December 7, 2009   iPhone Apps, Video

Found Footage: The iPhone-controlled, solar-powered Arduino tank

Are you the type of person who likes to handcraft your Christmas gifts? This year, perhaps you can make someone’s Christmas Day just a little bit brighter and happier when they unwrap their very own iPhone-controlled, solar-powered Arduino tank.

As you can view in the video above, the tank is pretty impressive in its current form; it could be used to strike terror into the hearts of unsuspecting senior citizens or small animals. It was built by Chris Rojas, a Colorado-based geek who used the iPhone TouchOSC app [US$4.99, iTunes Link], various parts from SparkFun including XBee modules and robot kits, and the Arduino open-source electronics prototyping platform to create this cool little tank. The tank can be charged by exposing a belly-mounted photovoltaic panel to the sun.

Maybe it’s just me, but I’d love to see one of these modded out with a spinning saw blade, lasers, and maybe a paintball gun… What would be your accessory of choice for your iPhone-controlled tank?

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[via | The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)]

  • SoundsFantastic

    @HeadmasterFox Sounds like a cheap gearbox.

  • YetAnotherShow

    what is the latency on that thing?

  • Bizorke

    The controls are backwards!

  • mayais

    –> could you help me to build my own? my email is mario.arenas.m@gmail.com

  • DesertShadow

    which arduino board are you using?

  • TheRobberdotcom

    Now add a camera to the tank and embed the video in TouchOSC :)

  • Daimo988

    @jigglesnap actually mate if u know anything about rc planes and the like, an iphone is cheap compared to a top of the line transmitter :)

  • HONDASBEST

    soarpanel at the bottom?

  • d3str0y3rport

    are you using Processing? Is there a way to connect Arduino and the iphone without the need o a computer???thanks

  • 11myedu

    We can put a webcam?

  • koviack

    HEY I NEED TO BUILD ONE OF THESE TO CARRY MY TRASHBINS TO THE CURB CAUSE IM A LAZY AMERICAN

  • http://blog.fatcow.com/custom-iphone-icons-to-be-or-not-to-be/ Aaliyah Weston

    Wonderful apps with great features and even great potential.Great post-very informative.