MAKE: Blog: Defconbots autonomous sentry gun

Defconbots autonomous sentry gun

Kevin Hjelden and his friend Joe built this autonomous shooter for this year's Defconbots competition. They described the build before they started:

The electronics for this project are going to be relatively simple as well. To control the three servos (pan + tilt + firing), we are going to use the Pololu 8-channel servo controller. Normally we might use an atmega to do the control, however I already created code to control the pololu controller for another project and it's really inexpensive/easy to use. If it required more complicated feedback or logic, a microcontroller might have been the better choice, but in this case it wasn't, so the right decision was just to use the Pololu controller. To control the valve, we had two options. One was to use another channel on the servo controller and something like a Banebot motor controller to apply power to the electronic valve, the other was to use the servo that pushes the plunger to push a switch that opens the valve. The latter option was chosen.

Defcon Bot - [via] Link

Related:

@ DEFCON - The Kegbot project - Link
Defcon 15 round up - Link
Hackers on a Plane - Defcon - Link

Related:

Comments

Oldest comments listed first.

Posted by: Trevor_D. on September 6, 2007 at 6:57 PM

Dumb and off topic, I know...but I really like the song. Anyone know who its by?

Posted by: Wetwired on September 6, 2007 at 10:54 PM

Mirwais - Disco Science

Posted by: samurai1200 on September 6, 2007 at 10:54 PM

Ive heard it in a movie -- im thinking fight club.

anywho, I

Posted by: Wetwired on September 6, 2007 at 11:39 PM

Mirwais - Disco Science

Posted by: rabagley on September 7, 2007 at 9:05 PM

The movie you're thinking of is Snatch

Posted by: stolie on September 12, 2007 at 6:21 AM

wow that would be cool to have outside your house or on your car or something

Posted by: Justin on July 5, 2008 at 1:03 PM

So is this TFC-inspired turret choose targets by color? I see its shooting all Blue Pepsi, or is it controlled?

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