In my electrical engineering classes, student pairs are hard at work tinkering with Arduino sketches that they think will have some utility towards their ultimate goal of building a robot to defeat their landscape's "obstacles." (project summary here)
Here is some of their project work - I call these the "Obstacle Sheets," where they outline the challenge that their robot will face and provide some ideas for overcoming them. It's just broad strokes at this point; they needed to generate some ideas to explore, and the next task for each of them will be building three Arduino projects (we have a couple of books - The Sparkfun Inventor's Kit and the Make Arduino Book), modifying them to change their functioning, and documenting that process in a Youtube video.
Balloon-Cushioned Robot
Task:
-We will initially drive the robot off of some moderate height
-We are going to use CO2 canisters to inflate balloons
-We are having the robot activate an airbag (the balloons) so that it survives the fall
-This will be motion activated- It will notice that it is in freefall
-Needs to right itself after it hits the ground
-Needs to escape the balloon (Overinflate them)
-Needs to find goal
Items/Research:
-Research Mars Pathfinder
-We also need a 9v gas valve
-c02 canisters
-balloons
-regulator to control pressure
Scared of Everything Robot (meant to be used in an indoor environment, normal floor)
Objective:
Find the most optimal spot
-Search for darkest spot, only stay if spot meets other sensor requirements
-quiet, not too hot
Make comments about its surroundings based on sensors
(optional if rest of project is finished)
Obstacles:
-Getting around objects that are in the way of robot finding best spot
Algorithm for getting around object, avoid getting stuck circling room
-Avoiding light (photo sensor)
Photo Resistor, pg. 41
-Avoiding noise of certain decibel (directional microphone research)
-Avoiding temperature that’s too hot
-check dark spot for space heater
-only turn on sensor when dark spot has been reached
-Getting the robot to speak for certain light levels (speaker and photo sensor)
Play certain sound files when sensors reach certain levels
Actively search for darkest place (mission)
-multiple sensors
Secondary move away from loud noises and avoid objects (avoid obstacles)
Final: Turn off when optimal hiding place is found
Projects Pertaining to Robot:
P. 64 light sensors
P. 65 (SIK Guide) Spinning a Motor:
P. 54 thermostat sensor
Robot Course of Action
Scan for darkness w/ multiple photosensors, travel using random search (like Roomba)
Constant sensors
Noise (Directional Microphone)
Shake (pivot back and forth) when it detects sound of certain decibel until sound goes away
Physical Obstacle
Move along edge, until turned 180 degrees (close enough)
Sonar
Avoiding walls, follow step 1 until travelled x centimeters in straight line, then give up and turn 90 degrees and restart search
Darkness Reached
Check if good enough
If it’s dark enough
If it’s quiet enough (small speaker)
If it’s not too hot (space heater)
Solar Robot
The robot runs off of solar power, and when a photocell detects a lack of light it wirelessly triggers a lightbulb above it that is powered by a wall outlet. The robot will have ultrasonic proximity sensors to detect and avoid boundaries. Its search algorithm will initially be random (like that of iRobot’s Roomba).
Goal
- Get the vehicle to central location
- Need voltage regulator
Robot Car: Ditch/cliff Avoidance
Obstacle: Ditches and cliff in the terrain
Solution: Ultrasonic sensor will be in front of the cart to detect the change of distance between the cart and ground. The distance for it to work is 1 inch to 10 feet.
(page for the sensor) http://learn.parallax.com/KickStart/28015
Large objects as barriers
Solution: multiple flex sensors on different sides of the car
How does it navigate to the Goal?
It will have a navigation algorithm. In the algorithm the bot continues to move forward until it reaches an obstacle. At the obstacle, it will back up and turn a certain amount of degrees depending on which flex sensors are touched. It will repeat this until it reaches the goal.
How does it know that it’s in the goal?
The goal will be under cover like in a cave, so it will be dark instead of light out at the goal. The robot will have a photocell to detect the change of light to identity the goal
Sources to help us
http://learn.parallax.com/node/235
http://blog.miguelgrinberg.com/post/building-an-arduino-robot-part-iv-a-not-so-basic-robot-firmware
Robot Arm Upgrade (expansion of Science Olympiad project)
Moving quickly and efficiently
Grabbing objects
Pencils
Legos
Dice
Ping pong balls
Programming movement
Increasing precision of movement
Grabbing objects of different textures and moving them.
Robot does not grunt enough or say enough old man things.
Solution ideas
By building an Arduino that can use programmed macro movements we can move arm to the area of the objects quickly and then human controls will be in charge of the micro movements.
By using stepper motors controlled by the Arduino, we can move the arm more quickly and more slowly as we need to. We will be able to move the arm specific distances by programming the motors.
We will shift from belt operated motors and actuators to more precise rack and pinion mechanisms.
We will reduce the amount of clamps as currently the arm is lousy with clamps.
We will build more precise actuators, reducing the amount of syringes we have, which is currently a [90's movie reference] amount.
We will have parts on the robot be of uniform length and ensure the even level of the arm in order to increase precision.
We will add a speaker that will speak randomized, programmed sounds related to the activity of the arm in order to let users know his feelings and to demoralize the enemy.
Experiments Related
Circuit #11
Circuit #12
Coding pg. 94, 137
Driving bigger loads pg. 72