ElMo Construction - first session

This week we got started on construction of ElMo, a modified diddyborg.  We're basically following along with the excellent build  instructions from the piborg website.

here are the diddyborg bits and pieces in their anti static bags

screwing in the motor brackets was a bit fiddly

adding the motors

and the motor hubs

With the picoborg reverse in place.  And we just couldn't resist trying the wheels for size - but will take those off again while soldering

All quite straightforward so far.  A couple of minor gotchas - we managed to put two of the motors in upside down, so had to do those twice.  We also put the raspberry pi pillars in the wrong place, so that needed fixing as well.  We have invested in a new raspberry pi 2 model B for ElMo - it has a beefier processor and more GPIO pins than the original model B.  As I type, I am upgrading the packages on the original model B - we plan to use that for testing some of the sensors before adding them to ElMo.  That just required (as the root user)

apt-get upgrade

Next time we are hopefully going to bolt on a few bits of vex hardware to attach our sensors to, then get the wires to the motors soldered.  We have about two hours of soldering experience between us, so that might be fun!