🤖 Self-Balancing Bot

Defying gravity, one PID loop at a time

---

🎯 What's This All About?

Meet the Self-Balancing Bot - a two-wheeled marvel that refuses to fall over! This isn't just another robot; it's a testament to the beautiful dance between physics, mathematics, and engineering. Using the magic of PID control and the precision of a BNO055 IMU, this little warrior constantly fights gravity and wins.

🧠 The Brain Behind the Balance

Our bot thinks fast and acts faster:

• 🎛️ PID Controller: The secret sauce that keeps things upright
• 📡 BNO055 IMU: 9-axis absolute orientation sensor providing real-time feedback
• 🔧 Arduino Nano: The compact powerhouse processing it all
• 🎯 Closed-Loop System: Continuous feedback for perfect balance

⚙️ Technical Specifications

Component	Specification
Microcontroller	Arduino Nano
IMU Sensor	BNO055 9-DOF Absolute Orientation
Control Algorithm	PID (Proportional-Integral-Derivative)
Communication	I2C (IMU ↔ Arduino)
Balance Range	adjust what your bot physics sypports !

🔧 How It Works

┌─────────────┐    ┌──────────────┐    ┌─────────────┐
│   BNO055    │───▶│ Arduino Nano │───▶│   Motors    │
│ IMU Sensor  │    │ PID Control  │    │  & Wheels   │
└─────────────┘    └──────────────┘    └─────────────┘
       ▲                   │                    │
       │                   ▼                    │
       │            ┌──────────────┐            │
       └────────────│ Tilt Angle   │◀───────────┘
                    │  Feedback    │
                    └──────────────┘

The Control Loop Dance 💃

1. Sense: BNO055 measures the bot's tilt angle and angular velocity
2. Think: Arduino calculates the error using PID algorithm
3. Act: Motors adjust wheel speed to counteract the tilt
4. Repeat: Loop runs continuously at high frequency
5. Balance: Bot maintains upright position like a digital tightrope walker

🚀 Features

• 🎪 Dynamic Balance: Recovers from disturbances automatically
• 🔄 Real-time Processing: Sub-10ms response time
• 📊 Sensor Fusion: BNO055's built-in Kalman filter for smooth data
• 🎛️ Tunable Parameters: Adjustable PID gains for optimal performance on your own bot
• 🔧 Compact Design: Nano form factor for minimal footprint

📋 Bill of Materials (BOM)

Qty	Component	Purpose
1	Arduino Nano	Main controller
1	BNO055 IMU Module	Orientation sensing
2	n20 Geared Motors	Propulsion
2	n20 Wheels	Ground contact
1	Motor Driver (TB6612FNG)	Motor control
1	liPo	Power source
1	Chassis/Frame	Mechanical structure
-	Jumper Wires & Headers	Connections

🔌 Wiring Diagram

Arduino Nano          BNO055 IMU
    VIN    ────────────  VCC
    GND    ────────────  GND
     A4    ────────────  SDA
     A5    ────────────  SCL

Arduino Nano        Motor Driver
     D3     ────────────  ENA
     D4     ────────────  IN1
     D5     ────────────  IN2
     D6     ────────────  ENB
     D7     ────────────  IN3
     D8     ────────────  IN4

🎛️ PID Tuning Guide

The art of balance lies in the PID parameters:

• Kp (Proportional): Start with 20-50, higher = more aggressive
• Ki (Integral): Usually small, 0.1-1.0, eliminates steady-state error
• Kd (Derivative): Start with 0.5-2.0, adds damping

Tuning Process:

1. Set Ki and Kd to 0
2. Increase Kp until oscillation begins
3. Add Kd to reduce oscillation
4. Add small Ki to eliminate offset

🔮 Future Enhancements

• AI Powered: Reinforcement Learning (NO magical PID!)
• Advanced Sensors: Camera for line following
• Machine Learning: Adaptive PID parameters
• LED Indicators: Visual status feedback

🛠️ Getting Started

1. Hardware Assembly

• Mount Arduino Nano and BNO055 on chassis
• Connect motors to H-bridge driver
• Wire according to pinout diagram above
• Install push button on pin 11 for initial calibration

2. Software Setup

• Install Adafruit BNO055 library in Arduino IDE
• Upload the provided code to Arduino Nano
• Open Serial Monitor (115200 baud) for debugging

3. Initial Calibration

• Power on the bot in upright position
• Wait for BNO055 auto-calibration (few seconds)
• Press calibration button to set balance point
• Observe angle readouts in Serial Monitor

4. Fine Tuning (if needed)

• Adjust the three PID parameter sets in code
• Modify motorMax, motorMin values for your motors
• Change startAngle for different safety thresholds
• Test in safe environment with crash protection!

5. Let It Balance! 🎉

• Place bot upright and watch the magic
• Gently push to test recovery response
• Monitor serial output for performance analysis

🤝 Contributing

Found a bug? Have an improvement? Contributions are welcome! Whether it's:

• Code optimizations
• Documentation improvements
• Hardware modifications
• PID tuning suggestions

📜 License

This project is open source - feel free to learn, modify, and share!

---

"In a world full of things that fall down, be the bot that stands up!" 🤖⚖️

Made with ⚡ Arduino, 🧮 Math, and ❤️ Engineering