Simple Car – Gripper

Expand your Simple Car with a Gripper! Connect it to your existing building kit and learn to control movement and simple gripping of objects - the ideal addition for the next step in the world of robotics and programming.
Eshop

Description

Gripper is an expansion module for the Simple Car robotic vehicle, which adds the ability to grip and carry objects to the vehicle. Thanks to the construction of precisely designed 3D printed parts, you can easily attach the gripper to the base of the vehicle and enrich your projects with a new mechanical function. The gripper is controlled via a micro:bit and an expansion board, which allows you to control both the movement of the vehicle and the opening and closing of the claw itself.

Gripper opens up new possibilities for both fun and educational tasks – from simulating production lines to competitions in precision and speed of manipulation. It is ideal for both complete beginners who are just getting to know robotics and advanced users looking for a new challenge. The module can be programmed in MakeCode using blocks or in more advanced languages such as Python, and is fully compatible with all OMG Robotics kits.

Components


BBC MICRO:BIT V2.2

Joystick

Simple Car

Servo motor 180°

Connection

For the Gripper expansion, it is important to correctly connect the continuous servo motors for the vehicle movement to pins P0 and P1 on the MB2 expansion board, just like for the basic Simple Car model. In addition, it is necessary to connect the 180° servo motor controlling the gripper itself to pin P2. If the vehicle or gripper behave differently after starting, simply adjust the wiring of the cables of the respective motors. Connect the battery only after the vehicle and gripper are fully mechanically assembled. We recommend that you do the electronic wiring at the end, when the construction is complete.

Programme

Programming Simple Car – Gripper is divided into three parts: basic structure, joystick control a Bluetooth control. At the beginning it is important to set the correct version of the expansion board using the Init car version block. You can use the joystick with the second micro:bit for remote control – remember to set the same radio group on the remote control and the vehicle. The vehicle can also be controlled by mobile phone via the application EV-micro:bit via Bluetooth – just load the prepared program and connect without entering a pairing code.

Basic structure

Here you will find a project with libraries adapted precisely for controlling and steering the Simple Car vehicle. To open the program, you need to edit the project in the MakeCode environment - you can access the editor by clicking on the icon in the upper right corner of the program window. Before you start completing tasks and programming, you need to set the correct version of the vehicle using the "Init tank version" block.

Joystick control

Joystick - controller

Here you will find a project for programming a joystick, thanks to which you can control your vehicle with the Gripper extension remotely. Open the sample program by clicking on the edit icon. If the joystick is used by multiple users in the room, it is necessary to change the radio group to avoid interference. You can do this using the “Radio set group” block.

Simple Car - receiver

Here you will find the program for Simple Car – Gripper, which allows you to control it with a joystick. In the program, you need to set the same “Radio set group” as used in the controller program, so that the devices communicate with each other correctly.

Control via Android/iOS mobile device

EV-micro:bit controller

The EV-micro:Bit application from Google Play or AppStore is used as the controller.

  • Before connecting the micro:bit in the EV - microbit application, it is necessary to download the program below to the micro:bit.
  • The receiver program is set up so that it is not necessary to enter the pairing code from the micro:bit display.
  • If you are unsure how to connect the micro:bit, you can find instructions at the very bottom of this page.
ev microbit app

Simple Car - receiver

Here you can find the program for Simple Car – Gripper so that you can control it using your mobile device. After successful connection, you can immediately start controlling the vehicle.

Control using an older Android mobile device

Web application

The EV-micro:bit app cannot be downloaded to some Android mobile devices. That's why we created a web app that allows you to control the micro:bit with the same commands - it works with the same micro:bit program.

  • Open the web page.
  • Click the button Connect.
  • Select your micro:bit device and choose Peer.
  • Control with buttons.

If you want to explore the source code of the web application, you can find it here.

Open the application

Tasks

Task 1: Driving to the box

Place a small object (e.g. a box) in front of the Simple Car. Program the vehicle to approach the object in a straight path.

Task 2: Grasping an object

Create a program that activates the gripper and grips it when it reaches an object. Practice the correct timing of the grip depending on the size of the object.

Task 3: Moving and placing an object

Program the robot so that after grabbing an object, it moves 50 cm, stops, and releases the object by opening the gripper.

Task 4: Collect more items

Place two to three objects on the track. Program the robot to load, move, and place each object in its designated spot.

Task 5: Automatic loader

Create a fully automated sequence where the robot gradually travels a route, picks up items, and stores them in a "storage" (e.g., a marked zone) without operator intervention.

Download

Gallery