Best robotic products according to redditors

They don't, but I accepted the challenge of finding a way to get one with bitcoin. I can buy an Amazon.com gift card at Gyft.com using my bitcoin and purchase it. It doesn't matter who takes my bitcoin as long as I can get what I want with them. Oh, and Gyft.com gives me 3% back on my bitcoin purchases).

Get the Hubsan x4(107L). It is AMAZING. Don't be fooled by its small size and inexpensive price. I would wager it goes over 25mph, can do flips, and is amazingly tough. I crash quite a bit while messing around and it always amazes me what it will take. So far since 7-11 I have broken 2 propellers and lost 1.

I would recommend getting the bigger batteries and some extra propellers - especially if you plan on flying inside. I also picked up a 2 slot battery charger so I can charge 3 batteries at once.

Amazon. They're not too expensive. Here is the link for the pack I have

robot arm of death!

Hello :-)

You can use a simple (leaver) switch when it bumps into something (or indeed use the flex sensor), but better would be a ultra-sonic sensor ($1 at Aliexpress or eBay, $5 at Amazon). Another method is something like a tcrt5000 infrared distance sensor, but it's vulnerable to ambient light. You could do this with the photocell as well (or line tracking).

• http://www.ebay.com/itm/Ultrasonic-Sensor-Module-HC-SR04-Distance-Measuring-Sensor-for-arduino-DE-/172138007056?hash=item2814398a10:g:TRUAAOSwxp9W66st
  
  
• https://aliexpress.com/item/Free-shipping-1pcs-Ultrasonic-Module-HC-SR04-Distance-Measuring-Transducer-Sensor-for-Arduino-Samples-Best/1872588324.html?spm=2114.010208.3.134.m847tO&ws_ab_test=searchweb0_0,searchweb201602_2_10065_10000073_10068_10000074_10000032_119_10000030_10000026_10000023_431_10000069_10000068_10060_10062_10056_10055_10000062_10054_10000063_301_10059_10099_10000020_10000013_10103_10102_10000016_10101_10096_10000056_10000059_10052_10053_10107_10050_10106_10051_10000097_10000094_10000053_10000007_10000050_10084_10083_10000100_10080_10000047_10082_10081_10110_10111_10112_10113_10114_10115_10000041_10000044_10078_10079_10000038_10073_10000035_10122_10123_10121_10124,searchweb201603_2,afswitch_3,ppcSwitch_5,single_sort_2_price_asc&btsid=6238d8bf-526f-46eb-b73a-a458a2d86108
  
  
  
• https://www.amazon.com/HC-SR04-Ultrasonic-Sensor-2-Pack/dp/B01N391SE1/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1487180048&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=hc-sr04&psc=1
  
  Also ad a $1 9g servo to pan the sensor :-)
  
  What parts do you have besides the kit?

TL/DR: Just get started! All robots need basics coms, motors etc... Learn to control those and you'll find out exactly what you want to build after.

I am in the same boat, decided to build and program a robot from scratch. What the robot should do, I still dont know but I figured I should just get started with the basics; getting a processor communicating with a Motor and some basic sensors

Since I mostly wanted to get experience with hardware/software interface I got a raspberry pi and a robot chassis kit and started there.

Found a really good guide book that shows how to hook up a pi to sensors, motors, etc ... ISBN-13: 978-1119188681

Bought a chassis kit https://www.amazon.com/dp/B077HMY3YK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_Y.N5Ab2GXWV62

I also added a couple of arduinos sensors to play with.

If you want to use any custom firmware then don't upgrade. The latest upgrades encrypts the bluetooth which makes 3rd party apps and firmware flashing impossible.

DRV 155 is fine but as its a clone board BMS and BLE have to be flashed using the ST-Link method.

The documents say soldering but there is no need if you buy some pins for the ST-Link as clone motherboards have holes for the pins so that they are easy to flash.

Get ST-Link Get Pins

Put pins in ST-Link connectors

Plug ST-LINK into PC, set up ST-Link drivers and software

Download firmware needed to PC

Plug ST-Link leads into the correct holes on the clone board

Run the ST-Link software to flash the board

Done


Details are here for the whole thing including great firmware for heavier guys or for people faced with hills. Its the V9 firmware at the bottom of the page:
https://rollerplausch.fandom.com/de/wiki/Pro_Dashboard_und_CFW_Installation

Here is the link for flashing the board with an ST-Link (follow the Pro guide):
https://www.instructables.com/id/Firmware-Downgrade-M365/

And here is a link to a guy who did what I did
https://scootertalk.org/viewtopic.php?t=2600

Here is the ST-Link I used
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B079128QP1/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

And here are the pins I used
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B077MJKCVT/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Good luck if you use the CW Firmware hills are a problem no more!

Some quadcopters are called drones by their own manufacturer, which I gotta say, sounds pretty BADASS!!! Check out this TURBO DRONE!

make a cheap version of this. be creative~

I asked massdrop support and they said any 2x3x4 mm square led would work and gave me this link note board only supports single color, not RGB leds

this could help, but I recommend using the splice method.

might want to start with something simpler to get the basics down such as an Arduino car kit and go from there

I like uattend.com with a fingerprint scanner for timeclock. Other than that, I'd setup something to measure KPI's like the other person said, require the managerment to provide spreadsheets and reports. Setup dropbox or Google docs for sharing. Plus a solid video chat setup like a conference room with TV and camera for staff meetings, use Skype or Gotomeeting. I don't know if something like this would work but they're in some offices now https://www.amazon.com/Double-Robotics-Telepresence-Robot-Tablet/dp/B00K2Z8LRW. Also I really like Square as a POS and their apps are great for reporting.