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Bots /The Ultimate Palm Robot/ Mukhar & Johnson / 222880-6 / Chapter 2

Chapter 2 Getting the Parts 37

Odd Ones

Finally, there are a number of smaller parts that you will need when building
the PPRK. Many of these parts can be obtained from local stores or Kevin’s ga-
rage. If you need an essential part when you’re working on your Palm Robot
at 3:00 A.M., don’t hesitate to give him a call. He’ll drive the parts right over.

Batteries
Your robot will need a power source. We initially toyed around with incorpo-
rating a small fusion power source, but had trouble containing free neutrons
in the heavy water reservoir. As a result, we recommend that you stick with
regular batteries.

The BrainStem kit uses four AA NiMH rechargeable batteries (although
any AA battery will work) to power the servos, and a 9-volt battery to power
the controller board and IR rangers. If you are using the SV203 kit, you’ll need
four alkaline AA batteries. Obviously, you can find these batteries just about
anywhere. You’ll also need to get a battery holder for the batteries. Any local
hobby store should carry these.

Acrylic Platform
The frame, controller board, and batteries are mounted on a single piece of
clear acrylic. These can be obtained from any hardware store and cut to size.
The original PPRK used a circular platform, cut to six inches in diameter. You
can purchase a precut acrylic disc at www.mcmaster.com. (Don’t be intimi-
dated by the sheer number of parts sold there; just search for part number
8581K26, and it’ll pop up in a heartbeat.) If you’re taking the kit approach,
you’ll find that the PPRK kits from Acroname use a slightly larger platform
that’s cut into a triangular shape with rounded corners. If you are going to du-
plicate the platform provided by Acroname, you’ll want to get a piece of
acrylic (between 8 and 12 inches) that you can cut to the size you prefer.

Toggle Switch

The robot can be turned on and off using a toggle switch. These can be found
at various electronics or hardware stores. You can find them online at Jameco
Electronics (www.jameco.com: look for Jameco part 105814). You can also
substitute similar switches from other sources, like Radio Shack, which
sells more varieties of toggle switches than you could ever possibly need.

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Monday, May 12, 2003 10:17:30 AM