ECE 400

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ECE 400 Segway Remote Rider Intermediate Report 1
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Overview

• Project Introduction
• Background and Motivation
• Design Considerations
• Final Design Overview
• Progress Update/Future Work

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Project Introduction

• Develop a remote control system for the Segway
  e-series
• The device will be relatively portable and
  noninvasive
• Will be controlled using client/server software
  model

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Background and Motivation

• Segway was introduced on December 3rd, 2001 by
  inventor Dean Kamen
• Currently 3 models are available

• i-series
• Long life battery
• Enhanced performance in variable terrain
• Manual kickstand
• MSRP 4495

• p-series
• Base Model
• Highly portable
• Meant for urban environments
• No kickstand

• e-series
• Same performance as i-series
• Up to 75lbs of cargo storage
• Electronic kickstand
• MSRP 5500

MSRP 3995
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Background and Motivation cont.

• How it works
• Balance is achieved by use of a primary sensor
  system composed of gyroscopes
• The Segway has five gyroscopic sensors though
  only three are needed for proper operation
• Sensor network is controlled by a cluster of
  microprocessors boasting about three times the
  power of a typical PC.
• The Segway features a zero degree turning radius
• Turning is controlled by rotating the left
  steering grip

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Background and Motivation cont.

• Current Applications

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Background and Motivation cont.

• Why remote control a Segway?
• Segways current perception
• Increase number of commercial applications
• Military
• Police
• Security

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Design Considerations - Hardware

• Assembly for forward and backward movement
• Inverted pendulum
• Linear weight displacement
• Assembly for turning
• Servo motor
• Interface directly with onboard electronics
• Structure for tricking the Segway into thinking
  a rider is present
• Onboard computer for hardware control and
  communicating with client
• Laptop, PDA
• Small form factor PC (mATX, mITX, etc)
• Visual sensors
• Power and enclosures
• Device Control

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Design Considerations - Software

• Server program
• Control onboard hardware via parallel or serial
  port
• Communicate with client program via tethered or
  wireless link
• Relay visual information back to client
  (streaming video)
• Client program
• User Interface
• Display visual information from Segway
• Accept and interpret joystick input from user
• Communications
• Establish link with server
• Send movement commands to server program
• Handle communication interruptions

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Final Design Overview

• Hardware
• Forward/reverse movement controlled by weight on
  a track
• Stepper Motor used to move weight
• Parallel port used to send pulses to stepper
  motor
• Servo Motor used to turn left and right
• Position of servo motors arm controlled by pulse
  width modulated signal sent through parallel port
• Hardware will be controlled by onboard mITX PC
• Mobile webcam will be used for visual feedback

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Final Design Overview cont.

• Software
• Server program
• Designed using Visual C
• Limited or no User Interface
• Communicate with client via sockets connection
  over 802.11b
• Streaming video will be encoded using Windows
  Media Encoder
• Client program
• DirectX 9 used for joystick input
• Video displayed using Windows Media Player OCX

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Progress Update

• Completed Work
• Stepper Motor Controller functioning
• miniITX PC built and configured
• Mini applications written for webcam streaming
  and motor control
• Basic concept for Segway locomotion has been
  tested and verified
• Future Work
• Complete software
• Construct/Fabricate enclosures
• Obtain weight for base

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References

• Segway Websitehttp//www.segway.com