[TriEmbed] [TAR] Hackable toy for the robotic experimenter [3 Attachments]

[Brian]

I got a very similar thing for Christmas last year. (Yes, me; yes, I 
turned 36 that year, shut up! :-) )  I found it pretty much un-drivable 
as-is (the all-or-nothing controls make it pretty much impossible to 
control except for straight lines and in-place spins), but I have plans 
to rewire it for PWM.  If I ever actually do it, I'll bring it in for 
show and tell!

-B

On 01/09/2017 04:06 PM, Ken Boone kensrobots at gmail.com 
[trianglerobotics] wrote:
> [Attachment(s) <#TopText> from Ken Boone included below]
>
> I have found RC toys a great source of inexpensive parts for creating
> robots and devices.
>
> My latest find is the Thunder Tumbler RC car.  For just $9.99 you get
> two removable motor/gear trains with nice wheels, a four cell battery
> holder, three additional wheels, two reversible motor drivers and a
> radio frequency remote/receiver with four channels.
>
> The remote control has a separate joystick for the right and left wheel
> that controls each wheel either forward or backwards at full speed.  The
> TXM 8A978S receiver/controller integrated circuit chip (IC) in the car
> has four digital logic (on/off) outputs controlling the two motors.
>
> The following signals where measured. Signals where near zero volts or
> approximately 4 volts dc when logic high.
>
> When the right joystick is forward pin 6 on the IC is logic high.
> When the right joystick is back pin 7 on the IC is logic high.
> When the left joystick is forward pin 11 on the IC is logic high.
> When the left joystick is back pin 10 on the IC is logic high.
> When the turbo button is pressed both pin 6 and pin 11 on the IC are
> logic high.
>
> You could cut the circuit traces from the IC to the motor driver
> circuits and use the IC outputs to remotely control four relays or
> connect to four microprocessor inputs.There is 8 combinations of the
> four outputs that could be decoded by the microprocessor as 8 different
> commands. Additional circuitry is needed protect the IC outputs and to
> drive relays since each IC output is only rated to source 4ma.
>
>
> Four microprocessor outputs could be connected to the disconnected motor
> driver circuits on the controller board to control the car motors.  Then
> you could have a robotic car with 8 possible remote commands.
>
> I purchased this car at Walgreen's but I have seen it at several other
> places.
>
> Happy new year and keep up the hacking!
>
> Ken Boone
> KensRobots.com
>
> __._,_.___
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