Learn more about electronic components
This will be a helpful guide where you’ll learn a bit more about the larger and smaller components of your Batmobile and Batcontroller.
We'll start with bigger components and cover smaller components later in the guide.
Circuit board
The Batmobile basic kit comes with two circuit boards: one white for the Batcontroller and one black for the Batmobile.
Professionals call this a printed circuit board or PCB.
A PCB is a laminated sandwich structure of conductive and insulating layers.
What does it do?
Your circuit board has two functions:
- It holds all the electronic components in place.
- It provides electrical connections between the electronic components.
Because of the circuit board, all electronic components can work together as a team.
What is my circuit board made of?
Circuit boards are usually made out of fiberglass-reinforced epoxy-laminated sheets
These are also referred to as “FR4” sheets.
The FR4 sheets are used as the insulating non-conductive material, and copper is used as a conductive material.
If material is conductive, it conducts electricity; electrical charge can flow through that material easily.
FR4 and copper are both sandwiched together in thin sheets, and that’s how you get a circuit board.
Where are PCBs used?
They’re used everywhere! In your phone, in your laptop, in your refrigerator, air conditioner. Basically, every electronic device you use has a unique printed circuit board that makes it work.
Did you know?
A PCB is one of the most important inventions of the last 100 years.
Space travel wouldn’t be possible without them.
ESP-32
You may notice that the same part appears on both PCBs with ESP-32 written on it.
That part is called a microcontroller, and it runs everything. If the PCB was a body, this part would be the brain.
Li-Po battery
Li-Po stands for lithium polymer, and this is a rechargeable battery.
This type of battery provides higher specific energy than the rest of the lithium batteries. Also, they are lighter and more flexible than other Li-Po batteries, which allows them to be used in various electronic devices, mobile phones, etc.
Here's a picture of the Li-Po battery that came with the kit:
Electromotors
One of the crucial components in your Batmobile kit are the electromotors.
Your motors are standard N20 miniature DC motors.
An electric motor changes electrical energy into mechanical movement.
DC motor is any of a class of rotary electrical motors that converts direct current (DC) electrical energy into mechanical energy.
As you can see, there are red and black wires coming out of your motor. These colors represent polarity.
Speaker
The speaker is an output that helps you hear the sound your Batmobile is making.
Output means that this is the place where power or information leaves the system.
Headlights board
The headlights board comes with two LEDs that will light up once you are driving around or playing with one of the cool features.
Camera with a ribbon cable
The camera will be used to read the Aruco and QR codes, as well as to see what your Batmobile sees while driving. This way, you can easily avoid any accidents.
Fire board + LEDs
Fire board consists of a few red LEDs that are here to make cool fire effects while driving your Batmobile around.
Pushbutton
A pushbutton on Batmobile works like an on-off switch. When a user presses the button, it completes a circuit and allows electricity to flow through, which can trigger an action.
In the following chapters, we'll look at the chips and smaller components found in both devices.