Arlo: Motion Sensing Robot featuring 4Duino-24 and uLCD

Arlo is a module which features two µLCD-220RD as eyes which can be control via serial connection. A 4Duino-24 is used as a mouth to make it like a face. The  4Duino-24 acts as a host which receives data from the ultrasonic sensor and sends commands to the servo motor attached with Arlo. This project senses any object within the range of the ultrasonic sensor and faces the detected part. Arlo will then blink the eyes and then open and close the mouth. Then it will wait until another ultrasonic sensor detects an object.

Implementation

Step 1: Build

Build the circuit as shown in the diagram.

Step 2: Program

Workshop 4 – 4Duino Extended Graphics environment is used to program this project.

Workshop requires that the Arduino IDE installed as it calls the Arduino IDE for compiling the Arduino sketches. The Arduino IDE, however, is not required to be opened or modified to program the 4Duino. Download the project file here.

Open this file using Workshop 4.

Step 3: Compile

Click on the “Compile” button.

Note: This step could be skipped. However, compiling is essential for debugging purposes.

Step 4: Comms Port

Connect the 4Duino to the PC using µUSB cable. Then navigate to the Comms tab and select the Comms port to which the 4Duino connected.

Step 5: Compile and Upload

Go back to “Home” tab. This time, click on the “Comp’nLoad” button.

Workshop IDE will prompt you to select a drive to load the image. Choose a µSD card drive and click OK. Insert the µSD card to your 4Duino-24 to finish the loading of the project. After uploading, 4Duino will start running the code.

Step 6: Uploading Arlo’s Eyes

Open these files with Workshop IDE:

See that these files use the Visi Environment. Compile the project by clicking the Compile button.

After compiling, you can now upload the program to the µLCD-220RD. Make sure that your display is connected to the right port. Go to Comms pane and select the correct communication port.

Next, you have to Compile and Load the program to µLCD-220RD. Workshop IDE will prompt you to select a drive to load the image. Choose a µSD card drive and click OK.

Lastly, insert the µSD Card to µLCD-220RD. Do the same thing on the other µLCD-220RD.

Application

You can customize how Arlo will look like, you can also enclose him into a nice body so it will be cool as what you want to.