Build an IR Ball (almost) free

[technicgear]

Hi,

I wanted to buy the HiTechnic IR Ball but the price is crazy... so I decided to try something on my own.

And build this using EV3 IR Remote. Here is how it performs with an Holonomic platform I built.

Hope you like.

[Doc_Brown]

So sweet! Those lil balls are cool too.

Can you make it pick up the ball, then carry it back to you to play fetch!

[Phoxtane]

Now I am wondering how hard it would be to make an IR ball like the HiTechnic one. There's some round PCBs, a handful of IR LEDs, a power supply, and some plastic bits. I think if the LEDs could be made to pass through the shell, the whole shebang could be 3D printed. At that point you'd only have to get the PCBs fabricated.

[Andrew Page]

Now I am wondering how hard it would be to make an IR ball like the HiTechnic one. There's some round PCBs, a handful of IR LEDs, a power supply, and some plastic bits. I think if the LEDs could be made to pass through the shell, the whole shebang could be 3D printed. At that point you'd only have to get the PCBs fabricated.

I own several HiTechnic ones. It is not that easy. In order to work properly, you also want the CG to be in the center. Not easy to achieve. You could build one, but I cannot imagine it coming out that much cheaper.

[technicgear]

I own several HiTechnic ones. It is not that easy. In order to work properly, you also want the CG to be in the center. Not easy to achieve. You could build one, but I cannot imagine it coming out that much cheaper.

So do you think it is worth the money? I find it a bit step... around 100€. It is quite a lot of money for a ball.

[Blastem]

Cheap and DIY!!! Just the way I like... innovation.

Looking for a "Tranks Clear non official" Shell Sphere ^^

[kieran]

Seems to work well, I don't have a ev3 so am guessing that the remote can be switched on and left on? Is that how it works