Each time I re-program Grisbot, I have to move the ATMega328 microcontroller chip from the robot to the Arduino platform and then back again. It was difficult to pry the chip on and off the breadboard each time because several wires (GND, 5V, analog pins) arched over the chip and every time I moved my fingers near a wire, there was the danger of jostling the connection and then having to spend up to an hour trouble-shooting the resulting problem.

As you can see in the photo, I have tried to streamline the reprogramming process by rewiring the breadboard so that now the wires go around the breadboard rather than above the chip.

The re-wired circuit worked at first, then mysteriously stopped working after I removed and re-installed the chip. That makes no sense — why would it fail only after there are no wires above the chip to jostle? Anyhow, after an hour of trouble-shooting I got it to work again.

I come away from this experience with the realization that the wiring is still a mess, which is another problem that must be addressed.