Self-Balancing Raleigh Chopper

Self-balancing Raleigh Chopper

 

 

It isn’t a simply task to make a self balancing anything. But if you are thinking of taking on the challenge has documented his design details for this Self-Balancing Raleigh Chopper that could give you a head start.

 

“Data from the IMU is read by the Arduino Mega 1280. I use a Mega 1280 because they are a lot cheaper online than the 2560, and about the same price as an Uno. They have several hard wired serial outputs which means I can conveniently use one of these to send motor control data to the Sabertooth 2 x 25 Amp power controller, and another to send data to the serial-LCD screen. The Deadman switch and steering buttons (actually brake levers from children’s e-scooters) when pressed will connect their respective Mega pins to ground. The deadman is for safety, if you let go of it all power to the motors will stop after half a second. Digital Pin 12 is connected to an LED. This LED stays lit on startup and goes out after a few seconds when the machine is ready to be brought “level” at which point it will start to balance itself. The potentiometer in the diagram is actually on the left handlebar and is a Magura 5K potentiometer “twist-grip” throttle handle designed for electric vehicles. Turning it makes the machine lean forwards a little, and so it starts to roll forwards. Let it spring back and machine will lean backwards a little and slow down. It makes a very effective method of controlling speed (as well as simply leaning like you would on a Segway).”