To assemble the robot follow steps 1 - 7 or follow videos on Youtube
Step 1
Step 2
Step 3
Step 4
Step 5
Step 6
Step 7

Published August 6, 2022 © GPL3+

Lily∞Bot Open Source Robot Platform for Academics

I am an open source hardware trailblazer and will use this account to share projects as a guidebook for academics

IntermediateFull instructions provided4 hours763

Lily∞Bot Open Source Robot Platform for Academics

Things used in this project

Hardware components

DC Motor, 12 V

Seeed Studio Grove - I2C Motor Driver (TB6612FNG)

LED (generic)

AA Batteries

Mini Breadboards

4xAA battery holder

Arduino UNO

Resistor 220 ohm

Machine Screw, M3

Hook & Loop Fastener, Dual Lock™ Reclosable

Software apps and online services

Arduino IDE

Autodesk Tinkercad

Hand tools and fabrication machines

ProtoCentral Electronics Original Prusa i3 MK3S+ 3D printer

Multitool, Screwdriver

Scissor, Electrician

Story

I am an open-source hardware trailblazer and this is part of my guidebook to show academics how to engage in open source hardware for outreach, education and research in particular in the area of robotics. This is the first phase with definitely of Lily-bot for service and education for novice users in service and education. The next phase will scale up Lily-bot to Rosie-bot. This proof of concept robot shows that it is able to do all required motions before adding on sensors and peripherals for more advanced behaviors.

Professional website: https://wordpress.rose-hulman.edu/berry123/open-source-hardware-trailblazer/
Business website:https://noiresteminist.com/
YouTube playlist on channel: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL175eO9NwPXJm3xZPF113ve4L6tO8ckNi
Instructables: https://www.instructables.com/member/carlottaberry/settings/?cb=1658526069
Hackster.io profile: https://www.hackster.io/berry123

To assemble the robot follow steps 1 - 7 or follow videos on Youtube

assembly link here
wiring link here

Step 1

Download the 3d models from the GITHUB repository and print the number indicated in the filename, link here

Step 2

Purchase all the items on the bill of materials

Step 3

Use the screws to attach the breadboard and Arduino Uno to the top chassis based upon the following image and labels on chassis. Power port on Uno points towards words.

Top chassis with microcontroller and 2 mini breadboards

Step 4

Use screws to attach 2 motors to two motor mounts. Then attach wheels to each motor mount as shown in the following image.

1 / 2 • Wheel and motor attached to motor mount and inserted in bottom chassis

Step 5

Use the screws to attach the motors and wheels to bottom chassis as shown in the image. The robot is now completely built.

1 / 2 • bottom chassis 2ith 2 motors, 2 wheels, battery pack with 4 AA batteries

Step 6

Use the following figure to attach the 3 LEDS, 3 resistors and motor controller to the breadboard. Use the following wiring diagram to connect the motors, LEDs and motor controller to the Arduino Uno.

Arduino pin 5 Blue LED
Arduino pin 6 Yellow LED
Arduino pin 7 Green LED
Arduino pin 8 AIN1
Arduino pin 9 AIN2
Arduino pin 10 PWMA
Arduino pin 11 PWMB
Arduino pin 12 BIN2
Arduino pin 13 BIN1
Arduino GND GND
Arduino 5V Vcc
Arduino VIN Vm
Left Motor Motor A
Right Motor Motor B

1 / 3

Step 7

Use the code on the GITHub and here to test that the robot is working, it should look like the robot movement in the video.

If you have never programmed in Arduino sketch, please review the link to learn how to program using the cloud editor or IDE.

In order to become more comfortable in programming in Arduino Sketch, start with graphical programming from Code Kit at the following link.

The following Arduino sketch code was generated by graphical programming in Code kit.

Motion Control Using Code Kit

The following Arduino sketch code is generated by Code Kit.

int ylwLED, bluLED, redLED, grnLED, AIN1, AIN2, BIN1, PWMA, BIN2, PWMB;

// move robot forward function
void move_forward2() {
  All_LEDS_ON2();
  digitalWrite(AIN1, HIGH);
  digitalWrite(AIN2, LOW);
  analogWrite(PWMA, 255);
  digitalWrite(BIN1, HIGH);
  digitalWrite(BIN2, LOW);
  analogWrite(PWMB, 255);
}

// turn LEDS off function
void all_LEDS_OFF2() {
  digitalWrite(bluLED, LOW);
  digitalWrite(grnLED, LOW);
  digitalWrite(ylwLED, LOW);
  digitalWrite(redLED, LOW);
}

// all LEDS ON
void All_LEDS_ON2() {
  digitalWrite(bluLED, HIGH);
  digitalWrite(grnLED, HIGH);
  digitalWrite(ylwLED, HIGH);
  digitalWrite(redLED, HIGH);
}

// stop robot function
void stop2() {
  all_LEDS_OFF2();
  digitalWrite(AIN1, LOW);
  digitalWrite(AIN2, LOW);
  digitalWrite(BIN1, LOW);
  digitalWrite(BIN2, LOW);
}

void setup() {
  ylwLED = 10;
  redLED = 11;
  bluLED = 12;
  grnLED = 13;
  AIN1 = 3;
  AIN2 = 4;
  PWMA = 5;
  PWMB = 6;
  BIN1 = 7;
  BIN2 = 8;
  pinMode(AIN1, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(AIN2, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(PWMA, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(BIN1, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(BIN2, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(PWMB, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(bluLED, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(grnLED, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(ylwLED, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(redLED, OUTPUT);
}

void loop() {
  move_forward2();
  delay(1000);
  stop2();
  delay(1000);
}

Stay tuned and come back for future projects as we expand on the base platform and add more sensors, peripherals and robot behaviors.

Schematics

Code

LilyBot-MotionControl.ino

/*
  LilyBot
  LilyBot-MotionControl.ino
  Control 2 DC motors with TB6612 motor controller (https://www.adafruit.com/product/2448)
  This program will create low level motion control: forward, reverse, spin, turn, pivot, stop

  Carlotta A. Berry, PhD
  August 5, 2022

  Hardware Connections:
  Vmotor - voltage for the motors, not logic level (4.5-13.5V)
  Vcc - voltage for the logic levels (Arduinos, 5V)
  GND - shared logic and motor ground

  INA1, INA2 - two inputs to the Motor A H-bridges
  PWMA - PWM input for the Motor A H-bridges, if you dont need PWM control, connect this to logic high.
  INB1, INB2 - two inputs to the Motor B H-bridges
  PWMB - PWM input for the Motor B H-bridges, if you dont need PWM control, connect this to logic high.
  STBY - standby pin for quickly disabling both motors, pulled up to Vcc thru a 10K resistor. Connect to ground to disable.

  These are 'Vmotor level' power outputs
  Motor A - these are the two outputs for motor A, controlled by INA1, INA2 and PWMA
  Motor B - these are the two outputs for motor B, controlled by INB1, INB2 and PWMB

  Vmotor to VIN
  Vcc to 5V
  GND to ground
  AIN1 to Digital 4
  AIN2 to Digital 5
  BIN1 to Digital 6
  BIN2 to Digital 7
  PWMA and PWMB to Vcc
*/

//state LEDs
int ledPins[3] = {5, 6, 7};
int redLED = 5;
int bluLED = 6;
int grnLED = 7;

//the left motor will be controlled by the motor A pins on the motor driver
const int AIN1 = 8;           //control pin 1 on the motor driver for the left motor
const int AIN2 = 9;            //control pin 2 on the motor driver for the left motor
const int PWMA = 10;            //speed control pin on the motor driver for the left motor

//the right motor will be controlled by the motor B pins on the motor driver
const int PWMB = 11;           //speed control pin on the motor driver for the right motor
const int BIN2 = 12;           //control pin 2 on the motor driver for the right motor
const int BIN1 = 13;           //control pin 1 on the motor driver for the right motor

//robot behaviour variables
int moveTime = 2000;            //amount of time robot will move
int robotSpeed = 100;           //robot speed

/********************************************************************************/
void setup()
{
  for (int i = 0; i < 3 ; i++) {
    pinMode(ledPins[i], OUTPUT);
  }
  //for (int i = 0; i < 3 ; i++) {
  //  digitalWrite(ledPins[i], HIGH);
  //}
  //set the motor control pins as outputs
  pinMode(AIN1, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(AIN2, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(PWMA, OUTPUT);

  pinMode(BIN1, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(BIN2, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(PWMB, OUTPUT);

  int baudrate = 9600;              //serial communication baud rate
  Serial.begin(baudrate);           //start serial commnication
  Serial.print("Lilybot begin");  //print start message
  int waittime = 5000;               //robot wait time
  delay(waittime);                  //robot delay before moving
  allLedsOff();
}

/********************************************************************************/
void loop()
{
  fwd(100);
  delay(moveTime);
  stop();
  delay(moveTime);
  
  rev(robotSpeed);
  delay(moveTime);
  stop();
  delay(moveTime);

  spin(robotSpeed, 1);
  delay(moveTime);
  stop();
  delay(moveTime);

  spin(robotSpeed, -1);
  delay(moveTime);
  stop();
  delay(moveTime);
  
  pivot(robotSpeed, 1);
  delay(moveTime);
  stop();
  delay(moveTime);

  pivot(robotSpeed, -1);
  delay(moveTime);
  stop();
  delay(moveTime);
  
  turn(robotSpeed, 1);
  delay(moveTime);
  stop();
  delay(moveTime);
  
  turn(robotSpeed, -1);
  delay(moveTime);
  stop();
  delay(moveTime);
}

//robot stop function
void stop() {
  allLedsOff();
  //left motor stop
  digitalWrite(AIN1, LOW);                          //set pin 1 to low
  digitalWrite(AIN2, LOW);                          //set pin 2 to low
  //right motor stop
  digitalWrite(BIN1, LOW);                          //set pin 1 to low
  digitalWrite(BIN2, LOW);                          //set pin 2 to low
}

//robot forward function
void fwd(int speed) {
  digitalWrite(redLED, HIGH);
  digitalWrite(AIN1, HIGH);                         //set pin 1 to high
  digitalWrite(AIN2, LOW);                          //set pin 2 to low
  digitalWrite(BIN1, HIGH);                         //set pin 1 to low
  digitalWrite(BIN2, LOW);                        //set pin 2 to high
  analogWrite(PWMA, abs(speed));    //set forward speed
  analogWrite(PWMB, abs(speed));    //set forward speed
}

//robot reverse function
void rev(int speed) {
  digitalWrite(bluLED, HIGH);
  digitalWrite(AIN1, LOW);                         //set pin 1 to low
  digitalWrite(AIN2, HIGH);                        //set pin 2 to high
  digitalWrite(BIN1, LOW);                         //set pin 1 to low
  digitalWrite(BIN2, HIGH);                        //set pin 2 to high
  analogWrite(PWMA, abs(speed));    //set reverse speed
  analogWrite(PWMB, abs(speed));    //set reverse speed
}

//robot spin function
void spin(int speed, int dir) {
  digitalWrite(grnLED, HIGH);
  if (dir > 0) {
    digitalWrite(AIN1, LOW);                         //set pin 1 to low
    digitalWrite(AIN2, HIGH);                        //set pin 2 to high
    digitalWrite(BIN1, HIGH);                         //set pin 1 to low
    digitalWrite(BIN2, LOW);                        //set pin 2 to high
  } else {
    digitalWrite(AIN1, HIGH);                         //set pin 1 to low
    digitalWrite(AIN2, LOW);                        //set pin 2 to high
    digitalWrite(BIN1, LOW);                         //set pin 1 to low
    digitalWrite(BIN2, HIGH);                        //set pin 2 to high
  }
  analogWrite(PWMA, abs(speed));    //set reverse speed
  analogWrite(PWMB, abs(speed));    //set reverse speed
}

//robot turn function
void turn(int speed, int dir) {
  digitalWrite(redLED, HIGH);
  digitalWrite(bluLED, HIGH);
  digitalWrite(AIN1, HIGH);                         //set pin 1 to low
  digitalWrite(AIN2, LOW);                        //set pin 2 to high
  digitalWrite(BIN1, HIGH);                         //set pin 1 to low
  digitalWrite(BIN2, LOW);                        //set pin 2 to high
  if (dir > 0) {
    analogWrite(PWMA, robotSpeed*1.5);
    analogWrite(PWMB, robotSpeed*0.5);
  }
  else {
    analogWrite(PWMA, robotSpeed*0.5);
    analogWrite(PWMB, robotSpeed*1.5);
  }
}

//robot pivot function
void pivot(int speed, int dir) {
  digitalWrite(bluLED, HIGH);
  digitalWrite(grnLED, HIGH);
  digitalWrite(AIN1, HIGH);                         //set pin 1 to low
  digitalWrite(AIN2, LOW);                        //set pin 2 to high
  digitalWrite(BIN1, HIGH);                         //set pin 1 to low
  digitalWrite(BIN2, LOW);                        //set pin 2 to high
  if (dir > 0) {
    analogWrite(PWMA, 0);
    analogWrite(PWMB, abs(speed));
  }
  else {
    analogWrite(PWMA, abs(speed));
    analogWrite(PWMB, 0);
  }
}

//turn all the LEDS off
void allLedsOff () {
  for (int i = 0; i < 3 ; i++) {
    digitalWrite(ledPins[i], LOW);
  }
}

Credits

Carlotta Berry

13 projects • 20 followers

Carlotta Berry is a Professor and Dr. Lawrence J. Giacoletto Endowed Chair for Electrical and Computer Engineering at Rose-Hulman.

Lily∞Bot Open Source Robot Platform for Academics