I recently reviewed the “Robot Builder’s Bonanza,” by Gordon McComb. The PlyBot is his simplest robot; my version uses a 3D-printed base instead of plywood. The motor/gearboxes and wheels are from Tamiya. The good news is that anybody can build this robot. No experience is required. McComb explains everything!
This robot has two wheels, each with its own motor/gearbox. It is a front-wheel drive system, with each wheel controlled separately. You can turn or pivot like a tank, by running one wheel forward and the other backward. The castor in the back worked good on my wood floors, and ok on my carpet, but probably would be useless outside.
A hand-held control box uses two DPDT switches to drive the PlyBot. Each motor has a 3v power supply located in the control box. The PlyBot and the control box are connected by wires: your choice. I used a few spare cable jacks and spare phone cable. You probably don’t want a tethered robot, but it is a simple way to get it built and running. I admit that I was proud to see it crawling around, at last!
A chapter in the “Robot Builder’s Bonanza” explains how to use a TV remote control and an Arduino to run a robot, so maybe that will be my next step.