Robot Tank?

[chickens1127]

Hello.

I would like to create an automated vehicle, that just drives around on it's own. I've got two identical motors, and I am deciding if I want front or rear wheel drive. I wanna kind off-road it. Basically, if it bumps into something, it turns around and keeps going. My only worry is finding a way to do this....

(P.S.- It's gonna look like an army armored car- maybe later I'll add a turret with an airsoft gun)

 

[Sceadwian]

The same age old way it's been done since the advent of robotics =) Spring loaded bumpers with electrical contacts. It's a little trickier with something designed for the real world because you have to make SURE that your bumper is actuated when it encounter and obstical or it won't back up and turn away. It's more of a mechanical engineering problem than anything else.

 

[Birdman Adam]

Here's a link to a project someone did on making an air-soft turret. It's remote controlled, but you could (fairly) easily make that autonomous as well.

**broken link removed**

Of course you can adapt his design to something much smaller.