3 Interesting DIY Robots You Can Build Using DC Motor Controllers

Creating your own robot is a lot of fun. It takes know-how, creativity, and some elbow grease. It’s a great way to learn about modern electronics, the basics of machinery, and the art of motion and how that can be applied to a mechanical construct.

Sometimes, though, it can be a little tough to decide on a project. A lot of people gain inspiration from necessity. Maybe they need to automate the doors in their home. Maybe they need a remote-controlled car for their children. Maybe they need to finally beat Dave at the annual robot war tournament. You know, necessity.

But there’s also sometimes a different motivation. The best way to learn is by doing, and in the case of robotics that means building a robot even if you don’t have a specific use in mind. You learn about different applications for robotics once you know the fundamentals. Learning how to use DC motor controllers, for example, is easiest if you build with them!

If you’re finding it difficult to just pick a design and go, here are 3 interesting DIY robots that you can build using DC motor controllers.

1: Keeping It Simple with a Beginners Design

This first design is an easy one, and it’s ideal for beginners who have never built a robot before. The more advanced stuff can come later.

By building this robot, you’ll have a machine that can move by remote or through basic autonomous programming. It’s simple and straight forward. It won’t do anything fancy but you’ll learn the basics of bringing a simple design to life.

You need the basics—such as wheels, a motor, a motor controller, and a battery—and a general shape and design for the bot itself. You can build out from there, but you’ll need to rely on your own imagination for that.

2: A Little More Advanced with a Forklift Design

How many times have you wanted to crawl into a forklift and go nuts? Well, now you can! At least, a miniature version of the idea. This design was entered in a robotics competition in Ontario, Canada by high school seniors. Its mission? Lift wooden cubes.

Easier said than done, but still pretty low on the expertise scale.

You’re going to want to get a motor controller with dual motor support on this one. This robot can pick up small cubes and move them to a drop-off location. This will help teach you about combining two different motor functions alongside the knowledge needed to incorporate precision into your design.

3: Play Fetch with This Design

This one is more advanced than the last two, and you’ll have a lot of fun with it.

While this design won’t actually play fetch with you, it does something almost as cool. This robot can be programmed to track a ball with its camera… and then follow it around. By building this one, you’ll gain advanced knowledge in autonomous functions. The coding and the operation will teach you how to adapt this for other uses, and will perhaps lead you to one day create an interesting case study of your own.

DC motor controllers, especially advanced ones with scripting support, will be a big help when you adapt the knowledge from this DIY design to your own future projects.

I am frank and provide the content which is based on technology and electric motors.