Night Light Project (Light Powered Car)

These instructions help create a vehicle that moves forwards or backwards based on light level determined by a photoresistor. 4 LED's are placed in the vehicle indicating light level. The higher the light level is the less LED's are turned on. Once enough light level has been reached, the LED's the vehicle will all turn off and the vehicle will begin to move.

Materials (recommended to purchase Sparkfun Arduino R3 Kit): 

1x Arduino UNO R3

1x Breadboard

2x Gearmotor

1x H-Bridge Motor Driver 

4x 330 ohm resistors 

4x LEDs 

1x 10k ohm resistor

1x pushbutton

1x photoresistor

At Least 30 wires

1x small pencil

2x wheels (compatible with gear motors)

1x Expo Marker

Cardboard (get at least 1 large box to have enough cardboard)

1x 4-AA battery pack (optional)

Using the diagram below, use the electronic equipment (from your materials) to wire arduino setup and setup the code for the vehicle (use this link: https://www.tinkercad.com/things/lIXKywBOWId-project-2/editel?sharecode=-hgoSw5B3ZedMfHPerUDWx7dHVQF1qG3ExYRISpaaRE to access code and better understand diagram)

Collect together all wires and keep them condensed within the width and length of the bread board and arduino to better shape the cardboard shell that will go around it.

Cut out a cardboard rectangle a bit longer and wider than the width and length of the arduino and breadboard combined. Fold in the longer sides of the rectangle at least an inch and cut out small slits on one end of the fold. Place the gear motors inside the rectangle where the spinning ends of the motors are facing out each slit respectively and attach the wheels to the motor (use tape to attach gear motors).

Cut out a similar sized cardboard rectangle as in the last step and tape iit on top of the rectangle with the gear motors on it (this cardboard rectangle should be placed on the folds of the last rectangle). Tape on the arduino and breadboard combination on this rectangle.

*Optional: You can tape a small cardboard rectangle to this rectangle and tape on the battery pack

Cut a similar shaped rectangle as in step 3 and include the folds as in step 3 as well. Flip this rectangle over and tape it on top of the vehicle, completing its cardboard shell. Puncture a hole in the cardboard directly above the push button on the breadboard and put the pencil in the hole (this will activate the vehicle when powered). 

* it is important to make sure the photoresitor has access to light when completing the shell

Attach the Expo marker on the underside of the vehicle opposite to the wheels as a drag reduction method.

That completes the vehicle. It is now ready to be powered! Either connect the arduino via a wire to any power source, or use the battery pack if added to the vehicle. The following video goes over the construction of the vehicle: IMG_5050 2.MOV