The first thing I have to say is I’m impressed with all the work it must have taken to develop circuito. Great job guys!
So here’s my challenge. I’m trying to make a “mouse droid” robot that follows a full scale r2d2 I built. I want to be able to take r2 and the mouse droid follower to the Doernbecher children’s hospital this Christmas season here in Portland, Oregon and hand out toys to the kids. The list of components you have listed in circuito is extensive. Any recommendations which way to go to get an arduino based robot to follow an object? Should I use some kind of gps module, infrared xmitter/receiver combination, modified ultrasonic transmitter/receiver combo??? I’m not sure what would work best, but your site gave me hope that I might be able to do the project in time for the Christmas season. Any help or direction you could point me would be greatly appreciated. Oh, and may the force be with you all!!
Hey,
Nice project idea!
There are two issues you’re facing here:
- maintaining constant distance from r2d2
- getting the mouse droid to follow the r2d2 in azimuth
Trying to think of a simple solution to these issues, brought us to the following idea:
r2d2 - will have 1 or 2 IR transmitting LEDs facing backwards.
mouse droid - will have an ultrasonic distance sensor (hc-sr04) for achieving issue #1 and an IR camera for issue #2. You can start from this circuit - https://www.circuito.io/app?components=512,11021,13959,838186.
The IR positioning camera we use doesn’t have test code, but you can find many references online, it’s by DFrobot. You will use it to measure the direction to r2d2 --> control the motors accordingly to center r2d2 in the frame.
Ultrasonic distance sensor - once r2d2 is centered, you can measure the distance and compensate with motor speed accordingly, to maintain constant distance.
The IR LEDs on r2d2 are constantly on, just connect them to a battery with a resistor.
Keep in mind that the task of following another object is always tricky and difficult to achieve.
Good luck! Let us know how it went 
Hello … i want to build one arduino mega based r2d2… any info and help from yours …?
ty in advance
– about the mouse… i dont know if the gps module will work and how acurate it is but with some sensors i think it can be programmed to do different things… like turning and running away for 2-5 m and get back… …avoiding obstacles using ultrasonic sensor or pir sensor… etc…