How to Build a Simple Robot - Beetle Robot
Posted on January 6th, 2006 by William Cox in RobotsThe following article will show you how to build a simple robot, called "The Beetle Robot", created by Jerome Demers. It’s great for beginners and easy to do.
This is the Beetle Robot v. 3 you are going to build:
Before starting, I suggest you to read the complete tutorials. This will greatly lower the chances of you making a mistake.
Tools Needed:
- soldering iron ( here’s a helpful tutorial on soldering )
- electronic solder
- diagonal cutter
- Mini glue gun
- 2x - small 1.5 Volts motors
- 2x - small paperclips
- 2x - big paperclips
- 2x - batteries AAA or AA
- 1x - battery holder AAA or AA
- 1x - 2 cm of heat shrink
- 1x - wooden pearl (for the caster)
- 1x - meter of electric wire
- 2x - Sub-mini lever SPDT switches
Here are the serial numbers of the components and tools from RadioShack .
| Component | Number |
| soldering iron | 64-2184 |
| electronic solder | 64-006 |
| diagonal cutter | 64-2951 |
| 1.5 Volts motor | 273-223 |
| battery holder | 270-398 |
| SPDT switch | 275-016 |
Most of the components can be bought for much cheaper at Digi-Key, Jameco, or similar.
At Solarbotics you can find the dual AA battery holder and the Mabuchi motor. You can find these components at any good electronic store.
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June 9th, 2008 at 9:16 pm
what does the antena do?
June 9th, 2008 at 9:16 pm
The feelers make the robot avoid obstacles.
June 9th, 2008 at 9:16 pm
Isnt this an hbridge, just of course, very basic? I like using a tutebot.. If you added capcitors and a variable resistor you will be able to make it turn around..
June 9th, 2008 at 9:16 pm
can you add wheels
June 9th, 2008 at 9:16 pm
hello,
yes you could say it look like the a h-bridge. The same principal.
If you want to add wheels, you need some motors with a gearbox on it. These motors use on the beetle robot spin to fast and a to weak to but a wheel on it. Use the Solarbotics.com motors GM8/9 or GM2/3 to make a robot using wheels. Solarbotics have a the combo deal, motor + wheels at a great price.
June 9th, 2008 at 9:16 pm
what is the middle wire. becuse i made one and it does not use the middle wires.
June 9th, 2008 at 9:16 pm
YEs!
I created one, and it works great! Thanks a lot for this tutorial! 
June 9th, 2008 at 9:16 pm
what use is it in a house
June 9th, 2008 at 9:16 pm
[B]I got it right n it was really nice to see it.[/B]
June 9th, 2008 at 9:16 pm
It does not work correctly with me and i love electronics
June 9th, 2008 at 9:16 pm
I was wondering if you made a shell for your bug robot
June 9th, 2008 at 9:16 pm
YOU DIDN”T LIST ALL OF THE MATERIALS NEEDED YOU FORGOT A SOLDER AND A GLUE GUN!!!
June 9th, 2008 at 9:16 pm
:grin IT is cool
ilike this type of simple modals
June 9th, 2008 at 9:16 pm
Pls in which gadget can i find an SPDT switch
June 9th, 2008 at 9:16 pm
it was a little bit hard bacause of the solderen parts but anyhow i find it cool thanks alot
June 9th, 2008 at 9:16 pm
holy cow this was hard to make the connections confused me so much
June 9th, 2008 at 9:16 pm
Lots of fun, but my Tech Ed teacher was the one who made me do it….. :cry
June 9th, 2008 at 9:16 pm
the directions change in the middle of step 8
originally i needed 13 wires step 8 only showed 6
June 9th, 2008 at 9:16 pm
Hi my name is Alan, im 15 years old and im from mexico i do the robot and was a succses than you very much bye.
June 9th, 2008 at 9:16 pm
June 9th, 2008 at 9:16 pm
i wanted to know where you got your beetle cover from?
June 9th, 2008 at 9:16 pm
In one of the previous posts it said what was needed to make it turn around, but could you write something to show how? Thanks so much!
June 9th, 2008 at 9:16 pm
just wondering how it moves.. i understand the battery but then what moves exactly?
June 9th, 2008 at 9:16 pm
Do you need the pearl.
June 9th, 2008 at 9:16 pm
Sorry but I have a little problem with the beetle bot . My SPDT switches are too hard and the beetle can’t activate them . can someone help me ?
June 9th, 2008 at 9:16 pm
:zzz the robot is soooo cool! the idea of the motors just moving alon the ground is genius!! i just wanted to tel you that i added small green LED’s fr eyes, gave it a shell and made it so it can also go backward if both antenna are pushed. i love that the robot is so easy coz i can add so much extra to it and im only twelve!! :grin
June 9th, 2008 at 9:16 pm
ahh .. yeah about this bettle of your’s i won’t call it a robot, because A robot is an electronic thing
that can think on it’s own. but this can’t think on it’s own.. No offence. nice bettle though 
June 9th, 2008 at 9:16 pm
hi i saw it for the first time…
i’ll start making it…
hope it’s fun.if i make it this will b my first robot
June 9th, 2008 at 9:16 pm
Cool! I’m going to try it!
June 9th, 2008 at 9:16 pm
what r the funtions that this beetle robot can do ?
June 9th, 2008 at 9:16 pm
I don’t know why but the energy for the motors goes only to the right and the other spins slow . Because of that the robot turns around in a circle .
Ps. sorry for the bad English .
June 9th, 2008 at 9:16 pm
Thanks for the instructions to make the robot. I build one and it is fun to see it move about. I intend to build another one using a toy car.
June 9th, 2008 at 9:16 pm
that one is like my mouse robot that i created
June 9th, 2008 at 9:16 pm
Thanks for posting the article for building the beetle bot. I always wanted to build a robot and this could be it. Later I could go on to robots with microchips for their own brains. But for now thanks for the small amateurical tutorial.
June 9th, 2008 at 9:16 pm
cool…i need this stuff 2 start with…definitely goin to try it….if any one have a good project pls send me. i m 3rd year b.tech student….want to build a robot for my project….my id is….
deamresh@yahoo.co.in
June 9th, 2008 at 9:16 pm
THANKS FOR PUBLISHING YOUR ARTICLE ON BEETLE BOT SIR….MY AIM IS TO UILD A ROBOT…NOW I GOT A NEW IDEA FROM UR ARTICLE THANKYOU SO MUCH…
June 9th, 2008 at 9:16 pm
thats alot! I built mine for a project and it actually works! one thing though, when both batteries are in the switches dont do anything, can you help, me figure out why?
June 9th, 2008 at 9:16 pm
It was really a cool and handy robot, especially for a begineer. Such simple designs are fantastic.
June 9th, 2008 at 9:16 pm
I’ve been toying with the idea of using “Hex bugs” as a cheap platform for a robotics summer course. I am going to build a beetle bug instead. I think I’ve got the cost down to $22 for a beetle bot + microcontroller and all necessary to follow a line. Thanks for the great tutorial!
June 9th, 2008 at 9:16 pm
I MADE IT! I ACTUALLY MADE IT!! USING MY OWN PINK MANICURED HANDS, I MADE IT!!!
three cheers for robotic bug thingies! i wont fail my physics project!!
July 8th, 2008 at 5:02 pm
Where are the freakin instructions?! I am NOT a robotic wiz ya know. PLEASE give me an answer soon!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
August 1st, 2008 at 1:03 pm
if you have a bigger bug send me on my e-mail.this is my e-mail darren1932@hotmail.com
August 4th, 2008 at 9:27 pm
<<<< waw that so cool i really love to play robots,,,,,,,,,, the best”"”"”"”
August 5th, 2008 at 2:55 am
what is the purpose of the beetle robot???????
pLLLLLZzzzz
answer me because thus is my project………
August 14th, 2008 at 8:41 am
For Sophie
The instructions are all there, listed on nine pages underneath the second picture. You just have to click the links.
August 15th, 2008 at 3:32 am
is it possible to make it remote controlled?or… some kind of ON and OFF mechanism to start and stop the robot? what should be modifications to b done for making it to rotate?
August 17th, 2008 at 2:28 pm
you didn”t send me
August 19th, 2008 at 5:35 pm
what does this robot do ?
August 31st, 2008 at 2:30 pm
the robot moves forward until it hits an obsticle at which point it turns or reverses to avoid it and keeps going in a different direction. made one frome the updated design on instructables and it works great, realy fun little project good 4 beginners.
September 5th, 2008 at 5:03 pm
Hey-cool project, i’m planning to build it.
When the antenna touch something, it activates the switches, but what do they do? Cause without all fancy robotics stuff like micro-controllers etc., it wont turn all the way around…
September 10th, 2008 at 8:40 am
[...] How to Build a Simple Robot - Beetle Robot [...]
September 12th, 2008 at 1:34 pm
No use. I wasted a lot of time. A big flop. Its useless. Isimply wasted my money and time.
September 12th, 2008 at 7:16 pm
OK well i built it but it doesn’t work. It moves, but turns and when it hits something it doesn’t turn around just goes back and forth and bumps against the object (sorry to be so critical)… But it was still fun to build.
September 13th, 2008 at 1:57 pm
i saw it and cant wait 2 make it
looks fun. tnx!
November 6th, 2008 at 5:36 pm
What does it do?
November 7th, 2008 at 7:33 am
I think this is one of the bests for initiatives
November 8th, 2008 at 3:47 pm
finaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaally i make it .. thnx
November 27th, 2008 at 1:38 pm
hii,
please tell me what is total expenditure for this beetel robot.reply soon
December 6th, 2008 at 1:32 pm
i found that this robot is interesting,easy to make,friendly….talk to me in pompusmellow@yahoo.com.
devoted inquiry to u…
December 11th, 2008 at 2:51 am
I love it! Its my very first robotic thing, and now I’m impressing my friends. It’s awesome - thanks very much for the instructions - George.
December 19th, 2008 at 2:36 am
It’s such a not simple robot…..
December 22nd, 2008 at 11:04 pm
easy to make really lots of fun to watch on air hockey table
January 1st, 2009 at 9:32 pm
great stuff but it an’t a tutorial, and no other web site that i have seen has had a tutorial on how to make the robot that the site describes.
January 2nd, 2009 at 7:53 pm
did you know that they created a robot dog. the drawback is that it learns and thinks on its own. then because of that discovery and creation, people are creating more learning robots. the more they learn, the more they will become aware that we are weaker than them and will wonder why we are in controll. We will be over come and wiped out. be careful when dealing with robots. make sure the ones you create are weaker than you.
January 7th, 2009 at 9:31 am
i like the way u made it :::::::
i like 2 see more such creations::::
January 16th, 2009 at 12:22 am
i love this site i hope u make more robots and post how u made them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
January 19th, 2009 at 10:56 am
hey, how does this thinh move without any wheels?
January 19th, 2009 at 10:58 am
and how much does this thing cost?
January 19th, 2009 at 11:32 am
I was thinking of doing a science project and I was thinking of every day problems. I was wondering if I would be able to attach a cleaning pad underneath of it…do u know how big the robot will turn out to be?
January 23rd, 2009 at 1:20 pm
it looks ugly what do it do and long does it take to make it
January 27th, 2009 at 6:31 pm
this is so cool how much dos soldering iron cost .i cant wait to try it
February 1st, 2009 at 8:39 am
you can find the spdt switches in computer mice, it what makes that clicking noise! lol
February 1st, 2009 at 6:02 pm
uh im gonna build a robo suit so i dont necessarily need this
February 2nd, 2009 at 12:27 pm
this is the first tym me and my classmate do a project that is new in our school…hope thiss will works!!plss pray for me!!hahah..
February 21st, 2009 at 11:29 am
[...] Beetle Robot [...]
February 24th, 2009 at 7:54 pm
I haven’t even built the robot. I’m only in 4th grade but my dad is super smart and is going to help me. I am building it for my science far. My question is how does it go with no wheels and what does it do?
February 26th, 2009 at 4:08 pm
i hope this works. im gonna upgrade it to make it go up stairs. wahooooo! wooop!
March 21st, 2009 at 8:21 am
[...] If you like this article, please check out this. How to Build A Simple Robot, The Beetle Robot. [...]
March 29th, 2009 at 8:48 pm
I am new to soldering, and I am having trouble soldering the antenna to the DPDT switches. I have tried using a hot glue gun, but that wasn’t strong engough. Please help.
March 29th, 2009 at 10:21 pm
James,
Soldering the antenna can be a difficult part. You have to get it very hot. Try holding the iron on the antenna and switch leaf for a while to heat it up - but don’t melt the switch. You can also try wrapping a piece of thin wire around the antenna/switch leaf to hold it in place while you solder.
April 10th, 2009 at 8:18 pm
So, is the leftover 22cm of electric wire used for the connection to the battery holder? Also, if the electric wire is used as the connection, do you solder it to the connection to make the connection?
May 12th, 2009 at 2:15 pm
hi am a 5th grade student im building this experement i love it thank you bye (:
May 12th, 2009 at 2:17 pm
hi im angel going to build the beetle robot bye (:
May 19th, 2009 at 5:09 am
I am bit confused about the wiring.. pl. be more clear.. and tell me the exact purpose of the switch..
June 9th, 2009 at 9:52 pm
great! I love robots. ” this could be the beginning of my techno life”. thanks
June 25th, 2009 at 12:17 pm
i like it beacause it is simple