The project began at the start of 9th grade. My father and I were discussing how a vacuum robot would be convenient. To get an idea of the price, we looked online and saw that they were expensive. So, we thought it would be a good idea to build one ourselves. That's how the project was born.
To move the robot
To detect obstacles in the robot's path
To connect sensors and motors
To move the robot, several options were possible, such as tracks, four wheels, two wheels, and a castor wheel. Each solution has its advantages and disadvantages, but our two main criteria were low cost and quiet operation. We opted for two wheels with a castor wheel.
To detect obstacles in the robot's path, various sensors such as ultrasonic and infrared were considered. The sensor we finally selected was the ultrasonic sensor, as it was less expensive.
There are many programmable boards available. The best one for this project is the Arduino Nano because it has enough pins and consumes less energy compared to other microcontrollers.
After receiving the parts, I soldered the various components together and designed a casing using a calendar and hot glue.
After several tests, I developed a second prototype, for which I designed and 3D-printed the casing.
This project was very interesting. It allowed me to learn many things. Unfortunately, by the time the second prototype was finished, the prices of vacuum robots with similar features had become more appealing. Even though the robot cost around €25, all expenses included.