Wii DIY Hack – Firefighting Wiimote Robot

video://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhuVStkDlIM

Cool, you can make yourself some Firefighting Wiimote Robot this weekend!

It has IR sensors which can detect a candle and a bluetooth transciever to communicate back to a host computer. I use a boebot as the robot platform, an arduino, wiimote and a Linux computer.

The wiimote uses its IR sensor to find the candle. It transmits the sensor readings back to the host computer over bluetooth ( see my earlier post for details). A C program running on the host computer reads the sensor data and sends commands back over bluetooth to the wiimote. The wiimote relays those commands to an arduino board over the wiimote’s expansion port. The expansion ports uses the I2C protocol. The arduino then controls the servos (the boebot uses servos modified for continuous rotation) and fan. The fan is controlled by a ULN8023 chip.

This fire fighting robot is still very crude. It lacks the number of sensors that you would be need to seriously compete. It is mainly a proof of concept that the wiimote can be used in a fire fighting robot. It basically just circles around until it sees a candle, then turns on the fan and moves toward the candle. The wiimote seems to loose the flame when it gets withing 4 inches. Maybe the candle is overloading the sensors or maybe its just bad programming on my part.

[via] windmeadow

5 Responses to Wii DIY Hack – Firefighting Wiimote Robot

1. Studio Equipment says:

   October 3, 2007 at 5:07 am

   The concept is truly amazing. I can see tremendous possibilities particularly in labs in the industry that I am associated with it for working models. Thanks for bringing this to our attention.
2. max says:

   October 3, 2007 at 2:29 pm

   Sure, no problemo…
3. Ibrahim says:

   November 5, 2007 at 7:08 am

   ya i have to build a robot for my computer engineering course and im looking for something very simple to make and wont cost alot and if anyone noes how to make this robot using the wiimote i would be very grateful, or if anyone has any other suggestions for an easy to make robot plz email me at masry10@hotmail.com, thnks
4. filio says:

   October 14, 2008 at 7:10 pm

   necesito ver la forma de que me puedas embiar la informacion de como controlar el cervo con el numchuk de wii,espero y se pueda porque tengo que presentar un proyecto y no tengo la informacion completa
5. Anonymous says:

   March 29, 2010 at 7:45 pm

   Fine…
   And, watch this:
   youtube.com/watch?v=Jl-goepDi7o
   youtube.com/watch?v=kudVgYKeUTo
   youtube.com/watch?v=oKNrM0C4Qg0
   youtube.com/watch?v=UC2mbWrYQ2g
   youtube.com/watch?v=OD5xSI99YXE