Are you fascinated by robotics and want to try your hand at building your own robotic car? Look no further. In this step-by-step tutorial, we will guide you through the process of creating a line follower robot. This project is perfect for beginners, especially children aged 8 and above.

Step 1: Building the Robot

• To start off, you'll need an Avishkaar ABot Advanced kit, which contains all the necessary components. You'll be using: a metal chassis, motors, wheels, IR sensors, a caster wheel, connecting cables, nuts, bolts, and a programmable brain. This kit makes it easy to assemble the structure of the robot with its convenient chassis.

• Begin by connecting the two motors securely to the rear of the chassis using two bolts each. Remember, it's crucial to have firm joints by using multiple bolts. This ensures stability and eliminates wobbliness in your design. Next, insert the axle shafts into the motors and secure them with axle locks on both sides to prevent them from slipping out.

• Attach the wheels to the axle shafts using fillers that provide clearance between the wheels and the chassis, allowing smooth movement. Make sure to lock the wheels in place using axle locks. In the front, connect the caster wheel using 2.5" U-Beams and two bolts for a sturdy joint. Finally, mount the IR sensors on the front of the chassis.

Step 2 : Coding the Robot

• Before diving into coding, let's understand the basics of infrared (IR) sensors. IR sensors use infrared waves, which are invisible to the human eye, to detect objects and obstacles. When an IR sensor emits an infrared wave, it bounces back when it encounters an object. By detecting these reflected waves, the IR sensor can identify obstacles. For our line follower robot, we will utilize the property of black objects absorbing IR waves.

• The algorithm for our line follower robot is as follows: when both sensors are on a white surface, the bot moves forward. When the right sensor detects a black line, the bot moves right, and when the left sensor detects a black line, the bot moves left. If both sensors detect black, the bot stops.

• Now let's move on to coding. Visit www.avishkaar.cc and create an account. Once logged in, select the AMS AI platform and choose the "code with Avishkaar hardware" option. AMS is a user-friendly block-based coding platform designed for kids, making coding intuitive and fun.

• Start by adding the "my program" block, which serves as the main block in your code. Inside this block, create an infinite loop to ensure continuous operation of the code. Use if/else blocks and modify them to include four different scenarios based on the sensor values.

• For the straight movement, use the "and" block to check both sensor values. If both values are greater than 350, program the bot to move forward. Adjust the motor rotations accordingly. Similarly, program the bot to move right or left based on the sensor values. Finally, program the bot to stop when both sensor values are less than 350.

• Adjusting the sensor values might be necessary, as different IR sensors can return different values for detecting a black line. Fine-tune the values (e.g., 300 or 400) until the line detection works accurately.

Step 3: Testing the Robot

• Once you've finished coding, save and compile the program. To burn the code onto the robot's brain, turn on the brain and enable Bluetooth on your laptop. Pair your laptop with the robot's brain via Bluetooth and burn the code.

• With the code successfully burned, it's time to test your line follower robot! Place it on a track with a black line, and watch as it follows the path autonomously. Experiment with different line patterns and enjoy the satisfaction of seeing your robot in action.

This DIY line follower robot project is an excellent introduction to robotics and coding. If you don't have the Avishkaar ABot Advanced Robotics Kit, you can find it using the link provided in the description. This beginner-friendly kit comes with detailed instructions on building and coding various robots.

What's more, the Avishkaar modular robotics design system allows for easy upgrades. By using bridge kits, you can integrate the ABot Advanced kit with more advanced robotics kits, unlocking endless possibilities for creating even more sophisticated robots.