In theory, it’s possible to program the ATMega328 while it’s off the Arduino platform. Simply connect the Rx, Tx, GND, 5V and reset pins, and you’re in business. Well, it didn’t work for me and in the process I realized that connecting and disconnecting all those wires isn’t going to speed up the transfer process compared to simply moving the chip itself.

The picture shows the 5V line disconnected because otherwise the robot would be moving in accordance to its previous programming. I’m wondering if the servos are interfering with the data transfer process here.

Anyhow, there’s a lot of software troubleshooting left to go and I’m thinking that I need to revise the robot so that it can cradle an Arduino instead of just the ATMega. Once I get done with all the programming for the Arduino, maybe then I can go back to just using the chip.

BTW, the demo at the Seattle Robotics Society meeting seemed to go well, and a couple people came by and expressed interest. So I may have sales next month. That is, if I have a viable product by then.