Cricket Arduino Walking Robot Operator's manual

Revision 1.0B Copyright 2015
Cricket
Robot
Documentation

2 – Cricket Robot Documentation
Contents
CRICKET THE ROBOT......................................................................................................4
Description.......................................................................................................................4
Cricket Kit Contents .........................................................................................................5
Getting Started.................................................................................................................5
Using the Remote Control................................................................................................5
Documentation.................................................................................................................7
Software and Download Cable.........................................................................................7
Cricket Features...............................................................................................................7
Top View..........................................................................................................................8
Bottom View.....................................................................................................................9
Front View......................................................................................................................10
HOW CRICKET WORKS..................................................................................................11
How Does Cricket Walk? ...............................................................................................11
Obstacle Avoidance .......................................................................................................11
Random Noises .............................................................................................................11
Flashing LED Eyes ........................................................................................................11
Remote Control..............................................................................................................11
PLAYING WITH CRICKET...............................................................................................12
ABOUT CRICKET’S HARDWARE...................................................................................13
Chassis ..........................................................................................................................13
Legs ...............................................................................................................................13
Servo Motors..................................................................................................................13
Arduino Controller ..........................................................................................................14
Batteries.........................................................................................................................15
Speaker and Sound Generation.....................................................................................15
Infrared Remote Receive ...............................................................................................15
Light Emitting Diodes .....................................................................................................16
Feeler Wires and Switches ............................................................................................16
Programming Connector, Cable and Software...............................................................17
Uploading an Arduino Program......................................................................................18
Launch the Arduino Application .....................................................................................19
Open the blink Example.................................................................................................19
Select your Board ..........................................................................................................19
Select your serial port ....................................................................................................20
Upload the program .......................................................................................................20

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ASSEMBLING CRICKET’S ARDUINO CONTROLLER BOARD ....................................22
Tools Needed.................................................................................................................22
Parts Layout...................................................................................................................24
Installing the Parts .........................................................................................................25
Checkout and Cleanup...................................................................................................32
ASSEMBLING CRICKET’S CHASSIS.............................................................................33
Tools Needed.................................................................................................................33
General Assembly Instructions ......................................................................................34
Assemble the Legs ........................................................................................................34
Assemble the Center Leg Beam ....................................................................................36
Attaching the Servo Motor Mounts.................................................................................40
Install the PC Board Mounts ..........................................................................................42
Assemble the Leg Control Arms ....................................................................................46
Assemble the Sonar Bracket..........................................................................................47
ABS Parts of Chassis are Now Complete ......................................................................51
Installing the Servos into the Chassis ............................................................................52
Installing Cricket’s Legs .................................................................................................54
Installing the Leg Control Arms ......................................................................................58
Installing the Battery Holder...........................................................................................62
Installing the Speaker ....................................................................................................64
Completing the Feelers..................................................................................................65
Installing the Feelers......................................................................................................66
Centering the Servos .....................................................................................................72
Installing the Servo Horns..............................................................................................72
Installing the Sonar Module............................................................................................78
Cleaning Up the Wiring ..................................................................................................81
Final Checkout ...............................................................................................................84
TROUBLESHOOTING .....................................................................................................88
APPENDIX A – SCHEMATICS ........................................................................................90
APPENDIX B - PARTS LIST............................................................................................92
APPENDIX C - PC BOARD LAYOUT ..............................................................................93

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Cricket the Robot
Congratulations on the purchase of your Cricket Robot Kit. Cricket is a unique walking
robot. You will find that he is also a powerful programmable robot.
Cricket has:
 Arduino based
Programmable Controller
 Sturdy Laser Cut Body
construction
 3 Hitec Servos to control six
legs
 Sonar with Hitec scan servo
 2 LED Eyes for visual
effects
 Speaker to make sound
effects
 2 Bump Feelers
 IR Remote Control
 Documentation
Cricket comes preprogrammed and ready to go. As you become more familiar with his
capabilities you can easily modify his control program to add or change his behaviors.
Programming Cricket requires just the standard Arduino Environment and a USB down
load cable.
Description
Cricket is a six-legged walking robot. He uses three motors to make the six legs walk in a
tri-gate fashion. Tri-gate means that Cricket has three legs on the ground at any one time.
The three legs touching the ground form a triangle which is very stable. Cricket can walk
forward, backward, and turn right and left. Cricket can also make sounds, flash his LED
eyes, and detect obstacles with his sonar and feelers. The Arduino Uno compatible
controller operates all of Cricket’s capabilities. The controller can be easily programmed
using the standard Arduino environment. The Arduino libraries allow you to perform
things like making sounds, blinking lights, and controlling motors. The Arduino based
program is written on a PC and then is downloaded through the PC’s USB port.

5 – Cricket Robot Documentation
Cricket Kit Contents
Cricket robots come in three variations. They are:
 Fully assembled robot
 Robot kit with fully assembled Arduino controller
 Robot kit with Arduino controller as a kit for user assembly
If you received an assembled robot, you may review the assembly instructions if you
would like to become more familiar with how your robot is assembled. Otherwise just start
enjoying playing with your Cricket Robot
Getting Started
Cricket runs on 4 standard AA batteries. You may use rechargeable batteries or alkaline
batteries. Install the batteries while noting the correct orientation. Place Cricket on a level
service and push the slide switch at the back end of the controller board. Cricket will make
a series of chirping sounds, bring all his legs into a neutral position, pause for one second
and then begin walking. While walking around, Cricket will make chirping sounds at
random times, and he will blink his LED eyes. He will also make a series of sounds
whenever his antennae touch an object or when the sonar detects something. When
Cricket detects an obstacle, he will back up and then turn away from the obstruction and
keep wandering around. Cricket will continue to walk around until his battery becomes
weak. You can tell the battery is weak when the robot starts to act erratically. Replacing or
charging the batteries for a few hours will restore Cricket’s health.
Using the Remote Control
In addition to Cricket’s ability to wander around on his own, he will also respond to his
remote control. The remote is simply a Universal remote setup as a Sony TV/VCR
Combo. You may use your own remote or the one provided with Cricket.
The remote control will override whatever Cricket is doing and execute the following
actions:
 Volume Up Cricket turns right.
 Volume Down Cricket turns left
 Channel Up Cricket moves forward at a fast walk
 Channel Down Cricket backs up
 Rewind Shake Left Legs
 Fast Forward Shake Right Legs
 Play Rock Back and Forth
 Stop Cricket stops and holds his position
 Pause Cricket freezes as long as button is held
 Keys 0-9 Cricket makes different interesting sounds
 Mute, On-Off Stop and center legs
 Prev. CH, Record Dances the Cha-Cha
The sound keys 0-9 are fun to play with because Cricket can make a continuous stream of
various sounds and chirps while you hold one of these keys down. Pushing the Pause
button will cause Cricket to freeze for as long as you hold the button. Pushing Stop
Remote Contro

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causes Cricket to stop and hold his last position. Mute which is in the center of the round
volume and channel area causes Cricket to stop and center his legs.
IMPORT NT: If the remote fails to work, you may need to reset the remote operation
code. Use the following instructions for your remote. These instructions are also on the
battery door of your remote. If you have an older remote, the code may be different but
the instructions are the same.
The code is 0972 for GE 4 Device Remote (24993) as shown to the right.
To Reprogram for CRICKET:
Press and release the TV button.
Press and hold the setup button until the LED lights.
Then key in the three-digit code 0972 and the red LED will go out.

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Documentation
This documentation includes information on using Cricket and how to assemble a Cricket.
This manual and assembly information and will be updated periodically.
Software and Download Cable
Some Cricket kits come with an optional USB/Serial programming cable. This cable can
be used to program the Arduino with the original Cricket software or to program Cricket
with your own custom version of the software. If you did not get a cable, you can purchase
SparkFun part number DEV-9716 or any similar 6 pin Arduino programming module.
https://www.sparkfun.com/products/9716
The Cricket program can be edited in the Arduino environment and the Arduino
reprogrammed. A new program will erase the current program. The original Cricket
program may be downloaded to restore Cricket’s original behavior.
Cricket may also be purchased with a Nano Arduino Module which can also be connected
to a USB port so that Cricket may be reprogrammed. Both the Arduino IC and the Nano
Module use the same control Sketch.
Cricket Features
The following photos show the layout of Cricket’s features including top, bottom, and front
views of the robot.

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Top View

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Bottom View

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Front View