Solarbotics Blog Posts & News
Protel v2.8 Demo Disks
Dave Hrynkiw
July 12, 2007
This is a very nice little demo package from Protel of a PCB layout program. It's an older package (they don't even have this on their website anymore), but works on any windows platform, unlike their current demo versions.
Circuit: L293D Mini-Sumo
Dave Hrynkiw
July 12, 2007
This circuit is used to create a simple "edgebot" sumo robot. Being an edgebot refers that it will repeat the same backup/turn/go forward action when it's single edge sensor detects the edge of the ring. This version of the circuit is quite simple, and always turns the same way.
Circuit: Shok
Dave Hrynkiw
July 12, 2007
You want a simple Photovore? This very tidy design by Solarbotics' own Grant McKee is based on a technique developed by Mark Tilden - Shok architecture.
Circuit: Stepper Motor
Dave Hrynkiw
July 12, 2007
This is a neat little one-chip circuit we originally tuned for use with our "SM1" Stepper motors. We've presently sold out of the motor, but this circuit has proved to be a good unidirectional (1-way) driver for small stepper motors.
Circuit: Lightstorm
Dave Hrynkiw
July 12, 2007
Some of you may have found the LightStorm Pummers that Mark Tilden has made using some neat looking plastics. We've built our own variation of the circuit, which is a dark-activated, quad-bicore pseudo-random chaos generated, dual pummer circuit.
Circuit: Herbie by Randy Sargent
Dave Hrynkiw
July 12, 2007
Although not a true BEAM robot, this simple schematic by Randy Sargent is small, simple, slick, and effective. My own version uses a pair of pager motors and three cells from a 9V rechargeable battery. Hard to get any simpler than this device!
BEP Application: Servocore Walker
Dave Hrynkiw
July 12, 2007
The following instructions detail how to build a Servocore walker. A Servocore walker differs from a regular walker by utilizing the internal electronics in unmodified servos, which give position feedback from the motor in the servo. This position feedback allows for very long stride lengths without the use of mechanical stops or springs.
BEP Application: Wilf Rigter Solar Power...
Dave Hrynkiw
July 12, 2007
The following instructions detail how to build a Solar Power Smart Head version 3. The Head will seek light and when it finds the brightest source it will go into a low current standby mode. This version also comes with an low power FLED circuit to indicate when the head is active.
BEP Application: Turbot
Dave Hrynkiw
July 12, 2007
The Turbot is a member of the Scophthalmidae family of flatfish and is almost completely circular. Turbot is often found partially buried in the seabed in sand, gravel, rocks and sediment. Its fat content varies, but it usually contains roughly 1 gram of omega-3 fatty acids per 100g fillet. Barring advances in genetic engineering, we will not be building that kind of Turbot. However, this kind of Turbot can be built with a soldering iron.
BEP Application: Pummer
Dave Hrynkiw
July 12, 2007
The following instructions detail how to build a simple pummer using a BC2 (Bicore) BEP (Bicore Experimenter PCB). A pummer is a solar powered self activating LED flasher. The difference between a pummer and a BLFNAR (blinky light for no apparent reason) is that a pummer has a soft turn off, which means that it turns on fast, but slowly fades away.
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Warning: This product contains chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm.
Please visit www.P65Warnings.ca.gov for more information. This item was manufactured prior to August 31, 2018.