An interesting EduBot...

[Sachiel7]

I just thought I'd post some info here on our edubot, and open discussion about several things that this project enties.
So, I built an edubot using the new controller, and I used the main case of my old power supply as the frame. I've got all 3 of last year's banner sensors along the front, and it looks pretty cool. So, what's so special about this little bot?
It follows me.
Call me nuts, but I've got it autonomously following me walking around.
How do I do this, you say? Well, for some rookies out there I'll give you a brief explanation. It all starts out with two bicycles. No, I'm not kidding. It starts off where I stripped the rear reflectors off of me and my sister's bikes. Why would I do such a thing? To velcro them to the back of my shoes, that's why. It's not quite a fashion statement, but It serves its purpose. Anyway, for those who haven't used the banners (rookies) they are a small yellow sensor that emits a red beam of light. if this light is reflected back to the sensor, it switches on a digital input. Pretty neat, eh? They're commonly used to track things with, like goals, or following lines. The big issue is that they work best if what they're tracking is retro reflective. Basically, that means that if light hits the reflective surface at an angle, that the light will reflect back at that exact angle. So, that's why I needed the bicycle reflectors, they're retroreflective enough for the sensors to work well.
So, having this thing follow me around is neat and all, but what real purpose does it serve? It can carry things for me. I've got it set up so that an attachement, may it be a luch bag, or a paper file, or what have you, will attach to the top and get lugged around by the bot.
For those iterested in seeing our bot, we'll have it at the VCU School of Engineering at Kickoff this saturday.
So, any questions/comments are welcome, and any discussion about sensory applications would be great here to. I hope to post pictures after kickoff.