Solarrolers and Photovores
 | This is my first attempt at a solaroller. It uses a 2200 Mf cap and kicks the motor over about once a second in strong sunlight. It putts along pretty good but can get stuck on really small obstacles. |
 | This is a two-legged walker made from a wind-up robot toy. It's powered by the same solar engine used in the roller. It walks but it's stride is only about an eighth of an inch and the worm gear that drives the legs gets jammed sometimes. It DOES look cool, though. |
 | This is a Photovore called "Bug". It uses 2 solar cells to determine where the strongest light source is and then moves toward it. It has "antennae" made of 1/4 watt resistors and small springs that detect obstacles. When the antennae contact an object, one of the motors is shorted out and the other motor keeps going, causing the robot to turn away from the object. |
 | Another view of Bug. |
 | Yet another view of Bug. |
 | This is a photophobic robot. It uses dual 3909 solar engines connected together to form a sort of photopopper. What makes it photophobic are the two phototransistors (in black tubing) that act as light sensors. They are cross connected (the left sensor controls the right motor and vice versa) so that when the left "eye" sees light, that transistor conducts and shorts out the timing cap for the right motor, leaving the left motor running and causing the 'bot to turn away from the light. |
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