Chapter 11
Controlling a Go-Kart,
Infrared Style
In This Chapter
Looking over the go-kart schematic
Laying down the parts list
Breadboarding the transmitter and receiver
Building the go-kart body
Making the go-kart go!
R
emote-controlled vehicles are very cool things. You can cause them to
zip around your living room, tease your cat, and race with your friends.
Building your own go-kart from scratch and using the power of infrared to
control its every move are what this project is all about. How far you go in
making a cool-looking car is up to you; here we’ve designed what we call an
infraredgo-kart — sort of like a VW Bug but just a little bit smaller.In this chapter, you get to explore creating a go-kart that can go forward and
backward and even turn left and right on a dime. Along the way, you pick up
all kinds of tips about infrared transmitters and receivers as well as control-
ling motors.The Big Picture: Project Overview.............................................................
After you complete this project, you’ll have a little three-wheeled go-kart that
you can control with an infrared transmitter, as shown in Figure 11-1. Here’s
the rundown on the key features of this vehicle:We use three wheels.Why three wheels? No kart you ever saw had
three wheels, right? Well, the world of electronic projects isn’t Detroit,
so we use three wheels because it’s simpler and it works. As soon as you
use four wheels, you have to add a suspension system to ensure that all
the wheels stay in contact with the ground, especially when that ground