Give My Mascot LIFE!

By Design News Staff -- Design News, April 18, 2005

For Richard Downing's (and friends) complete instructions on how to build your own robotic mascot, click here.
Watch the video of CAM in action.

Looking to add some monstrous fun to school pep rallies and football games, Richard and three friends working toward engineering degrees at Colorado State University decided to create a robotic mascot. Controlled by two microcontrollers, "Cam the Ram" awaits input from a normally open button or an amplified condenser microphone. The triggering of either input sends Cam through one of four "routines" involving several counted actions that include blinking lights, an LCD screen, a fiber-optic pom-pom, and a speaker.

Robotic Mascot parts list
Amt	Part Description	Allied Part #
1	Potentiometer	753-1310
1	Power transistor	248-1005
1	Yellow LED	265-9060
1	Voltage regulator	263-0135
1	Op amp	714-2561
1	Ribbon cable	943-4041
Additional parts required: "Cam the Ram" stuffed doll; lamp with fiber-optic pom and blue LEDS; 5V dc motor; LCD frame; assorted resistors and capacitors; wires; oscillator; 2 PIC microcontrollers; batteries and holder; 8-pin DIP IC holder; LCD pins; 20-pin DIP IC holder

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