Design a Maze for a Light Following Robot

In our Electronics for Kids series, we’ve been working with Project EEME to learn about circuits, LEDs, various electronic components, and now robotics with Q the Robot. Today we’re designing a maze for a light following robot. Check out our past projects: an alarm system, a DIY display and a genius light.

Design a Maze for a Light Following Robot

Q the Robot is a photovore. This means it will follow light. Through the online lessons on the EEME website, Aiden (almost 7) built Q and learned all about how it works. Aiden watched the videos to assemble the parts and wire the circuitry. EEME suggests this project for ages 10+. Since Aiden was already familiar with the electronics circuits from the previous EEME lessons, he was able to tackle this project on his own.

At first Q only drove in circles and one wheel went faster than the other. After a few rounds of troubleshooting we determined that Aiden had mislabeled the motor wires and installed the motors backwards. He also had a resistor in the wrong spot, so it wasn’t working (this accounted for the one wheel going faster). We fixed the problems and Q drove beautifully.

I challenged Aiden to design a maze for the light following robot. He created a maze with tape on the kitchen floor.

He used a bright flashlight to guide Q through the maze. Q was able to make nice tight turns and follow the flashlight exactly like Aiden wanted.

We turned off all of the lights in the kitchen and set the maze up away from the window, so Q would not get distracted by other lights.

Aiden has enjoyed all of the electronics projects so far, but building Q has been his favorite. We’re excited about the other build projects involving Q. In the first add-on project, learn how to code an Arduino-compatible UNO micro-controller. You can program the LED lights on Q and control Q’s motors. In the future, more add-ons will be available. You’ll be able to use the online lessons to learn how the circuits work and how to code and use the various sensors.

Would you like to design a maze for a light following robot? Head over to EEME’s website and check out their free electronics lessons in addition to their paid project kits and subscriptions.

More Electronics Projects for Kids

• Can You Build a Genius Light? – a fabulous introduction to electronics for kids with the first kit from EEME
• Make Your Own LED Robot Toy – use your knowledge of LED circuits to make the eyes light up.
• Create a Push Button Light Up Card – learn how to add an LED light to a greeting card

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