How to Build a Simple Robot - Beetle Robot
The 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