I love robots. Normally the ones I build are quite large and wouldn’t fit in your pocket, but for a change of pace I decided I would try something small and fun! This robot is exactly that, and in fact fits inside of an altoids tin. It is inexpensive, versatile (so many different sensors can be used), and extremely entertaining.
Check it out in action below! (Unfortunately I played with mine so much before I took any video I had used up my coin cell batteries and one motor started having issues, so I’m driving it with a 9V in the video)
The project takes some time but teaches a lot about motor controllers, the ATMega chip, and soldering. The most fun thing was picking the different sensors and writing programs to have it react (only two of my four are shown in the video), as you can give the robot lots of ‘personality’ that way. Never a dull moment when you have this guy in your pocket!
For more detail: Tiny Altoid Tin Robot With Personality