a simple robot using stepper motors (mechatronics)

hello.

I am a little rusty on my basic electronics.

I would like to do the following. for a simple small robot.

Drive two stepper motors as so:

Motor number 1

forward so many steps...or even couple of rotations,
forward, forward forward forward
then reverse x 4 units.
and repeat cycle
with delays of different times.
the units length may be different.

Motor number 2

down x 3, wait, down, up, wait up wait down wait down up wait down x 4
then simple non-action in sync with reverse of motor 1.

Possible requirement for 3rd and 4th motor.

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The scale of the device is small. Not sure what power of motors to use or gearing. or where to get the gears and toothed tracks for little stepper motors.
The robot has to manipulate small objects.
Also need calibration- sort of thumb screws....so things can be lined up accurately.

--
My question:
To do this .. what do I need?
Would it be a stepper motor controller and microprocessor.
How do I program the microprocessor.

I have no circuit building facilities and need to do it cheaply.
Do I use a computer to control?

tallahatchie said:

My question:
To do this .. what do I need?
Would it be a stepper motor controller and microprocessor.
How do I program the microprocessor.

I have no circuit building facilities and need to do it cheaply.
Do I use a computer to control?

Click to expand...

First you need to know how to program.

microcontroller is more apt than microprocessor. I recommend you that. Simulators and emulators are available which help you to burn the code into the microcontrollers. They are not so cheap.

Yes you could use a computer to control the motors, parallel port is good for such a project, but you could also use serial port in conjunction with microcontrollers, but for all this you need to learn programming...

I suggest you start with a simple project that uses the computer's parallel port to light up a few LEDs..there are numerous parallel port projects in the internet from which you could learn...

its not difficult really..

thanks
arunb