The Bot is controlled through IR remote. The project is slightly more enumerable than available in YouTube Videos or in any online articles. The project is developed on recent version of IR_Remote Library of Arduino.
- Follow the circuit diagram and simulation for wire connection. For connection of motor driver module Check the pins of motor driver module from board with driver IC in simulation it is easy and simple. No need to worry! We could have used Driver Module but it was not available in the TinkerCad, hence we used driver IC for proper simulation.
- Downlaod the decoder_file.ino in the Arduino Uno and find out the codes for the buttons of the IR_Remote. In our case we used button '2' for forward, button '6' for left, button '8' for back and button '4' for right in the remote. 'Power' button for stop command.
- Download the Main_Control.ino in the Arduino UNO R3. Before downlaoding, update the remote codes (where ever mentioned in the program) because it is unique.
- Now you can play with the Bot!
- Decoding Problem: The very first problem that we faced was about decoding the hexadecimal code for the IR transmitter. In most of the YouTube Videos that provide the tutorial for the IR Remote Control car does not deals with the newer IR_Remote library for the Arduino IDE. While decoding the signals for the buttons of the IR remote, the values received were alphanumeric. But in YouTube tutorials the values receieved were of the kind long int. The decoding values may differ for various IR remotes, the values may differ due various configuartions for multiplexers and demultiplexers embedded in control circuit (in this case it was Arduino UNO R3), the values may also differ for different IR_remote libraries and the last reason for the change may be due to electronic noise interference. So, the codes that were provided by the YouTube tutorials were subjected to long int values but in our case we received alphanumeric values. To eradicate the issue, the alphanumeric codes were stored in string and then comparions were drawn.
- Motor Driver Circuit: We used the L293N motor module for driving the motor. You may use any such configuations for driving the motor. Always check the circuit diagram for the ICs, it will help you to know the connections better. You can either use L293D IC or the entire motor driver module for the make. The simulation is made on the sriver IC but we have used the motor driver module for proper wiring and control. In our module the enables pin A and B were not shot to the 5V power. It was independent and grounded. The first thing after buying the module you need to check the enable pins. These pins are reponsible for the speed control of the motor and takes digital values from 0 to 255. If the pins are grounded through jumpers, you need to remove it. Also check whether it is shot to the 5V or not, if it is not then you need to provide digital signals to the pins while driving, and if it is shot then withoug giving any signal, by default it will work.
- Power Issue: This was prolonged issue that we faced, and most of the electronics engineers' task is to solve this issue. The motor driver module is a current amplifier based cicuit hence, it requires appreciable current in milli amps for driving the motors. We were using BO motors mechanised with gears, these are basically dc series motor. Initially we were giving power from motor driver side and it was then passing it to the arduino for the control. In most of the YouTube tutorials you will see this powering method. I will personally don't recommend this method. It is better to use different power modes separatley for arduino and motor driver respectively. Remember to make common grounds for both. The problem that we faced was when we were taking power from the motor driver side, the 5V pin of the driver is connected to the Vin of the arduino. The Vin is reponsible for the powering the arduino from external fluctuating power source. It works well when power requirement is less but not in this case where power requrement was more. Since we were powering separatley for Arduino UNO R3 and Motor Driver, the 5V pin of the driver was connected to 5V pin of the Arduino so as to create the balance.
https://www.tinkercad.com/things/iiatNcfxgB7?sharecode=lZWnj-Vrb6yM29YGcNTwWRZlOoy62q2tkW0FbuxOUZE