Projects 1: Project Kickoff Meeting

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Projects 1 Project Kickoff Meeting Project
Design an Interface between a Robot and a LTU
Laptop
Group members Colin Black Steve Holcomb
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Objective

• Design and implement an interface between a robot
  and a LTU laptop

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Target Goals

• Robot should be able to traverse forwards and
  backwards with the capability to turn
• Robot should be able to travel at two to three
  speeds
• Interface should be easily available for use in
  third-party programs
• i.e. writing maze-traversal programs

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Design Sub-Systems
Steering System
Drive System
Power System
Laptop Interface
Sensor System
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Power Sub-System

• Capable of powering interface and robot
• Laptop runs on batteries
• Power sources under consideration
• Batteries
• Heavy
• Limited functional time
• 110V connection to maze exterior
• Limits size of maze
• Requires addition of transformer on robot

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Drive Sub-System

• A single drive wheel located at the rear of the
  robot
• Variable speed bi-directional motor
• Controlled through interface board
• Tachometer connected to drive wheel for
  distance/speed reporting to interface

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Steering Sub-System

• Based on standard Rack and Pinion design
• Single servo/motor to control steering angle
• Angle controlled through interface board

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Sensor systems

• Initial sensor type touch
• Sensor contact causes immediate event/interrupt
  drive halted
• Expansion of system possible to include other
  sensor types

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Laptop Interface

• Use of Handyboard to relay commands to
  drive/steering sub-systems and contact data from
  sensor sub-system
• Laptop interfaces to Handyboard through
  Parallel/Serial port
• Interface to third-party programs through binary
  API or compile-time headers
• Knowledge of Windows 2k/XP Device Drivers required

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Timeline

• Parts ordered by 11/30
• Drive system/chassis built 02/01
• Steering system built 02/15
• Sensor/Interface built 03/01
• Device Drivers/Headers written 03/08
• Final testing 03/29
• (Competition date - RoboFest) 04/27