1 Robotics Challenge Overview

2 Why? -Viking was tested at the Dunes -Develop intelligent robots -Explore Robotics

3 What to expect

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7 -Challenging Environment -Wind, Sand, Iron, Water -Navigate to a central beacon -4 Courses -1 - Can the robot find the beacon on level terrain -2 – Above plus obstacles to demonstrate obstacle avoidance -3 – Above plus uneven terrain to demonstrate finding a safe course -- 4 Above plus even more challenges

8 Parts to design -Motion -Frame and motors -Sensors -IR, Ultra Sonic, Accelerometer, Compass, Radios, bump sensors -Direction Determination -The Brains and determining where to go.

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10 Entires

CSU Robotics Challenge Design Credit: Symposium 2010 presentation COSCG 2010

Basic Design Constraints <1.5 Kg vehicle weight ~ $500 hardware cost Must stay on ground

Pre-Manufactured base –4-wheel drive rock crawler –Single motor –Standard steering –High articulation suspension

Rover 1 Benefits –Removes mechanical issues from development cycle –Robust platform – it’s a rock crawler –Allows rapid electronics package and software development

Electronics Sensors –3 IR sensors – two forward one rearward Not mechanically hindered by sand –1 forward sonar sensor Good range and clean data

Electronics Sensors –Digital Compass Highly accurate 1 degree resolution serial communication –433 MHz transceiver Used by challenge organizers as base station –Contact switch tilt sensor Basic vehicle pitch and yaw data

Software Integration of sensors and outputs –Sometimes straightforward Calibration –What does the sensor data tell us High level logic –How to act on the sensor data

Software Basic Flow Chart

Testing Conducted mainly in the lab and parking lot Allowed for trouble shooting and refinement of obstacle avoidance Did not allow for testing and refinement of hole avoidance

Performance Robot Challenge –Completed one obstacle course –Found north –Liked holes –IR vs. SONAR –Polarization –Magnetic Sand

Lessons Learned Identify and address developmental bottlenecks early –Either component or personnel Start work earlier and more often than you think Plan for problems Need to use better and more sensors for rover to make intelligent decisions

Beacon Basestation produced by PCC Electronics just about complete Protocol – ID Angle CRC 255 –ID is [1, 2, 3] –Angle is Compas heading / 2 Final detials posted along with results on Jan 1, 2011

Each School Update Contact Information updates? participants Team plan Initial entry concept Any help Lessons Learned from previous years.

Resources –WebpageWebpage challengehttp://spacegrant.colorado.edu/index.php/robotics- challenge –Sparkfun.com Parts and ideas