Summary of WHEN A BALL ROBOT BECOMES TWO WHEELS
This article describes a unique rolling robot project by Derek Lieber that transforms a spherical BB-8 style design into a two-wheeled vehicle. By adding tires to the 3D-printed ball chassis, the device utilizes a low center of gravity and tilt sensors for speed control. The build features gimbal motors with magnetic sensors, an Arduino Mega, a custom motor driver, XBee radio for remote operation, and LiPo batteries with lead ballast for balance.
Parts used in the Two-Wheeled Ball Robot:
- 3D printed shell
- Gimbal motors
- Magnetic position sensors
- Arduino Mega
- Custom motor driver board
- LM6234 chip
- XBee radio
- Three LiPo cells
- Lead ballast
It’s now about six years since Star Wars: The Force Awakens first showed us the little spherical robot BB-8, but it’s fair to say that along the way we’ve not lost our collective fascination for rolling-ball robots. There have been plenty of attempts to make a fully-rolling device, but perhaps [Derek Lieber] has a better take on it by turning a spherical robot into a two-wheeled roller by the addition of a pair of tyres. Inspired by a Samsung prototype that never made it to market, it works by the wheels working against the machine’s low centre of gravity, and using a tilt sensor to control speed.
The ball chassis is a 3D printed shell, into which after much experimentation with motors, the final version put a pair of gimbal motors with a set of magnetic position sensors. Inside is an Arduino Mega and a custom motor driver board sporting an LM6234, with an XBee radio for remote control. Meanwhile the power comes from a set of three LiPo cells, and there is some extra lead ballast in the bottom to keep the whole thing balanced.
We’ve seen more conventional takes on a spherical robot in the past, but we’re particularly keen on this one, and excited to see where the future takes it.
Source: WHEN A BALL ROBOT BECOMES TWO WHEELS
- How does the robot achieve stability?
The wheels work against the machine's low centre of gravity while lead ballast keeps the whole thing balanced. - What component controls the speed of the robot?
A tilt sensor is used to control the speed of the device. - What type of motors are used in the final version?
The final version uses a pair of gimbal motors. - Does the project use a standard microcontroller?
No, it uses an Arduino Mega inside the chassis. - What specific chip is on the custom motor driver board?
The custom motor driver board sports an LM6234 chip. - How is the robot powered?
Power comes from a set of three LiPo cells. - Can the robot be controlled remotely?
Yes, there is an XBee radio included for remote control. - What inspired this specific design approach?
The design was inspired by a Samsung prototype that never made it to market.
