Control two mm10 motors with one remote

[chip777]

Hey,
I've been given this task to complete and I'm fresh out of ideas as to how to solve the problem. Basically, I've got a 5£ budget and I have to find a way to build a control circuit for two mm10 motors. What I'd like to have is a remote capable of controlling both motors at the same time (turning one or the other off or making one go slower...)

Can be anything really, as long as it's within the budget range...I just need fresh ideas
So throw your ideas here please!

Oh, and the motors can be powered off the same power supply or different ones : I've got three 3V cells for the motors and control circuit and can have anything for the remote...

 

[chip777]

No ideas?

Anything would be greatly appreciated...

 

[KMoffett]

Are you talking RF or IR or wired remote control. You might get a wired remote setup for 5£. Otherwise, unless you have a well stocked junk box, I doubt that it will happen.

Ken

 

[chip777]

At the moment I was investigating an IR remote... Wires would be a little complicated since the motors are effectively acting as wheels thus rotating the device, meaning during use the wires would get tangled together...

Currently, I have a decent range (3 to 5 m) remote using a couple of IR LEDs and a photodiode on the device acting as a receptor: I'm using it in photovoltaic mode, comparing the output voltage of the photodiode to a preset voltage (through an opamp), and when the voltage of the photodiode raises above the fixed one, it turns one motor off... But the other one is currently independent of the circuitry which annoys me...

Price is an issue, however I'd love to see what you'd do if you didn't have this constraint, as I'm fairly new to circuit design and so I'm eager to learn about all the potential circuits

 

[KMoffett]

Maybe you can post the schematic, and photo, for what you currently have.

Ken

 

[chip777]

Here's the circuit diagram and the remote control diagram.

It's pretty basic...

First pic shows both motors, which run off independent battery cells.

 

[KMoffett]

Nice simple contro.

Price is an issue, however I'd love to see what you'd do if you didn't have this constraint, as I'm fairly new to circuit design and so I'm eager to learn about all the potential circuits

"All the potential circuits" is a big order. I would recommend that you Google: R/C circuits

Ken