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3 1/2" floppy drive robot

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Hi,

I am from bangalore. i have some old 3 1/2" floppy drive. i want to build a robot using. it should autonomous and using the ultrasonic or IR sensors(which is cheap and best?).

I am really a beginner to robotics. i want buy all the components and tools for build this.

Please suggest me what are the tools and components required for this and where i get it in bangalore.

Thanks,
Robotsmani
 
Not much you can salvage from a 3.5" drive. Now a 5.25" has a couple of nice motors. As for electronics nothing of any value for a robot brain.
 
unfortunately i don't have. i just bought these floppy and hard disk from scarp market. what about cd/dvd drives?

next week i will go and buy something. which old computer parts is worth?

Thanks
 
Here is my plan for the simple robo. it will have two wheels and move forward and backward. if there is some obstacle it will rotate turn left or right. For this i need two motors and wheels and some sensors and ofcourse a brain(controller).

Which controller is best for beginning (microcontroller or simple H-bridge)

Correct me if i am wrong....

Thanks
 
OK, i am planning to buy the microcontroller, etc... Which is better? PIC or AVR or 8051?. and i enquired some programmer kit and development kit. i dont understand what is the difference between them. can anybody tell me what is development kit and what is a programmer kit(it is costly :-( ).

This weekend i am going to buy some components. can you guys advice me what components & Tools are important

If anybody from bangalore, india please tell me the wrough cost of the tools & components.

Thanks
 
Hi,

If you are new to motors, sensors, mechanics, and microcontrollers as well then, I would suggest that you tackle one field at a time.

1. get the mechanics right first. attach motors to it and see if it moves directly off the battery. see if it can turn.

2. read about H-bridge. make one or buy a h-bridge chip.

3. Read about microcontrollers. Beware that it might take months to get up to speed with them, you might end up building a programmer alone for a month. there are SO many choices to make. Good thing is that if you devote some time to reading around in this forum, you will one day get past it.

Thanks & Regards,
Pradeep
 
Last edited:
Thanks Pradeep...

can i use the below development kit to program a pic using computer?

**broken link removed**

OR which one i can buy...
**broken link removed**

FYI
I have done lot of electronic project in my college days. so i have the electronics knowledge.

i have to go one time to buy the all the component and tools, so please advice me some components and tools to buy
 
I think the best PIC programmer would be the Junebug (**broken link removed**) which is a PICKIT2 clone but doubles as a development board as well. bad thing is that you will have to buy online from canada i.e. spend more and wait more. I liked it that much so went for it.
OR
You could buy the original PICKIT2 from microchip. Microchip India office is in banagalore btw. I thinks its just rs 1100 or so.

On buying components, my experience is that its very hard to buy everything at once. you always end up missing a thing or 2. So better complete your design and then go for shopping.
 
Last edited:
Hi,

CD drives and DVD drives have motors and a worm drive. Could be very useful.
I use an old CD drive worm drive for a Z axis on my XYZ table.
 
I recall reading an article somewhere about modifying old floppy drives
that was written for folks with scant electronics background.
Google for "floppy stepper". If I run across it again, I will add it to
my web site. The motors are generally easy to control, and fairly
robust, considering how cheap the drives were made.

<als>
 
Hi Pradeep,

Do you have any idea, where i get PICkit2 in bangalore. In the microchip site it is around 50$(~2500rs)..so costly. you are saying it is around 1100rs or so..do you the address or ph. Or can I get it from delhi?

How about this..can i built this and use it......
Multi PIC Programmer :: HamRadioIndia

Thanks is advance....

Robotsmani
 
Hi,

You can use the following contact info I am pasting below.

You can build the programmer you gave the link to but beware of the sad experiences people have had trying to make JDM programmer work.

Thanks & Regards,
Pradeep

India - Bangalore
Tel: 91-80-4182-8400
Fax: 91-80-4182-8422

India - New Delhi
Tel: 91-11-4160-8631
Fax: 91-11-4160-8632

India - Pune
Tel: 91-20-2566-1512
Fax: 91-20-2566-1513
 
Thanks pradeep,

The microchip PICkit2 is too costly. There are two model one is little old, it is cost Rs.2650 and other new one Rs.3600.

Can we program with the development board. below is the one some Rs.650
**broken link removed**

Can you please suggest one programmer with of the following.
1. **broken link removed**
2. **broken link removed**
3. PIC Serial Port Programmer ICSP+Standalone [RKI-1046] - Rs.350 : Robokits India, Easy to Use, Versatile Robotics Kits... (cheaper)
4. PIC Serial Port ICSP Programmer [RKI-1045] - Rs.275 : Robokits India, Easy to Use, Versatile Robotics Kits... (cheaper)

Thanks,
Mani
 
Hi Mani,

I guess if price is an issue then you can try your chances with the JDM style programmer. i.e either choice 3 from your list or build it yourself. I suggest you just buy the JDM programmer atleast for now.

BTW, its also possible to build an Pickit2 clone yourself or an ICD2 clone but they arent very easy without a pcb.

Also, its not really a must that a microcontroller controls your bot. you can make a radio controlled bot using dtmf chips.

Thanks & Regards,
Pradeep
 
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