Art bots work by using a vibrating or offset motor to move around in unpredictable ways. It is also a fun way to learn the basics of creating a simple circuit with a switch. Artbots utilize electrical engineering principles as they use motors and batteries to run. Therefore, you need to consider how much power the motor requires to run. Discuss some problems you could run into if the motor gets too much or not enough energy! Designing the artbots also uses architectural design principles as you have to figure out what the best placement and height of the markers is to make it wobble. Take this time to draw out some designs for your robot and discuss as a group!
Connect the black wire to one terminal, for now, don't connect the red. Attach some kind of weight to the end of the motor, it could be the popsicle stick or something else. Remember, you want the motor to wobble so the weight has to offset it, but you can't put something too heavy or it will keep falling. Add legs using the markers. Test your robot by adding the batteries and connecting the red wire. Make adjustments as needed. Decorate!
