Since November 2010 we have worked with enthusiasts interested in amateur robotics. We wanted to create a low cost platform for building small robots that is flexible enough to work with different form factors but powerful enough to drive sensors, motors, and relays.
Specifically, we need the kit to:
- Be easily assembled by a hobbyist
- Rugged and durable enough for real world applications (rockets, aquatics, competitive robots)
- Low cost using common components
- User serviceable with a soldering iron
- Small size and light weight for aerial vehicles
The purpose of this Kickstarter is to make a platform for future projects in the Robotics club which we will document and make open source for everyone to share.
Features of the board
The board will regulate power from USB power or a battery pack so connecting it to a power source should be simple.
Six easily accessible ADC ports for analog input will give access to VCC, Ground, and an input.
Single Digital port for digital inputs.
LED access for visual feedback of data throughput and power.
Socket for ATMEL Atmega328 compatible with Arduino IDE. The microprocessor should be easily swapped out with others for field upgrades or if the chip gets fried.
Risks and challenges
Challenges for this project include revisions to make the board more user friendly and compatible with emerging technologies. Components will be evaluated for cost, compatibility, durability, and ease of integration.
First and foremost, we want the board to be very low cost and fairly user-upgradable. The board should be able to deal with a fair amount of tinkering without being clunky.
Being active in the Robotics club has shown that most entry level members like to tinker with LEDs first, then move on to sensor input, then gradually to fully autonomous units that function without being tethered to USB.
Once this Kickstarter is funded, we would like to build platforms off this board that can do more and more exciting things like communicating wirelessly with sensor arrays and mobile computing platforms, and to bring these technologies to our LA Robotics club members.
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Funding period
- (30 days)