Here’s the thing about cheapbot: as soon as you program it, it wants to go. It really needs a mode switch with two modes: one to accept commands, and the other to execute them. Also I want to be able to make it stop without having to chase after it, pick it up, and pull out the battery high wire.

The idea of putting a phototransistor on cheapbot is that I can switch modes by merely shining a flashlight on the robot. In other words, I can attach the cable and download the commands, then place the robot on the floor, then shine a light on it and it’ll go. When I want it to stop, I just shine the light on it again, and en voila. No hassle of chasing after or pulling wires.

Shown in the photo is the breadboard setup, and once it fully works, I’ll solder stuff so that the robot can be mobile again.

Status on programming: yes, I can make the robot move when the light is on it and stop when the light is off, but what I want is to cycle modes when I shine a light. That is the next step.