The Line Following Robotic Car. Arduino C edition. The Evening Set
Available for: 11+ years old (to 17)
5 days, Jul 28’25 - Aug 01’25
From 12.30 until 15.40
The Line Following Robotic Car
This project is designed for pupils aged 11 to 17 and introduces them to the basics of robotics and programming through building and coding a simple line-following robot car. The main goal is to assemble a small robotic vehicle that can detect and follow a black line on a white surface using infrared sensors. Students will use the Arduino UNO microcontroller, an L298N motor driver, two DC motors, and two IR brightness sensors.
During the project, pupils will construct the robot by connecting and assembling the electronic components into a working system. They will learn how the H-bridge in the motor driver allows them to control motor direction, and how PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) signals are used to adjust the speed of the motors. The project also introduces the basic concept of how IR sensors work by detecting differences in surface brightness.
Students will create a wiring diagram, physically assemble the robot, and then write code using the Arduino C programming language. This environment is designed to be accessible to beginners while still covering important programming logic such as conditionals and loops. Once the code is uploaded to the robot, pupils will test and refine their programs by running their car on a specially designed track.
A competitive element is included: each robot will attempt to complete the course as quickly as possible. Additionally, the track includes more advanced challenges, such as broken or interrupted lines and visual noise, encouraging students to experiment with solutions and improve their designs. This gives an opportunity for deeper learning and creativity within the project.
That is take home project!
The Camp Dates and Time
5 days, from Jul 28’25 until Aug 01’25
From 12.30 until 15.40
Age: from 11 years old (to 17)
Location
Richmond and Hillcroft Adult Community College.
Parkshot, Richmond TW9 2RE
The learning outcomes
- Basic Circuit Assembly – Pupils will learn how to connect electronic components into a functioning circuit using Arduino and other hardware parts.
- Motor Control Concepts – They will understand how to control the direction and speed of motors using an H-bridge and PWM signals.
- Sensor Functionality – Students will explore how IR sensors detect surface brightness and how this data can guide robotic movement.
- Arduino C Programming – They will develop logical thinking and programming skills by writing control code using a Arduino C Programming language.
- Problem-Solving and Debugging – Pupils will test their robots, identify issues, and refine both hardware and software to improve performance.
- Creative Thinking in Engineering Challenges – Advanced track obstacles will encourage pupils to think creatively and adapt their robots to more complex scenarios.
There are some requirements exist for the course:
1. You must be confident in using a computer, keyboard and mouse. At the good user level.
2. Know how we save files on a computer, what a file and folders are, etc.
3. Be able to switch between windows in the operating system. Use the keys’ shortcuts.
4. No previous experience with 3D modeling is required.
5. No previous experience in Robotics is required.
6. You want to program robots and are not afraid to struggle with the difficulties of learning them.
7. Minimum previous experience with text-based programming is required. Ideally, you are able to make a program that performs basic maths operations with numbers. The programming language itself is not important.