eTRIx is a two day workshop focusing on the art of building autonomous robots out of discrete electronic components. Building such controller-less robots is an ideal way to explore the field of electronics and basics of autonomous robotics. Participants will be able to apply concepts learned in the classrooms in new and interesting ways to create simple yet seemingly complex robotic creatures.

This two day intensive yet fun-filled workshop includes numerous hands-on sessions on designing, analyzing and building a variety of circuits and using them as basic building blocks for different robots. At the end of this workshop, the participants will have designed and implemented their own autonomous robots exhibiting single/ multiple behaviors such as (but not limited to) phototropic, photophobic, obstacle avoiding, wall following and path tracing

[eTRIx is an ideal way to spice up the theoretical concepts in electronics with the dynamicity of robotics. Remember, electronics can indeed be FUN!]

Topics Covered

The topics are categorized into multiple sessions. These sessions will be appropriately paced and distributed in the span of two days.

Introduction to Robotics and basics of robot construction

• Anatomy of a robot
• Overview of controller-less robotics
• Robot construction materials
• Fabrication processes
• Wheels and drives
• Ideas and Tips on fabricating PCBs

In this session, participants will be introduced to the world of robotics. Different robot construction materials and construction techniques will be investigated and compared.

Basics of electronics and RC circuits

• Revision of basic electronics fundamentals
• Study of simple RC circuits
• Bread-boarding techniques

This warm-up session shall be used to revise the basic fundamentals in electronics. Simple resistor-capacitor circuits will be designed and analyzed. Different types of available resistors and capacitors will be seen. This session will also be used to familiarize the participants with the concept of breadboard prototyping.

Transistors

• Introduction to commonly used transistors
• Selecting the right transistor for your application
• Designing simple transistor circuits
• Using transistors to drive Relays and Motors

A practical approach to transistor circuit designing will be employed. Techniques for identification and selection of appropriate transistors will be discussed.

Motors and Motor Drivers

• DC motors and Geared motors
• Designing a transistorized H bridge
• Concept of fly-back diodes
• Noise suppression techniques

This session includes understanding the need and basics of operation of motor drivers. Various motor driver designs will be discussed and analyzed. Participants will design and build their own transistorized H bridges.

Sensors

• Introduction to various IR based sensors
• Concept of active modulated sensors
• Tactile sensors
• Sound sensing with simple techniques

This session will introduce the participants to various sensors and their probable usage in robotics applications. Simple circuits will be designed, implemented and tested to analyze their characteristics under different conditions.

Understanding Op Amps

• Basic Op Amp circuits
• Op Amps as comparators
• Designing line detecting sensors
• Building a Line following robot/ Edge avoiding robot
• Building a light seeking robot

Use of Op Amps in practical circuits will be extensively discussed in this session. Different Op Amp based sensor processing techniques will be reviewed. Participants will build their own IR based line detecting sensors.

Understanding IC 555

• Basics of IC555
• TSOP based object detecting module
• Building obstacle avoider using a timer IC555

The idea of this session is to understand the use of IC555 through various robotics related applications. An IC555 based object detection sensor will be designed and built. Simple 555 based robot designs will also be covered.

The kit:

All of the circuits designed and discussed during the course of this workshop will be assembled and implemented on a specially designed rapid robotic development platform. This kit includes all the necessary tools and components to build a self-contained autonomous robot out of discrete electronic components.

The kit shall consist of the following:

• Motors (Geared -2)
• Motor Driver Kit
• Power Supply Kit
• Battery Holders with relevant connectors
• Robust chassis

Starters Package List:

(Tools)

• Bread-Board wires
• Screw Driver
• Wire Stripper
• Multi-meter
• Component Container
• Breadboard

(Electronic Components)

• Assortment of Transistors, Resistors, Capacitors and Diodes
• LEDs
• LM358
• LM555
• IR sensor Pair
• LDRs
• TSOP 1738
• Relay
• Potentiometers
• Logic Gates

Misc:

• Pre and post workshop training material.

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