2024 FC ROVER MARK_2 2.0

Get ready to meet FC Rover Mark_2 2.0—the ultimate DIY project that's more than just a toy car! It’s the hands-on experience that every kid and kid-at-heart has been dreaming of. This is not just any remote-controlled car; it’s a fully buildable, customizable, next-level robotic buddy! Imagine building a vehicle from scratch, learning coding, playing with Arduino, and getting hands-on with circuit boards all while having a blast. 

But wait—this isn’t your ordinary bot. Once it’s up and running, FC Rover Bot doesn’t just drive around aimlessly—it plays tag with YOU! That’s right, this little guy is programmed to chase and dodge in a game of tag like no other. So, whether you’re a kid or an adult looking to dive into the exciting world of robotics, Rover Bot is your new best friend. Get ready to level up playtime and bring out the tech genius in you. Tag, you're it! 

1. SparkFun RedBoard Qwiic/Arduino Uno Board 
2. Arduino and Breadboard Holder 
3. SparkFun Mini Screwdriver 
4. SparkFun Motor Driver (with Headers) 
5. Pair of Rubber Wheels 
6. Pair of Hobby Gearmotors 
7. Small Servo 
8. Ultrasonic Distance Sensor 
9. 6' USB micro-B Cable 
10. Photoresistor 
11. Red, Blue, LEDs 
12. Mini Slide Switch 
13. Piezo Speaker 
14. AA Battery Holder 
15. Two 330 and One 10K Resistors 
16. Motor Driver 
17. Adhesive Velcro Pads 
18. Hot Glue and Hot Glue Gun 
19. 3D printer/access to some 3D printer (the shell can be cardboard, but the spacer must be solid) 

Download the .stl files for 3-D print.

Consult an adult for printing.

This project uses 3D printing; print out the stl files given below for the cover of the car and the wheel spacer. PUT STL FILES HERE. For the rest of the building process use the given Tinker CAD Model with all the wiring as shown below to help guide you along. 

motor1Pin1 = 12;  // Motor 1 pin 1 

const int motor1Pin2 = 11;  // Motor 1 pin 2 

const int motor2Pin1 = 5;    // Motor 2 pin 1 

const int motor2Pin2 = 4;    // Motor 2 pin 2 

const int enable1Pin = 10;  // PWM pin for motor 1 speed control 

const int enable2Pin = 6;    // PWM pin for motor 2 speed control 

const int ultrasonicTrigPin = 8; // Ultrasonic sensor Trig pin 

const int ultrasonicEchoPin = 9; // Ultrasonic sensor Echo pin 

const int switchPin = 3;    // On and off switch pin 

const int photoresistorPin = A0; // Photoresistor pin 

const int redLEDPin = 2;    // Red LED pin 

const int blueLEDPin = 1;    // Blue LED pin 

const int buzzerPin = 13;    // Buzzer pin 

The first step of the building process is putting Velcro strips on the bottom of the base plate in the areas shown below.  

Putting all the components on the breadboard. This includes: 

1. Photoresistor
2. The Motor Driver 
3. The Speaker 
4. The Ultrasonic Sensor 
5. Red and Blue LEDs 
6. Two Gear Motors 
7. One 10kOhm Resistor 
8. Two 330Ohm Resistor 

Keep both gear motors on standby for use in the next step. 

After securing all components to the breadboard, the initial step in wiring your project is to connect the ground (GND) to the negative (-) terminal on the breadboard before proceeding with any additional wiring. Along with the 5V to the positive(+) terminal on the breadboard.

This will provide power and voltage to your Arduino; which is needed for your project to work.

The next step is to wire up the motor driver. First be sure to wire your Arduino's ground and 5V to the breadboard. Below shows an image of what each motor pin does to gain a better understanding of each wire in the car. 

Next up wire up the speaker as shown in the Tinker CAD Model.

After wiring up the speaker it is time to wire up the ultrasonic sensor. Have the trig output go to pin 9 and the echo output go to pin 8. Make sure to set pins up to power and ground for the ultrasonic sensor.  

Note: The ultrasonic sensor must be flipped in the opposite direction to what is in the tinkerCAD photo. Be sure to read the plug-in spots when wiring.

Connect the photoresistor to A0.The photoresistor is a critical component that allows the rover to function properly. The photoresistor will measure the light threshold you beam at it, allowing the victory function embedded in the code to communicate that you have won the game!

Wire up both LEDs. Wiring the LEDs can be a little tricky because as you may have noticed the LEDs has both a long leg and a short leg. The position as to which side the long and the short leg does matter in terms of connecting your wires.

To connect the LEDs the Short lead leg is to be connected to the resistor following the resistor is the terminal connection, The Long lead leg is to be connected to ground(-) terminal. This completes the wiring of LEDs.

Make sure red goes to pin 2 and blue goes to pin 1. This will conclude the wiring process. 

Now hot glue the wheel spacer and the ball bearing together and let that cool. 

The wheel Bearing can be purchased of your choosing, however, make sure that your bearing ball can rotate in a 360-degree turn. If needed our purchased bearing can be found in the below link.

Attaching Wheel Bearing

After the hot glue cools attach the wheel spacer to the back velcro on the strip. 

Now it is time to put the cover on the car. Make sure to push the gear motor wires through each side opening when attaching the cover. 

After the cover is on, attach each gear motor to the velcro strips on the bottom of the base plate. 

Next download the code in Tinker CAD as shown below making sure all your pins line up with the pin assignments in the code.  

Load your code into the arduino using the Arduino.IDE software from your computer. During this process the Arduino must be plugged into the computer and the silver power socket via the USB cable in your kit. Instructions on how to upload the code are located below.  

 Note: * Make sure you clear the default Arduino.IDE that is in place*

Disconnect the power cable from the Arduino and computer. Then connect the Arduino to the battery holder via the attached cable on the holder. Do this by threading the cable through the semicircular port on the cover and plugging it into the black battery port next to the silver usb/upload port.  

This is a detailed video of step by step process of putting together the ROVER.

Congratulations! You have completed your Rover. Find a dark room, a flashlight, and TAG Your new (ROVER MARK_2 2

The fully completed Tinker CAD Model of the project

(Note: the board glows a slight bit in the dark, as there is a light when the board is plugged in, so some electrical tape could be used to cover it up)