Building a Toy Car to Navigate a Course

[anthonyz]

Hello, I need to build a toy car, that will perform the following task:
Go in a staight line for 5 meters, then follow a semi-circunference (or just turn 180 degrees, but not a about-turn) and go back another 5meters, the turning is around a cone:

_____________________________________ ---> boundaries

------------>------->-------\


-------------------cone ---> 0 |


----------< -----------<----/

_____________________________________

I am supplied with a electrical engine, and 3 1.5V batteries, I am not allowed to use any other power source, however I can use pretty much any mechanical or electical device I desire (no remote controls, the car needs to perform on it's own)

I am aware that this is a very simple task, for engineering, but I am in my 1st year and have pretty much only had mathematical classes (calculus, linear algebra, phisics, computing etc) so I am not familiar with the electrical circuits that may accomplish this task...have been brainstorming mechanical solutions for a while now, but nothing really good has come up..

The problem is that the car needs to have 2 operating "modes" : go straight -- turn...and I need to be able to switch between these modes...

Any suggestions would be very welcome :)

 

[DaveC426913]

1] You could stick a long bar out the right side of the car that hits the cone and do a sharp turn - Batmobile-style. Just an idea for thinking outside the box.

2] You could use a cam to control the steering (see attached).

 

[anthonyz]

can u send it via pm?i can't see the image...explain more on the 2nd way...seems interesting..

 

[Cornellian]

Use the motor to drive the car and use it so that it turns the tires on 2 different sides in such a manner so that at the right time they turn in opposite direction and you can make a 180 degree turn. Think about how a Tank turns...