth module from here
  I'm using Matt Bell's code for Java bluetooth comms
  

• Discrete components such as power MOSFETs, power fly-back diodes, resistors, capacitors, leds, terminals, headers etc... from a standard electronic supplier eg here

[Image is not of actual components used]

That's a start.

Coming soon in Part II -  Arduino remote control from an Android tablet over blue-tooth.