Section outline

  • So far, you’ve learned about electricity, components, circuits, and outputs. Now, let’s put all that knowledge together to see how a robot actually uses circuits to work.

    A robot is like a mini electronic city — with power flowing through roads (wires), streetlights (LEDs), vehicles (motors), and traffic control (the brain or microcontroller). To work properly, all parts must be connected through well-designed circuits.

    • 🧠 The Robot’s Internal Communication

      A basic robot has:

      1. Power Source – like a battery

      2. Input Devices – sensors

      3. Processing Unit – microcontroller (the robot's brain)

      4. Output Devices – motors, LEDs, buzzers

      The robot’s circuit connects all of these so they communicate and respond.

      💬 Think of the circuit like a nervous system — the brain sends signals, and the body responds!

    • 🔄 Flow of Energy and Signals

      Let’s say your robot needs to avoid a wall.

      Step-by-step process inside the circuit:

      1. Sensor detects obstacle

      2. Sensor sends a signal to the microcontroller

      3. Microcontroller decides: “Turn left!”

      4. Sends signal to DC motor

      5. Motor turns wheels — 🛞 Robot avoids obstacle

      All of this happens in less than a second, thanks to how the components are wired in the circuit.

    • 📦 What’s Inside a Simple Robot Circuit?

      Part Role in the Circuit
      Battery Powers the whole system
      Switch/Button Turns robot on/off
      Microcontroller Brain that makes decisions
      Sensor (e.g., IR) Detects the world (like light or distance)
      Motor Driver Acts like a power booster for motors
      Motors/LEDs Act based on brain’s commands
      Wires Connect everything like roads in a city

       

    • 🔧 A Real-Life Mini Project Example

      Let’s say we’re building a robot that lights up when it gets dark:

      What you need:

      • 1 Battery pack

      • 1 Light sensor (LDR)

      • 1 Microcontroller

      • 1 LED

      • Wires

      How it works:

      • During the day: Light sensor detects brightness → signal = no action

      • At night: Sensor detects darkness → signal sent to brain → LED turns ON!

      🌃 Wow moment: “My robot can see the dark and react like a night lamp!”

      🔄 Types of Circuits in Robots

      Type of Circuit Where It's Used
      Open Loop (No feedback) Toy cars — moves in one direction only
      Closed Loop (With feedback) Line-following robots — adjust using sensors