Maze navigation is the heart of many robotic competitions, including the Micromouse maze and the Trinity firefighting competitions. It is considered by most to be the one of the most challenging competitions since it requires a fair amount of work and ingenuity. This project will introduce basic maze navigation logic by using the Boe-Bot Robot and the QTI Line Follower AppKit (#28108) to navigate through an electrical tape maze. This activity demonstrates how to easily program your Boe-Bot robot to navigate safely through a maze containing 90° left and right turns, T-intersections and even dead ends!
Watch the introductory video to this project below!
Getting Started
Before continuing, make sure that you have already completed this checklist. Especially if you have not already completed the Robotics with the Boe-Bot text, do that before you continue here. It’s a great way to get started with Robotics!
- Complete all activities in Robotics with the Boe-Bot (#28125).
- Download the QTI Line Follower AppKit (#28108) document and follow all instructions.
- Review the Boe-Bot Line Following with Four QTI Sensors mini-project for in-depth information on how the line-follower code works. This will be important when modifying the code for maze navigation.
Parts List
(1) Boe-Bot Robot, assembled and tested (#28132)
The parts below are included in the Boe-Bot Robot kit:
(1) Piezospeaker (#900-00001)
(1) QTI Line Follower AppKit (#28108)
The parts below are included in the QTI Line Follower AppKit:
(4) 3-pin Male-Male Headers (#451-00303)
(4) QTI Sensor Modules (#555-27401)
(4) 3/8” 4-40 pan-head screws (#700-00016)
(4) 7/8” 4-40 pan-head screws (#710-00007)
(4) 1” round standoffs (#700-00060)
(4) 1/2" round spacers (#713-00007)
(4) Nylon washers
(4) 10” servo cable extenders (#805-00011)
For this activity, you will also need to supply your own:
#2 Philips-head screwdriver
Black ¾-inch electrical tape
White poster board
Source Code
Source Code for Boe-Bot Maze Navigation