this is the place where you will learn to build you catbot, there are plenty of option to build it and this document is just a guide, please adapt it at you will/requirements/options.

Getting ready

if you have a full kit (i’m talking to you lxjs attendees) your kits are solder and glue less, and you should have your software requirements met, since you did your nodebot workshop earlier, don’t you ? So skip that and go to the fun part.

Else depending on what you have at hand

Tool list

  • wire
  • solder iron and solder
  • little screwdriver (optional)
  • third hand (optional, but handy)

Hardware list

base

all options will need these ones

  • 1 arduino uno board or clone (recommended iTeaduino)
  • 2 9g servo
  • external power supply with a barrel adapter for the arduino (12V, 1.5A or superior)
  • 2 diodes led
  • 2 300 ohm resistor

options

  • laser with integrated transistor
    • 1 Laser Diode - 5mW with tll control like this one
  • laser without ttl
    • 1 laser diode - 5mW anything between 3.3 and 5V
    • 1 500 Omhs resistor
    • 1 npn transistor like bc547
  • no laser cutter or already cut box
    • Pan/Tilt Bracket
  • no iteaduino uno
    • 1 bread board with power line (or not)
    • breadboard wire (m/m)
    • pins and or headers depending of your servo and arduino type

note: the servo brackets are a bit expensive, so if you don’t plan to build a permanent laser tower you can use blue tack or similar for a temporary version

now that you have gathered all the needed materials let’s assemble it. If you don’t have the laser cut box you can build your own system and jump here to build e the circuit

Laser cut catbox

TODO …

Wires, wires, wires

here is a picture of the ending circuit

Full schematic