The robot frame is constructed of aluminum and steel. First, the motors were

mounted on a chassis and aligned so that each wheel is parallel to the opposite

wheel.

After the initial chassis was built, a battery compartment was fabricated to hold

the two lead acid batteries. The position of the lead acid batteries was chosen

to be as close to the ground as possible to lower the robot’s center of gravity while still

providing sufficient ground clearance for the robot. They are lined up end to end to

distribute the weight throughout as much of the chassis as possible.

An electronics shelf was built with a steel frame to support it. The

frame was bent to have a slant on the front and the back of the robot.

Finally, a Plexiglas shell was added to act as a shield for the electronics. Clear

Plexiglas was used because this is a prototype and it is beneficial to be able to see inside

to diagnose problems.