Efficient Mechanisms using ARDUINO to Control Robots

Abstract: Microcontrollers are used in automatically and autonomously controlled products and devices, such as automobile engine control systems, implantable medical devices, remote controls, office machines, appliances, power tools, toys and other embedded systems. By reducing the size and cost compared to a design that uses a separate microprocessor, memory, and input/output devices, microcontrollers make it economical to digitally control even more devices and processes. Mixed signal microcontrollers are common, integrating analog components needed to control non-digital electronic systems. This paper introduces the controlling of robot using joystick, mobile and laptop using the arduino board. The robot consists of arduino board, an L293D interface circuit and a motor driving system. The controlling devices are connected to the arduino board. The arduino board sends signals to the interfacing board L293D which controls the motor driving system. The robot can also be used as an obstacle avoiding robot and a line follower robot. Using a robot as an obstacle avoider or line follower is made possible simply by using sensors. The sensors used here are proximity sensors. The proximity sensors use variable resistor(s). If the resistance varies the sensor sends different signal to the arduino board and accordingly the robot moves independently. The robot works on combinational logic design and gates.

Keywords: Joystick, DTMF(Dual Tone Multiple Frequency), proximity sensors, arduino board, L293D, DC motors.