Caterpillar with Ultrasonic Sensor

#1

The obstacle avoidance car was controlled by Arduino with an ultrasonic sensor and powered by6 pcs of 1.5V AA battery.

#2

I’d love to see how the 6xAA battery holder was mounted - only because I’m finding it tricky to work out how to actually mount my own properly (without batteries almost springing out because of bolts pressed against them)

#3

Try to go through this pdf and see if it helps.

#4

Short answer - use plastic rivets to connect the battery holder to the acrylic base (mine seems more like fibreboard actually) rather than bolts…

Andrew

#5

What’s weird is using the rivets to connect the battery holder to the plastic, feels really flimsy. It just takes a small knock for the rivets to become lose…

#6

The big lugs worked well for the battery holder, but the small lugs for the arduino were hopeless. I used some sticky-backed foam tape to adhere the board to the plastic plate, which worked well. .

I’ve mounted my battery compartment underneath the cross strut in the caterpillar design, with the arduino mounted on top, complete with shield on top. I had to use the L brackets to do this. It works, but could be refined a bit.

Hth, Remy

#7

You need to peel off the paper backing used when the board is laser cut, Andy. It’s there to stop the plastic getting marked but should peel off okay.

#8

https://www.evernote.com/shard/s2/sh/a5babd9f-79db-4463-b798-a697e245c66f/df14602b5fb16cfd4ec5fcc4598199b0/deep/0/Screenshot%2022/06/2013%2015:59.png

Hopefully that makes sense? I tweeted you a link to the tape I used to affix my arduino to the board. Something like this:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/BRAND-NEW-DOUBLE-PROJECT-MOUNTING/dp/B00AWOTM4E/ref=pd_sim_sbs_diy_10
(although I couldn’t say if it was exactly that tape, any double-sided sticky pads would do). Same would work for the battery compartment.

The benefit of suspending the batteries under the main cross-strut is you leave the top free to mount the arduino itself, and also lower the centre of gravity I guess?

Profile picture to illustrate no real loss of clearance:
https://www.evernote.com/shard/s2/sh/7bacb6c6-2d91-4972-a8b7-77deeffc1bde/69d07092723fee3a333b2632e7df5112/deep/0/Screenshot%2022/06/2013%2016:04.png