F.Y.P.1 ~ 14th Week: Progress Report

Introduction

The purpose of this project is to development an autonomous Quadrapod Robot for the Inter-section Robotic Challenge. This progress report discusses the progress I have made from January 23rd until April 27th in 2012.

Work Completed from January 23 until April 27, 2012

During this period, I have made some research of Quadrapod robot has done as to learn and gain knowledge on the architectures or infrastructure that been used to build this robot and I have a sketch of the robot. Second, I have made surveillance on component that will be use to implement into the structure of the robot, but I still difficulty to purchase the component cause of the component too expensive. By following my schedule, I suppose have started to implementing my design into the simulation but I still did not get any result yet.

Work to be completed by July 30, 2012

Within the semester break, I will to buy the component bit by bit according to my financial budget. I must choose the best component and need to perform detail research for the item that I ave choose. Then, I will use this component into the simulation to get the result, as I will be completed it before 1st July 2012. After I got result from the simulation, I will proceed to the next step which is to construct all of the component and hardware. But first, I need to find a coding to program the robot as the result form the simulation, then I will construct all the component with Peripheral Integrated Circuit (PIC). The PIC will be programmed as to control the robot performances. After that, I will get the result from the constructed robot, then I will compare it with the simulation. I will make some re-check if the performance doesn't meet the rule and regulation of the competition. Lastly, I will make the analysis and conclusion for this project. 

Problems Encountered

During the research finding the information, there are many journals I found in internet about the Quadrapod Robot which have taken most of my time by reading the journal to understand about the robot architecture. Next, I have difficulty to find a suitable component for my design cause most of the component is expensive. I need to perform some research before I purchase any of the component. Then, I getting a late updates regarding the changing of rules and regulation for this competition, which I realized a week before the presentation was held. This project is out from my previous schedule which I will need to use my semester break to catch up with the schedule.

Conclusion

Now, my research project is over my schedule, if I not catch up my schedule maybe there much problem will be come and make my project not done in next semester at presentation project. To overcome this problem I should use my holiday to catch up my schedule. If you have any questions or concerns with this project, please feel free to email me at half_fear@yahoo.com.my

F.Y.P.1 ~ 13th Week: Report Preparation and Budget

In this week, I'm going to prepare a progress report to be submit by next week to my supervisor.

There would be a carry mark for the progress report and logbook (blogspot) that will be carry forward into the next semester. The progress report will be giving out 5% of marks, while logbook will bring 10% of marks.

I'm struggling to conclude all of my research within this semester into the progress report before the upcoming final exam which would be held in another 3 weeks.

Meanwhile, I also doing some calculation of budget to buy the component for the robot structure. Previously, I have done some surveillance over some of the components.

Below is the budget cost of the component to be purchase:

NO.	MATERIALS (HARDWARE)	COST
1	SERVO MOTOR (8 PCS)	RM280.00
2	PIC (PERIPHERAL INTEGRATED CIRCUIT)	RM 90.00
3	BRACKET (FOR BODY)	RM200.00
4	SERVO CONTROLLER	RM 80.00
TOTAL		RM650.00

F.Y.P.1 ~ 12th Week: #Presentation - FYP 1

This week, I will be assess by the given assessor to evaluate our project ideas and progress. The marks will be rewarded and will be carry until our Final Year Project status completed.

Below is my project presentation slide contents:
(please click the picture for a large view)

Slide 1

Slide 2

Slide 3

Slide 4

Slide 5

Slide 6

Slide 7

Slide 8

Slide 9

Slide 10

Slide 11

Slide 12

Even I'm a bit nervous, but actually it is quite interesting when you get a chance to share our ideas with anyone including the lectures.

F.Y.P.1 ~ 11th Week: Meeting

This week, I with two other friend who is represent for Communication section are having discussion regarding the competition rules and regulation that have been change.

In the new rules and regulation, they have update new are rules by reducing the distance of track to 3 meter and adding a pile of trash as an obstacle which the height might not greater than 5cm. They also have add a 8cm tall of two-step staircase with 125cm long. Each of step height of 4cm tall. Then the robot must complete task within 5 minutes.

As from the rules, we understand that the robot must walk and avoid the obstacle provided along 3 meter of track and the robot must climb the staircase as a finish line within 5 minutes.

From the robot structure that I've design, I think will stay with the previous design as its already fulfill the rules and even the objective of this project.

F.Y.P.1 ~ 10th Week: #Research - Micro-Controller Part 2

Continued from the 5th week topic, I still doing some research about a suitable microcontroller to use for this robot. As in previous, I've state that I will use PIC as my microcontroller. I choose PIC because it has wide availability and it is a low cost component.

Basically we know that PIC is stand for Peripheral Interface Controller which can be a low cost development tools and serial programming capability.

I have two kind of PIC board that I would like to choose:

Cytron PIC32 Microcontroller

Lyxnmotion Mini Atom Board

Cytron PIC32 microcontroller can support up to 32 servo in same time using operating voltage of 2.3V till 3.6V. This microcontroller is quite expensive but have capability restoring high capacity of memory. With the flash memory, it is able to re-programming the data within it. It also can control any scale of robot.

Mean while, Lyxnmotion Mini Atom Board can only support up to 20 servo using 5V of power supply. This board are small and cheap, but only able to control small scale robot.

From my guess, I will pick Lyxnmotion Mini Atom as microcontroller for this robot development.

F.Y.P.1 ~ 9th Week: #Research - Servo Controller

In this week, I'm going to survey on servo controller for my robot structure. My Quadrapod Robot may consist with 4 legs (each legs apply 2 servo motor) to be control by a servo controller.

Servo controller is used to control the servo motor motion as the servo controller will send a repeatable pulse of variable width signal (PWM) towards each of the servo motor. The servo controller can allow the motor position their output shaft to any position on any command and hold that position by using 555 timer and a few support components.  

8 Servo Controller

Above is the 8 Servo Controller that been choose which because it is cheaper device that I've found. It can control up to 8 servo in same time while each of the servo speed and range can be control independently. This servo controller also include with three status LEDs. This device can support supply voltage from 5V till 16V.

F.Y.P.1 ~ 8th Week: #Research - Sensor

This week, I'm will do a research about sensor which will be implement into the Quadrapod Robot.

As we know, infrared sensor is an electronic devices that measure infrared light which radiated from object in its field of view. Infrared is invisible to human eyes but can only be detect by such a device.

In my robot structure, I need an infrared sensor that can able the robot to avoid from obstacle while move smoothly within a range of track that been provided.

For the robot to accomplish such structure, below is the Infrared Sensor under my surveillance:

Infrared Range Sensor

Line Tracking Sensor

Infrared Obstacle Detector Sensor

The sensor from above had their own function, such as the range sensor can be use by robot to track movement within specific range. The line tracking sensor will only detect colors line, it may allow the to move smoothly within single line. The obstacle detector sensor is sensitive sensor that can be use to detect an obstacle in front of robot within a range.

I might prefer use all of them to construct my robot, accept for line tracking sensor as I'm not even sure either the track in the challenge will be provide with line tap, or else I will only use obstacle detector and range sensor for my robot.