Section outline

  • 🔧 Improving and Tuning Robot Behavior

    Once your line follower robot is running, the next step is to make it smarter, smoother, and more reliable. In this section, we explore how to fine-tune your robot's behavior for better performance in different environments.

    • ⚙️ Speed vs Accuracy Trade-offs

      Increasing motor speed makes the robot faster, but it may overshoot turns or miss the line. Reducing speed improves precision but slows down the robot. Here’s how to manage the balance:

      • Use analogWrite() instead of digitalWrite() for speed control.
      • Test different speed values (e.g., 100 to 255) to find the best range.
      • Use slower speeds during turns and higher speed on straight paths.

    • 🔆 Dealing with Lighting and Surface Changes

      IR sensors can be affected by external light and surface texture. Try the following:

      • Test your robot under different lighting conditions (natural light, bulbs, LEDs).
      • Use darker black tape and matte white background for clear contrast.
      • Adjust sensor height to reduce interference.

      🧠 Improving Logic – Smarter Turning

      Instead of stopping when off-track (both sensors HIGH), you can try remembering the last direction:

      
if (left == 1 && right == 1) {
  // Go in the direction last known to be correct
  if (lastTurn == 'L') {
    turnLeft();
  } else {
    turnRight();
  }
}

      This gives your robot a chance to recover if it briefly loses the path.

       

    • 🔄 Smoother Turns Using PWM

      By varying motor speeds using PWM (Pulse Width Modulation), you can make smoother curves:

      
// Example: Gentle left turn
analogWrite(leftMotorPWM, 80);  // slower
analogWrite(rightMotorPWM, 150); // faster

      This helps in handling curved lines instead of sharp corners.

    • 🎛️ Add-ons and Feedback Features

      You can make your robot more interactive or informative:

      • Buzzer – Beep on start or when lost line.
      • LEDs – Indicate direction (turning left, right, etc.).
      • LCD/OLED screen – Display sensor readings or status.

      💬 Code Sample: Speed Control Using PWM

      
void forward() {
  analogWrite(motorLeft1, 150);
  analogWrite(motorLeft2, 0);
  analogWrite(motorRight1, 150);
  analogWrite(motorRight2, 0);
}

      📋 Checklist for Better Performance

      • ✔ Tune motor speeds
      • ✔ Optimize sensor placement and height
      • ✔ Handle corners and curves more smoothly
      • ✔ Add visual or audio feedback
      • ✔ Calibrate for lighting conditions

      🎉 What You’ve Learned

      You now know how to go beyond just making your robot move. You've entered the world of fine-tuning and debugging—important skills in real robotics projects.