WALTER - The Arduino Photovore Insect

Simple robot to build, involve no pcb or proto board, no frames, just using a lot of glues.

Dec 17, 2016

58224 views

84 respects

Components and supplies

3

Ultrasonic Sensor - HC-SR04 (Generic)

5

MG90S Metal Geared Micro Servo

1

Portable Power Pack for Smartphones (2 Channels: 1A, and 2.1A)

1

Arduino Pro Mini 328 - 5V/16MHz

4

Photodiode

4

Resistor 100k ohm

Tools and machines

1

Soldering iron (generic)

1

Hot glue gun (generic)

Apps and platforms

1

Arduino IDE

Project description

Code

WALTER.ino

arduino

WALTER.ino

arduino

Downloadable files

WALTER's Circuit

WALTER's Circuit

Comments

Only logged in users can leave comments

BnTie

2 years ago

How does it know which direction do go to follow the light? cool project, though!!

studikasus

2 years ago

Simply by measuring & comparing light intensity from each corners (front-left, front-right, back-left, back-right) using 4 photodiodes.

DrFreeman

2 years ago

Thanks for sharing this project. I liked it that it has a middle shaft servo, making it more natural for movement of legs. I made a slightly different version with only one sonic sensor in front and no photo sensors. Without making any changes in your code, the insect bot would just kind of go in circles. I was thinking without the other sensors, the bot would just walk forward until it hits an obstacle in front. Any thoughts on the code to do this? I'm really just beginning to learn Arduino coding. Thanks.

Anonymous user

2 years ago

hey! i´m building my own Walter, but I'm having problems because I don't know where some connections of the plane go, and I don't know why in the photos there are more pins in the Arduino, (I'm pretty new to this) and I would like to know if you could contact me, since I need some help , Thank you

Anonymous user

2 years ago

This is really nice project. I plan to complete it by this weekend. The suggestion to add those tactile swithces is good. My suggestion is to add small micro switches generally used in printers. They operate with just a sheet of paper. Optical switches are next best option.

studikasus

2 years ago

Thank you. I really appreciate your suggestion. I didn't know about printer's micro switches before.

Anonymous user

2 years ago

Which libraries should we download to use this code

Anonymous user

2 years ago

Wonderful project! Having built almost all of the original BEAM circuits, I just had to try this one! While it is not really a BEAM critter, it enables the concept to a new platform and a new generation. I'm sure Tilden would approve! Thanks for the idea and sharing the project...

studikasus

2 years ago

Hi Mark, I'm glad to see another BEAM fan here. I hope you'll have fun making this project.

Anonymous user

2 years ago

This is excellent! Great video too. Your website explains the assembly very well and I see no reason to have to excuse your English as it's perfectly fine. I'm tempted to grab 5 SG90's and a hot glue gun and build one of these myself!

studikasus

2 years ago

Thanks for your kind comment, and please do, build one yourself. If you wanted to use SG90 servos, I think you need to consider to use lighter battery than what Walter have. The weight may broke those SG90s' plastic gears. Maybe LiPo battery have more suitable weight for SG90.

Anonymous user

2 years ago

Well done!

studikasus

2 years ago

Thank you.

Anonymous user

2 years ago

This is a great walker-bot. The code is very good and works perfectly. I had so much fun building this. Walter's behaviour is very life-like as he walks through the livingroom. I designed a frame and used my 3D printer. Still making improvements. I am looking forward to Walter II. Keep up the good work Martedi !

Anonymous user

2 years ago

This looks like a great project. I would like to build one with my son! I am looking at the parts list and I am not sure exactly what photodiode would work here. Would you be able to specify the type of photodiode that you used so that I can get exactly the same kind. Also, will this work for the MG90S parts: https://www.amazon.com/Seamuing-MG90S-Micro-Geared-Helicopter/dp/B07F7VJQL5 And the power pack that we are looking at is https://www.amazon.com/Portable-20000mAh-Ultra-Compact-Capacity-Compatible/dp/B07TCT8Q8S Please let me know if these will work. We are looking forward to embarking on this project! Best regards, Peter

Anonymous user

2 years ago

Hello there very good project i tried it myself but got little problem with the photo diodes. For some reason robot cant turn after light i checked if they are broken but they arent . Can u give some tips ?

Anonymous user

2 years ago

I tried i like this same result. Even used 82 ohm resistors. May it be from low light source because im using phones lighter?

studikasus

2 years ago

Hi. Have you checked the photodiodes polarity? They should connected in reverse biased manner. The cathodes should connect to 5v and the anodes should connect to resistors/analog arduino pins. I think I messed up on the circuit scheme.

jaaphz

2 years ago

This is a great walker-bot. The code is very good and works perfectly. I had so much fun building this. Walter's behaviour is very life-like as he walks through the livingroom. I designed a frame and used my 3D printer. Still making improvements. I am looking forward to Walter II. Keep up the good work Martedi !

twizzylyfe

2 years ago

Hey I could you share the 3D printed file please?

pboul

4 years ago

This looks like a great project. I would like to build one with my son! I am looking at the parts list and I am not sure exactly what photodiode would work here. Would you be able to specify the type of photodiode that you used so that I can get exactly the same kind. Also, will this work for the MG90S parts: https://www.amazon.com/Seamuing-MG90S-Micro-Geared-Helicopter/dp/B07F7VJQL5 And the power pack that we are looking at is https://www.amazon.com/Portable-20000mAh-Ultra-Compact-Capacity-Compatible/dp/B07TCT8Q8S Please let me know if these will work. We are looking forward to embarking on this project! Best regards, Peter

Anonymous user

5 years ago

Which libraries should we download to use this code

DrFreeman

5 years ago

Thanks for sharing this project. I liked it that it has a middle shaft servo, making it more natural for movement of legs. I made a slightly different version with only one sonic sensor in front and no photo sensors. Without making any changes in your code, the insect bot would just kind of go in circles. I was thinking without the other sensors, the bot would just walk forward until it hits an obstacle in front. Any thoughts on the code to do this? I'm really just beginning to learn Arduino coding. Thanks.

Anonymous user

2 years ago

hey! i´m building my own Walter, but I'm having problems because I don't know where some connections of the plane go, and I don't know why in the photos there are more pins in the Arduino, (I'm pretty new to this) and I would like to know if you could contact me, since I need some help , Thank you

Anonymous user

6 years ago

Nice Project Anybody tell me the real time application of this component

oktopot

7 years ago

Hello there very good project i tried it myself but got little problem with the photo diodes. For some reason robot cant turn after light i checked if they are broken but they arent . Can u give some tips ?

oktopot

2 years ago

I tried i like this same result. Even used 82 ohm resistors. May it be from low light source because im using phones lighter?

studikasus

2 years ago

Hi. Have you checked the photodiodes polarity? They should connected in reverse biased manner. The cathodes should connect to 5v and the anodes should connect to resistors/analog arduino pins. I think I messed up on the circuit scheme.

BnTie

8 years ago

How does it know which direction do go to follow the light? cool project, though!!

studikasus

2 years ago

Simply by measuring & comparing light intensity from each corners (front-left, front-right, back-left, back-right) using 4 photodiodes.

Anonymous user

8 years ago

This is really nice project. I plan to complete it by this weekend. The suggestion to add those tactile swithces is good. My suggestion is to add small micro switches generally used in printers. They operate with just a sheet of paper. Optical switches are next best option.

studikasus

2 years ago

Thank you. I really appreciate your suggestion. I didn't know about printer's micro switches before.

Anonymous user

8 years ago

Well done!

studikasus

2 years ago

Thank you.

Anonymous user

8 years ago

Wonderful project! Having built almost all of the original BEAM circuits, I just had to try this one! While it is not really a BEAM critter, it enables the concept to a new platform and a new generation. I'm sure Tilden would approve! Thanks for the idea and sharing the project...

studikasus

2 years ago

Hi Mark, I'm glad to see another BEAM fan here. I hope you'll have fun making this project.

DroneBotWorkshop

8 years ago

This is excellent! Great video too. Your website explains the assembly very well and I see no reason to have to excuse your English as it's perfectly fine. I'm tempted to grab 5 SG90's and a hot glue gun and build one of these myself!

studikasus

2 years ago

Thanks for your kind comment, and please do, build one yourself. If you wanted to use SG90 servos, I think you need to consider to use lighter battery than what Walter have. The weight may broke those SG90s' plastic gears. Maybe LiPo battery have more suitable weight for SG90.