Instead of speeding along the racetrack in a video game, you can have fun racing your custom-built race car on the floor of your own home. Now you (or the kids) can take over the house with 3D-printed, smartphone-driven cars capable of navigating the terrain in your home, such as across carpeting, sofas, tables, and beds.
A 3DRacer ready to go. Image via Makezine.
It all started when a couple of game developers based in Rome, Italy, created 3DRacers, a game similar to Nintendo’s Mario Kart, just without the TV screen. The best part is that these 3D-printed race cars can be customized for free with the developers’ online editor, and once you’ve downloaded and printed your design, the electronics are a snap. To get your car cruising quickly, the 3DRacer team has created an Arduino compatible control board that fits into your racer, allowing it to be driven with your smartphone using the board BTLE radio. When more features are added to the control apps, the team is going to have their future cars make pit stops for virtual tire changes and fuel ups. Better yet, you’ll also be able to upload your racing stats to the web in order to track lap counts and race times.
Ready, set, go! Image via Makezine.
As for the 3DRacer board, called the 3DRacers Pilot, it includes two motor drivers to power the DC drive motors, and the car’s battery is charged through USB with a built-in LiPo charger. The car is able to detect the finish line, as well as when it enters the pits with the help of an IR gate sensor. All of this is tied together by the brains on the board, which is an Atmega32u4.
The 3DRacer board packs a lot of features into the little car. Image via Makezine.
So what if you don’t have a 3D printer? No worries, you can still join the race. 3DRacers teamed up with the 3D-printing service, 3DHubs, to be their official partner, making the cars immediately available when they launch this month.
Visit the developers’ page on indiegogo.com to find out how you can get your hands on a 3DRacer.
Story via Makezine.
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