The CBA robot is an autonomous robot controlled by a Parallax BASIC Stamp 2e microcontroller. The robot comes as a kit of parts with everything you need to build a fully operational, microcontroller controlled, two wheel robot.

The kit is perfect for the beginner who wants a greater challenge than a screw-together kit. With the CBA robot you will solder and test the controller PC board, convert the RC servos to continuous rotation and assemble the wheels and chassis. A 60-page manual walks you though all the steps and helps you gain skills you will need to build other robotic projects.

The robot's finished size is 6" x 4.75" x 3.75", with 3.5" diameter wheels.

Parallax BASIC Stamp 2e

The CBA robot is controlled by a Parallax BASIC Stamp 2e. The BASIC Stamp is an easy-to-program microcontroller with a long history in the hobby of robotics. The BASIC Stamp in the CBA robot is the OEM version. This has the advantage of lower cost but also allows the IO pins of the BASIC Stamp to be protected from direct electrical shorts.

For more information on the BASIC Stamp see the Parallax Web site.

Expansion and Experimentation
The CBA controller board's design has many opportunities for expansion and experimentation. These include:

• Headers for two drive servos
• Headers for two wheel encoders
• All 16 BASIC Stamp IO pins are protected by resistors and brought to a header for breadboarding
• 30 pin long breadboarding area
• Dedicated header for the Line Following Module
• Expansion header with all connections to allow for easy addition of add-on kits like LCD displays and sensor boards
• Fits Parallax AppMods with no modifications

Wheels and Drive Motors
The CBA robot wheels are 3-1/2" in diameter and work well on most surfaces including carpeting. The wheels are driven by double ball bearing RC servos. The ball bearings make for smooth operation and long life.

Power for the robot comes from a 6-cell AA sized battery pack on the bottom of the chassis. You can use 6 rechargeable batteries or 5 alkaline batteries with the included battery replacer. These combinations supply about 7.5 volts for the controller and servos. At this voltage the servos have plenty of power to take the robot up small hills and to travel along flat surfaces at over 16 inches per second.

The rear "castor" while simple, is very effective in allowing movement on almost any surface.

The kit contains all the parts you need to assemble the robot.

• Printed circuit board and electronic parts, including the Parallax OEM BASIC Stamp 2e interpreter
• Two RC servos
• Wheels with O-ring tires and castor
• Chassis with base and standoffs
• Breadboard
• Battery holder
• 60 Page Printed manual
• Software CDs

You will need to supply common electronic tools like a soldering iron, pliers, wire clippers and screwdrivers. A serial cable will be needed to connect your computer to the robot for programming. You will also need batteries. We recommend rechargeable nickel metal hydride (NiMH) batteries as they have greater life and more power.