No one likes to be told when they can and cannot leave their homes. But for many people, the word quarantine will be a daily part of their lives for the foreseeable future. It is likely that the usual time wasters you enjoy will eventually bore you while spending days alone in your home. It is also a good bet you will begin to look for other diversions. This is a great time to make and enjoy your own robot.
Chess Robot
If you are a chess player, you have more than likely faced a computer opponent a time or two. But not as many chess players have competed against a computer that can make moves on a physical chessboard. A robotic arm can be constructed that contains all the AI needed for the arm to function as a skilled player at the chess table.
Robotic Fish
All that is need to construct a robotic fish is servos and a simple set of controllers. The simplicity of this creation does not mean it is any less entertaining or amazing than the other DIY robots you can enjoy during the quarantine. Once you complete the project, your robot fish will propel itself with its tail and use servos to alter the curve of its body while it swims. You can outfit your robotic fish with IR detectors to provide it with the ability to navigate and avoid obstacles in its path.
Source: ShutterstockRobotic Arm
This is another robot that succeeds at providing entertaining despite its simple design. Servos, a small amount of cardboard, and a microcontroller is all that is needed to provide yourself with hours of fun through a simple robotic arm. The arm you construct with these materials will not be suited for factory work but will provide an excellent robotics learning tool and an entertaining gadget for your desktop.
Robot Tree-Climber
Wheels are perhaps the most-used accessory to facilitate movement by a robot. However, it will not take you much to construct your own tree-climbing robot that makes use of “legs” to accomplish its feats. A microcontroller is used to drive the action of the robot and gears are used to generate the power necessary for the robot’s pincers to grip the tree. The robot tree-climber contracts and expands its body to climb the tree.
Dial-Tone Controlled Robot
This robot comes in the form of a four-wheeled car and is unique due to its use of Dial Tone Frequency Modulation. While this fancy term sounds complicated, it is really quite basic. A telephone connects to the robot and the DTFM robot receives the information it needs from the different dial tones the phone emits. Each tone prompts the robot to complete a different function. It is the equivalent of using a modem from yesteryear to control your own robot.
Sentry Turret
Robots that are built to provide information regarding their environment are an extremely valuable resource. But have you ever thought of what it would be like to have a robot that can provide you with protection? You can provide yourself with a robotic defense option by constructing an automated sentry turret that fires foam darts via an attached nerf gun. Your sentry turret is available for you to defend yourself against any intruder who dares enter your space without a proper invite.
A Robot Firefighter
Most amateur robotics buffs are interested in building robots that will provide them with fun and entertainment. But there are times when you will be interested in a robot that is used for more serious situations. You will only need to attach a water pump to a robot constructed in the form of a standard car or truck to create your own robot firefighter. It is possible that this project will one day be more than a DIY project for robot enthusiast and will succeed at saving both property and lives
Source: ShutterstockSelf-Balancing Robot
Building and interacting with your own self-balancing robot will provide you with the perfect learning tool to familiarize yourself with concepts like fine performance adjustment and feedback. The self-balance robot stands vertically on two wheels and the object is for it to not fall over. The robot constantly self-monitors its position and uses motors to make adjustments when needed. This robot is simple to construct and you will not need to purchase expensive microcontrollers or specialized hardware.
Conclusion
There is no getting around the fact that a quarantine that can last two weeks or longer will be the cause of a great deal of boredom. However, you can relieve some of this boredom and obtain knowledge that can be useful to you later when you use the spare time to build and enjoy your own robot.
