When the Mbot had TWO ultrasonic sensors facing out at each corner, you can do some really awesome stuff with it. Doing this yourself involves rigging something up since there’s no ready made bracket for it. YET!
This idea would mean no changes to the main body of the Mbot need to occur what so ever. Simply the bracket needs to accommodate mounting ultrasonic sensors at a 45 degree to the body. One facing out at each corner (pic below).
This bracket would allow interesting behaviour to be much as far as code is concerned. Currently, simple code could allow you to see a wall, and then hard code it to, turn right (if you know that’s the correct direction). But just as simple code could solve entire mazes, or have the robots follow each other, or its owner, or avoid obstacles in a room to search for a dark spot on the flow. This does not complicate the robot what so ever, but allows for more interesting, engaging, and cool looking results.
Here is some code for wall following, maze solving, obstacle avoidance, obstacle seeking (could be for sumo), and hunting in a room avoiding obstacles for a dark spot. This code display the behaviour in the youtube video I made. None of this cool stuff is possible with just one front facing sensor. A cool bonus is that if you follow the right side of any maze, it will always makes it way out. How cool would that look at a trade show? This also teaches children some very common and important robotic algorithms that are very easy to understand. I also think parents and educators alike will enjoy the room to expand their abilities once they’ve mastered the basics, which trust me happens very fast!
