Introduction: An fascinating and instructive project, the DIY Arduino Bluetooth Controlled Car enables enthusiasts of all ages to build a remote-controlled car using an Arduino microcontroller and Bluetooth technology. This project incorporates aspects of robotics, programming, and electronics, making it a fascinating method to learn about various fields of study. This project entails creating a little robotic vehicle that can travel forward, backward, left, and right while being controlled over Bluetooth from a smartphone or computer. An Arduino board will power the vehicle, and a computer program or a smartphone app will be used to control it.
Materials and Components Needed:
- An Arduino board, such as the Nano or Uno models
- Motor driver module (L298N or L293D, for example)
- Bluetooth module, either the HC-05 or HC-06.
- Wheels and a chassis with two DC motors
- For the Arduino, a 9V battery or Li-Po battery
- Motor batteries, which are typically 3–4 AA or AAA batteries.
Jumper cables
- A smartphone equipped with a Bluetooth application, such as “Arduino Bluetooth RC Car”
Tools Needed:
1.the use of a soldering iron and solder
2.Screwdriver
3.Tape with two sides or adhesive putty
4.slender pliers
Design the Chassis:
Chassis of the Robot is the base/main part of the bot that holds all the circuits of the bot. So, we will be using sunboards to make a reliable and strong chassis. These boards are equally strong as cardboards but they are lightweight and cost-effective. We will require half of the full sheet for our whole construction.
Cut out the pieces of given dimensions:
- Rectangular piece of 10.5 X 13.5 cm (2 pcs)
- Strips of 7.5 X 2.3 cm (2 pcs)
- Strip of 11.5 X 2.3 cm (2 pcs)
- 4.3 X 2.3 cm (1 pc)
- 10.5 X 3.5 cm (2 pcs)
Connecting Motors:
Now that all four motors have been connected, they will be split into two pairs and connected in parallel to one another. Similar to how the left motor is connected, the right motor is also connected in parallel drive.
Attaching motor to the motor driver
We have two screw connections on either side for attaching the motors because we are utilizing the L298N Module. The polarity and direction of the motors can be controlled using the input pins connected to the Arduino, so just attach them at random. Next stages include a discussion on this.
Motor driver attachment
I have made a separate Hardware attachment for the motor driver that will provide the connections to the Arduino Uno board.
Arduino UNO Protoshield
Since the IN1, IN2, IN3, and IN4 of the motor diver and other connections may be connected directly using an Arduino Protoshield, I attempted to create my own protoshield for the onboard connections. I have used female and male berstrips as well as relimate connectors aboard for connectivity.
Arduino Bluetooth Car Circuit Diagram
Below is a diagram of the Arduino Bluetooth Car’s entire circuitry. The replication process is made simpler by the use of generic components that can be found at your local store or are freely accessible online.
This circuit’s operation is quite straightforward and simple to comprehend. The Arduino, which serves as the circuit’s brain, comes first. The Bluetooth module comes next. The pins 13 and 10 of the Arduino, which we are using as the software serial, are connected to the Bluetooth module. Next, we’re connecting our WS2812B RGB leds utilizing pins 11, 12, 8, and 7. Finally, we are connecting the L298N motor driver IC, which is powering four of our motors, utilizing pins 9, 6, 5, and 4. Finally, we are using a 9V battery to power everything.
Arduino Code for Bluetooth Controlled Robot
The code for the Arduino, and Bluetooth-based robot is a little bit complicated, so we separate the total code into three separate files this way we can change things quickly in the code if needed. We will start with the main file
Building the Android App for our Bluetooth Controlled Robot
Building the android application was very simple with the app inventor. First, we started by designing the user interface. As you can see on the left-hand side of the image the screenshot is taken from the web GUI of the MIT app inventor and the right-hand side of the image is a screenshot from the phone. Once we were satisfied with the GUI, we proceeded with the logical part of the app.
Bluetooth Controlled Robot – In action
We created the circuit in advance and tested each component individually during the testing phase so we could identify any flaws in our component. After each component had undergone testing, we began to assemble the robot by estimating the dimensions and cutting the sunboard accordingly. The bot resembles the image below once everything has been completed.
With this, we are concluding our project Arduino-based android and Bluetooth controlled robot car. Hope you have enjoyed reading this and learned something useful. Now it’s time for you to build it on your own and let us know what you are doing with this project in the comment section below. If you have any questions, you can use our forum to get in touch with us.
Safety Considerations: Our robot is secure to use, especially when it’s close to people or priceless items. If necessary, use safety measures like obstacle detection or emergency stoppers.