Welcome back.

So one of the coolest projects you conduce with our DWI knows is creating autonomous vehicles and remotely controlled vehicles, no matter how old we are.

Right now, I'm 42.

It's still really cool to build little vehicles.

It doesn't matter what age you are, whether you're five years old or 45 years old.

Playing with little toy cars is always really cool.

Now, one of the important things that you have to remember whenever you're dealing with, aren't we?

No projects is that you get to build the Arduino projects out of almost anything that you want.

So it's important.

Understand we're dealing with are do we know it's not like Legos, right?

If you go out and you build something with Legos, it's Erector sets.

Then they give you exactly what you need in order to build whatever project it is that you're going to be creating when you go out to create are we know projects and especially with aren't we know vehicles?

The important thing to understand is that you have a whole smorgasbord of different vehicle platform you can use in order to build your vehicles.

And all of these different vehicle platforms have their benefits and have their downsides.

So you have teeny tiny little vehicle platforms like this from DF robot that are really cool because it really small and they're really, really agile.

They could do a lot of cool stuff, but they're also a teeny tiny and literally it's they're almost too small.

It even put a a standard, aren't we know, you know, board on much less.

If you wanna put a whole array of sensors, you can go with something like this is a larger vehicle platform.

The issue with this, though, is that this is going to burn through a lot of electricity.

So if you're using batteries in order to move this thing around, this is going to drain your batteries much faster than something that's a little bit smaller.

So when you're going to go when you're going to start thinking about creating your Arduino vehicle projects, it is important that you give a really consideration to the vehicle platform that you will be using because there are upsides and downsides to all of these different platforms, and they're just they're just a ton of them out there.

So I'm gonna show you four different vehicle platforms that I've personally used today, and I will give you the benefits and the drawbacks of these platforms.

So with that, let's go over the work bed so I can give you a little bit closer.

Look at these different vehicle platforms, so this is a rather standard a four wheel drive vehicle platform.

This one in particular, comes from sane Smart.

But there's a whole ton of clones that Maur or less look and operate exactly like this platform.

So with this, you can see you've got four for electric motors in here.

They're connected it to four very large tires, and this platform itself is nice and large, So this is the size of the arena board.

So obviously, with something of this size, you can put a whole bunch of different sensors on here.

You can put a whole bunch of different boards, and so when you have something of this size, you are not going to to find any issues with space you can put almost anything you want on to this.

So the good part about it is this gives you a whole bunch of space.

The other nice part is, since it has four motors and has these nice big tires, this can get over most types of terrain.

Now it may seem a little funny, but honestly, when you're in your house, if you have something like shag carpeting, shag carpeting could be difficult for some of these vehicle platforms.

So have something having a vehicle platform with these types of tires?

With these four relatively strong motors, this will be able to get over most obstacles or most most things within your environment.

The downside.

The downside is, is with these very large, thick tires, and these motors is it is going to drain your batteries very quickly.

So with these, aren't we know projects when the cool things is even with the little vehicles, you can use something like a nine volt bat battery to to charge the entire projects of the art we know board everything else.

The issue is, if you're going to use a vehicle like this, you are going to drain those batteries within maybe 10 minutes.

Now, if you're using something like rechargeable like lithium ion batteries, So I like using little rechargeable battery packs.

That's not necessarily a big deal.

One of the issues that one of the issues I ran into when I first started with these projects, I would use the batteries that I think it's the double A batteries that they told you to use.

So, like with this particular kit and actually comes with a little battery holder battery connector that allows you to connect six double A batteries.

It pat worse this platform very nicely.

But you literally run through six double A batteries in about, you know, 10 minutes.

So if you're not expected and if you're not thinking about it using a platform like this, he get very expensive very quickly.

If you're using standard acid type batteries again like nine volt batteries, double A batteries something like that, because again it has drains so much electricity.

So the benefit of a platform like this is that it can go go over most terrain.

You're going to get in like residential normal environments.

It's very, very powerful.

You're not gonna have any issues, but it's gonna drain electricity very quickly.

So then you go over and you take a look at something like this.

So this is really nice.

And this is nice and small, very, very maneuverable on does not burn.

Electricity is quickly again if you look at the motors on here so you can see these teeny tiny motors.

So look at those teeny tiny motors compared to the motors and gearboxes and the larger one, so this doesn't burn nearly as much electricity.

The other nice part is what this has is.

This has two wheels, and then it basically has ball bearings.

So what this allows is this allows again for to be very, very, very, very maneuverable.

The good part about this is it doesn't run through electricity and nearly as quickly and is incredibly agile.

So depending on what you're doing, so if you're going to be doing something like, you want to create projects on the table top.

So let's say you want to start teaching classes for, let's say, a church group or a Boy Scout or Girl Scout group or something like that, and you won't be able to create vehicles that don't move around and do things, but you want them confined to a table top, then something of this size might be very good for you.

The issue they're going to run into the O is simply the fact that it's a small size.

So again, this is a standard Arduino board.

These air the holes, I put the screw things that put for the standard we know board and see what you can tell is you put a standard Arduino board on this little platform and you're already starting to run out of space.

If you wanna put multiple sensors, if you want to put different things on this particular platform, you're gonna have issues again, even something like a battery.

So So again, I know what my power my vehicles with lower chargeable battery packs, is a standard one that I use.

And I mean, you literally were like, No, seriously, I mean, what issues you get into is literally where do you even put a battery on something like this?

So this is cool because it won't go through as much.

Electricity doesn't need as much power.

Very flexible, but it is obviously very small.

Then you can go to something like this.

So this is kind of a hybrid.

This is kind of a hybrid between that large vehicle and that small vehicles.

You'll notice it has two wheels and then on the bottom, where the third wheel would.

Dio is just this kind of numb here, eh?

So it's not a wheel, It's not a ball berry, and it's just kind of enough.

That's the good part about this is your only powering two wheels so you don't burn as much electricity as with the larger one.

And it's a nice large platform again.

You take an Arduino board, you put it here, put your batteries.

You can put a whole bunch of stuff on here and you can create a pretty good vehicle.

Get lots of sensors, everything else.

One of the issues that one of the downsides with this you have to think about is this little nub.

Now, if you're going to be running this on linoleum floor, if you're gonna be running this again on something like a table in this little novel matter again, it won't mar up the table.

It will mar a pure linoleum floor, but basically you need something smooth to run it on.

To be clear, this little nub.

If you put this on any kind of carpet, it's essentially going to end up being an anchor, and it's not going to be a move anywhere, or it's going to have a very difficult time moving anywhere.

So that's something to think about there with this particular one.

This is very good all around platform and a lot of ways.

I just have to realize you can't use it on carpet and really anywhere, anywhere, that there's nothing they can't.

You may run into problems again, even something like a hardwood floor.

So if you have hardwood floors that have bumps or little spaces, little gaps between the boards, anything that might catch this will cause you issues for your project.

So that's something to think about the model, the model of platform that I prefer And again, just to be clear when I said I prefer there's those and those and, uh, you know, here's another one and another one, and, uh, and another one and another one.

So when I say that I like this particular platform, uh, yeah, uh, but this actually comes from the Tech F E T A.

And again, I like it a lot.

One of the things I like about this particular platform is that it comes with not just not just the frame, but it also comes with the motors for the wheels.

It comes with the wheels, and it comes with this controller.

Eso This controller is a little bit special compared to other trouble controllers.

So normally, if you're going to be moving a vehicle around, you'll use either a motor module again.

This is a pretty large size or a motor shield.

That's kind of cool.

Here is this tiny little module here turns your motors into what are called continuous servo motors.

So basically it makes these motors seem to the Arduino born as if they're continuous servo motors.

With allows is it allows for a little bit more precision when I'm controlling motors, and one of things that I like is that this particular model is very small again.

Even a motor module, which is relatively small, is this size.

If you look at this, you've just got this tiny little model here.

One of things I like about this platform is you get the wheels.

You get this, the servo continuous server motor module.

You get the wheels, you get platform with the whole nine yards.

And so with this, what you see is you have a double decker configuration, so that is something useful.

So basically, with this, what you can do is you can put the the Arduino board on top again.

The controller for the motors is on the bottom.

And when I want to power this, I just take one of my little batteries and literally shoving here.

From this point, I can put sensors on the front and put some sensors on the side.

If I want to know how I have the batter, it can even put sensors on the back.

It's a little bit small.

I mean, to be clear, to be clear.

Let's let's let's be frank.

I mean, it's not not this If you take a look at it, it is definitely smaller than that, This large platform.

But the nice part is is this gives me a size that allows me to do everything that I wanted to d'oh!

And one of things I like about it, too, is that these motors really don't drain very much electricity again, you can see that they're relatively small.

Eso a single battery pack like this will actually be able to power this thing for a little while now.

One of the downsides, though there is a downside in this particular model, if you buy the three wheel model, is that you have this what is called a castor wheel in the front.

Now it's curious about this cast.

Your wheel is What supposed to happen is when you move forward, it goes to this position, and then when you move backwards, it goes to this position.

And then when you turn, it's supposed to move.

Now what I'll say is, as with everything with technology, it's opposed.

It supposed to very, very, very easily moved.

One of the issues that you do run into sometimes is is there's not enough pressure on the castor wheel, even if it's going in a straight direction.

Sometimes this castor wheel will be a little bit off, and then what happens?

What happens there is, then that starts acting like a runner as far as this vehicle is concerned, and so, especially if you're trying to do any fine motor work or if you need the vehicle to go straight.

So let's say you want a vehicle that literally will go straight and then we'll take a hard left or hard right.

This may not be for you because a lot of times again the caster wheels, even if it's a little bit off, that starts pushing the vehicle in one direction or the other, and so you can run into some problems.

What I personally do since I do own so many of these particular models, is if I need a vehicle, be more precise.

I actually just put make this a four wheel platform, and I put the motors and another set of wheels in the front with another controller, and then I'll make it a four wheel platform.

But there is this one of those things that you have to be thinking about.

So, like with this, you know, this three wheel thing you have the caster that can end up being a rudder.

As far as your vehicle is concerned, where is again?

With this particular model, you have this little nub, which will then grip into carpet and causing problems.

So those are the types of little things that you need to be thinking about with your vehicle.

Seems it seems very simple, right When you think about, it's like, Okay, I need a way to control the motors any of the motors.

I need the wheels and yard we know, and then I write the code.

But again, depending on what you're doing, if your vehicle starts veering off in one direction or the other, that may end up causing you a lot of problems.

The same is true with electricity consumption and all that.

So these are just some of the different platforms that are available and just something's be thinking about when you create your doing a vehicle.

So those were some things to be thinking about when you go to build your Arduino vehicle project again.

Things to be thinking about is the electricity consumption.