November 2011

My Queboid robot has been around for a while, but for the World Robot Olympiad event in Abu Dhabi this year I decided to add a Zamor sphere shooter to the basic model. I swapped out the power function motors to use NXT motors. The idea was that kids could drive the robot using Philo’s joystick design communicating over Bluetooth from the remote to the NXT in the Queboid.

Building Instructions

1. • View step-by-step Queboid Shooter Building Instructions.pdf as a PDF file (28.6 MB download)
   

2. • View a gallery of images with step-by-step instructions.
   

3. • Download the QueboidShooter.ldr file to view in LDView or MLCad.
   

4. • The building instructions remote control for Queboid is from Philo’s joystick.
   

Programming

The Queboid control program is written in NXC. You need two NXTs; one is mounted on the Queboid robot, and the other is in the joystick unit. The joystick needs to connect to the Queboid using Bluetooth and is the master.

qbcontrol.nxc is the source code that runs on the control joystick.

qbslave.nxc is the source code that runs on the Queboid robot.

To operate the Queboids follow these steps:

1. 1.Turn on the NXT on the joystick and the Queboid.
   

2. 2.Enable Bluetooth on both NXTs.
   

3. 3.On the joystick search for the Queboid NXT in the Bluetooth menu.
   

4. 4.Connect to the Queboid from the joystick using Bluetooth.
   

5. 5.Start the qbslave program on the Queboid.
   

6. 6.Start the qbcontrol program on the joystick.
   

7. 7.Center the joystick and press the fire button.
   

8. 8.Push the joystick forward to drive forward, and left/right to turn. Press the joystick button to fire a ball.
   

Videos and Pictures

I built four Queboids in red, yellow, white and black to bring to the WRO event. They were a big hit with the kids who were attending, as you can see from the video below.