Arduino Nano Robot Controller V1

Construction of this board is described on instructables here.

DIY Arduino Nano Robot Controller
DIY Arduino Nano Robot Controller

This is one of my most used controller boards as while simple, it enables lots of projects to just get going.

Features:

  • On/off switch, important though frequently missed out of commercial designs
  • Basic L298 motor controller, simple and easy to use
  • Socket for Arduino Nano, not soldered to the board so can be reused in other projects
  • Lots of three pin breakouts, signal, power and ground. 
  • Power indicator LED (says that power is on without having to test)
  • Buck power regulator to run the board from variable power sources
  • Jumper to change motor power between regulated and raw
  • Will run off USB power for basic tests

Faults I've found:

  • What's all that blank space on the board, ideal for extra pins or sockets?
  • Doesn't have dedicated sockets for I2C or Ultrasonic  expansion
  • Doesn't have a loudspeaker, important for communication, this is a general purpose board