A YouTube channel by the name “ROVer” documents in blog style fashion the build of a semi-autonomous robot name ROVer. The chassis is built from the popular Actobotics aluminum channel components. The robot is driven by four brushed DC gearmotors, one for each wheel. The four motors are controlled by a pair of RoboClaw motor controllers which are in turn controlled by an Arduino utilizing the packet serial mode of the RoboClaw. Packet serial mode allows for a large amount of control over the motor controller and attached motors as demonstrated in the code shown in the project’s videos.
ROver uses a handful of ultrasonic sensors for sensing distance which allows the robot to perform obstacle avoidance. Later in the project’s timeline an Android tablet was integrated with the robot and cloud computing functionality added. It’s been awhile since the project was last updated but we hope to hear more about this well documented project in the future.
The channel’s homepage features a long list of videos showcasing the project’s progress and examples of code used to tie together the Arduino and RoboClaw motor controllers.