Good friend and fellow robot aficionado Eric Gregori has hacked a Hexbug Spider to wander about autonomously. Using the Texas Instruments MSP430 microcontoller and a cheap 14 pin DIP motor controller, he took control of the spider’s motors. An Infrared LED and sensor provide an inexpensive proximity sensor for collision avoidance.
Eric has posted full instructions and link to a kit on Build Smart Robots.
