Soccer Playing Robot

Robot soccer is mostly about three things: speed, control feel and a chassis that can take a hit. The rules are simple, but the engineering trade-offs are not. Mine uses an Arduino-class controller, a motor driver, two gear motors and a wireless receiver. The firmware keeps the control mapping direct so it feels responsive in a match.

Wireless controller sends movement commands to the robot. Firmware drives the motors through a driver stage for quick match response.

Strong traction, fast response and surviving collisions during head-to-head play.

Picked a rugged, low-profile chassis, used a powerful enough driver for short bursts, and kept the control loop tight.

A functional soccer-playing robot prototype that has held its own in matches.

Omni-wheel drive, a ball sensor, a small dribbler/kicker mechanism and a touch of autonomy.