Description:

Name: Protobot

Hours to build: 3-4 months

Cost of project: $196*

Protobot is capable of seeking out the brightest light source in the room while avoiding obstacles using infrared proximity detectors. In the showcase, the robot is stationary. It senses if an object is in the way, ie your hand) with its infrared sensors. The microprocessor then interprets the signal from the IR sensor and sends a clock pulse to the seven-segment display. When it reaches 10 (actually on the clock pulse after 9) will send another signal to the processor which intern sends a signal to a circuit of flip-flops that make LEDs blink.

Locomotion: 2 Fatuba servomotors modified for continuous rotation.

Sensors: IR emitters/detectors, and photo-sensors.

Brain: Parallax Basic Stamp II