Spaceport Arcade: Speed Controllers

So recently I've made a push to complete more on this Astromech droid. My short term goal is to have most of the functions working by the release date of the new movies. That's this December if you've been living under a rock.

Some clever folks on the forum worked out how to use the tiny and inexpensive PS3 navigation controllers to drive their droid and control it's sounds, head turns and movement.

Once I saw this I knew right away it was the route I wanted to go. Who wants to carry around a large radio to control a robot that needs to look autonomous? The Sony PS3 nav controller is almost hidden when held in the hand and can interface with the devices I have already decided to use in my build. One member has already designed a method for interfacing this controller with the Marcduino control boards I am implementing for the lights, panels, and sound controls. So it was a big relief to see these options all coming together.

Over the last month I've ordered in and installed most of my electronics. The dome drive motor, I ordered up as a kit, and so that was a breeze to get working. I polished up the Rockler bearing, and reassembled it, with much success. The head turns nicely now, and relatively quietly.

I then mounted two shelves in the top portion of the body in order to provide space for the components I was going to need to get the droid rolling and moving about.

The components trickled in and I had everything ready for install on a Saturday afternoon, I think it was June 4th. I spent the day with little to no interruption, just deciding where each piece should go, and carefully getting it all wired properly. Later that evening, I was able to test the system. I'm now quite happy to say the droid is driveable, and his head can be controlled or allowed to run autonomously. It was an awesome feeling to have, what up until now, seemed like a pile of parts, be mobile.

I built and mounted this little control panel in order to mount the main switch and two foot drive switches. I plan to add whatever switches become necessary to the panel, if I need more room, perhaps I'll have to make a larger panel or re-think what I'm going to do. For now it works and I'm reasonably happy with the look.