Category Archives: Uncategorized

Rewiring to streamline reprogramming

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 … Continue reading

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Grisbot in Solidoodle

The Solidoodle 3D printer is selling for only $499, which means that it is within my budget. So that got me to thinking that maybe I should abandon laser cutting in acrylic and instead go with 3D printing in ABS … Continue reading

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Informal Testing of Potential Ideas

Tonight I tested out a couple ideas for where to go next with Grisbot. On the right, I was working with the good old photocell testbed, which I connected to Arduino analog input A0 and measured the light reflected off … Continue reading

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ATTiny44 / Arduino programming pin connections

The MIT High-Low Tech tutorial on using an Arduino board as an ATTiny programmer has a diagram for connecting an Arduino to program an ATTiny45, but not for programming an ATTiny44. So I cross-referenced the corresponding SCK, MISO, and MOSI … Continue reading

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Grisbot Light Above Two Demo

Here is a demo video of grisbot performing in ‘Light Above Two’ Mode. This could be the basis of a game, in which the object is to steer the robot as close to a marker as possible within a limited … Continue reading

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Light Above 2 User Interface

This is the Scratch-programmed user interface for the second mode for grisbot to obey commands from a flashlight shined from above. When a flashlight is shined on the robot with an intensity greater than user-selected value (a), the robot turns: … Continue reading

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Grisbug circuit test

Grisbug is like a hexbug, only with programmed features. It is programmed to blink its eyes when a flashlight shines on it. When the flashlight comes closer, grisbug ‘wakes up’ and the eyes glow continuously and the motor runs. When … Continue reading

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Mice Eating Watermelon!

Sammy and Sam Sam eating watermelon. Engineer bloggers are allowed to be off topic if it’s Sunday and if it’s cute.

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grisbug instamorph

On Friday morning the bathroom sink plugged up and while looking in the cabinet underneath for the snake, I spied a siphon clip that I had made with instamorph. How fortuitous! I had completely forgotten — Instamorph, of course! Just … Continue reading

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Grisbug: first concept

I’m sure everyone is familiar with hexbugs, which are selling for about $6. Well, I’m working on a design for a ‘grisbug’ which will aim for roughly the same price point but have expanded capabilities. I priced the ATTiny at … Continue reading

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