For my midterm project, I hope to create a toy car that, when it detects objects in front of it that are extremely close by, will go into reverse, rotate a little bit and continue on its path forward. I was inspired by a remote controlled car I saw at Yas Mall a few weeks ago that would spin its wheels when it would come into contact with a ramp or slanted surface and continue in the opposite direction.
This project will require the two wheels that come with the Sparkfun Inventor’s Kit, a distance sensor as well as the Arduino itself. I also plan on adding a sound library that would play a noise when the car comes close to a surface. I am also thinking of adding a servo motor that would have pictures of faces attached, that would switch depending on the car’s currents state (for example: a happy face for when the car is running unobstructed, and an angry face for when it is close to an object).
I am still trying to think of ways to make the project more interactive, specifically with how a person might interact with the car besides from blocking its path and forcing it to go into reverse.
Take a look at Braitenberg vehicles: http://www.harmendeweerd.nl/braitenberg-vehicles/ Maybe you can use photocells for the sensors and people could use flashlights to interact with the vehicle. You also have a lot going on in the project. Maybe try to boil it down to what is really essential.