Transcript IRP Presentation - ECpE Senior Design

Project OSCAR
Octagonal Speech-Controlled
Autonomous Robot
ONGO-01
Project OSCAR
Spring 2006

Client: Iowa State University
Department of Electrical and
Computer Engineering

EE Team Members






Faculty Advisor: Ralph E.
Patterson III
Presentation: March 9, 2006


EE 492
EE 492
EE 492
EE 491
EE 491
CprE Team Members





Philip Derr
Robert Dunkin
Nicholas Hoch
Noman Rehan
Patrick Smith
Peter Gaughan
Andrew Levisay
Mike Mikulecky
Lori Rogers
CprE 492
CprE 492
CprE 492
CprE 491
ME Team Members


Brandon Davis
Kyle Huck
ME 466
ME 466
Project OSCAR
Presentation Overview

Project Introduction
Peter Gaughan

Description of Activities
Sub-teams

Resources and Summary
Patrick Smith
Project OSCAR
List of Definitions










OSCAR
BX-24
CVS
Drive train
Octagonal Speech-Controlled Autonomous Robot
Microcontroller used to interface with SONAR system
Concurrent versions system
The assembly of electrically controlled motion
elements, including the robot’s wheels, gears, belts
GUI
Graphical user interface
I/O
Input and output to a device
PEEL
Programmable Electrically Erasable Logic
SONAR
Sound navigation and ranging
Tachometer A device for indicating speed of rotation
Wiki
An Internet-based content management system
Project Introduction
Peter Gaughan
Project Introduction
Problem Statement

General Problem
Develop a robot and perform demonstrations to
generate interest in the field and in the
department.

General Solution Approach
An ongoing project was started to design a
modular, autonomous robot which incorporates
speech control, sonar sensors, and an arm to
interact with its surroundings and audience.
Project Introduction
Operating Environment

Indoors

Flat surfaces, no
drop-offs

Obstacles must
be 2.5 feet high
Project Introduction
Intended Users and Uses

Users



Project OSCAR team members
Supervised non-technical users
Use: Demonstration to raise interest in the field and
the department





Autonomous navigation of a hallway
Ability to pick up and manipulate objects via the arm
Ability to speak
Control via spoken commands
Manual movement via local or remote interface
Project OSCAR
Group Presentations
Presented to groups of
young students to teach
them about technology
and to get them excited
about ISU engineering


Two presentations
so far
Two left, scheduled
for next Friday
Project Introduction
Assumptions and Limitations

Assumptions
 Demonstrations last less than one hour
 Technical supervisors present during operation
 Operators are properly trained in control mechanisms
 Remote PC for robot control has the appropriate software and
hardware

Limitations
 Software must run in Linux or comply with remote control
protocol
 Speech commands are issued less than 15 feet away
 Sonar range is 15 inches – 35 feet
 Must fit through a standard 30-inch doorway
 Arm must fit within top module
Project Introduction
End Product & Deliverables

A robot with working systems






Power
Drive
Sensors
Software
Arm
Documentation
Description of Activities
Intro to OSCAR’s Systems

Modular
stackable system

4 Stages




Arm
Sonar
Software & voice
Power & drive
Power and Drive
Andy Levisay
Description of Activities
Power & Drive

Drive System





Wheels, gears, suspension
Motors
Motor controller
 RoboteQ AX2500
Tachometer feedback
Power System



DC system
DC/AC inverter
12V Battery
Description of Activities
Power & Drive: Spring 2006

Fall 2004, Spring 2005
Tachometer technology selected, circuit designed

Fall 2005
Tachometer circuit to be implemented & tested

Spring 2006
Tachometer circuit deemed unnecessary
Power and Drive System is complete
Software
Lori Rogers
Software
Past Accomplishments

Design process




Software controls hardware
Software extends in all directions to all levels
Main software system
Software ported to Linux



Java
Perl
C#
Software
Current Problems

Java Architecture




Hierarchy issues
Redundant classes and methods
No interfaces
Code



Inefficient code blocks
Speech software not functional
Voice recognition not included in code flow
Software
Speech Synthesis

Problems



Existing code not functional
FreeTTS software uses low quality voices
Approach


Research other synthesis packages
Test on Linux desktop
Software
Speech Synthesis

Requirements




Functional in Linux
Implements JSAPI
Free
Result: Festival




Variety of voices
Linux and Windows functionality
JSAPI implementation requires unavailable files!
Will use FreeTTS, continue search
Software
Current Status

Basic architecture designed




Necessary code changes noted



Eliminates redundant classes and methods
Takes advantage of Java concepts
Allows for future expansion or revisions
Increases efficiency
Increases readability
New Java GUI planned
Software
Future




Complete design of Java architecture
Create new Java GUI based on old C# GUI
design
Implement new Java architecture
Integrate voice synthesis and arm control
software
SONAR
Philip Derr
Mike Mikulecky
SONAR
Purpose
 The
goal of the SONAR system is to detect
objects in OSCAR’s surroundings with the
ultimate goal of autonomous navigation.
 A simple hallway program is planned as
OSCAR’s first navigational attempt.
SONAR
SONAR Array Functionality
Basic-X selects
a transducer and
sends init signal
Basic-X
sends
distance to
serial port
Mux connects
Basic-X to
desired
transducer
Basic-X
calculates
distance
Transducer
receives
init signal
Transducer
sends echo
signal back
SONAR
Diagrams

System
SONAR
Past Accomplishments

SONAR array hardware assembled

Hardware tested (1 year ago)

SONAR program made for Basic-X
SONAR
Present Accomplishments
Hardware Testing

Researched correct test set-ups for individual hardware components

Transducer modules, multiplexer, and Basic-X tested for functionality

All transducers checked for consistency and quality of data

Recent connection problem between multiplexer and LR transducer
port

LR transducer plugged into R transducer port, R transducer left
unplugged
SONAR
Present Accomplishments
Basic-X SONAR Program



Previous program wasn’t working
Looked into BASIC code and rewrote portions to
restore functionality
Altered code to handle 8 transducers and print data
in columns for analysis
SONAR
Present Accomplishments
Java & Serial Port Communication

Java takes data from the Basic-X chip via the serial port.

The Java SONAR program then analyzes the data and
runs the left turn algorithm.
SONAR
Present Accomplishments
Open hallway to the left raw data in graph form
SONAR
Present Accomplishments
Hallway Left Turn Characterization & Algorithm


1) OSCAR’s transducer #1 notes when it can’t see the
left wall anymore.
2) OSCAR knows when to turn when the transducer #2
reading increases by 20 cm from when point 1 is noted.
SONAR
Remaining/Future Work

Investigate inconsistent connection in circuit board
for the left rear transducer

Implement more advanced Basic-X/Java
communication

Implement a hallway navigation algorithm with
mapping

Design more robust autonomous positioning
algorithms
Arm
Control
Robert Dunkin
Nicholas Hoch
Arm Control
Overview
Functionality
 Computer control for four motors in the arm
 H-bridges for power
 Controlled by microcontroller(s)
 Communication with the PC
Goals
 To fully design the system
 To build the system without significant design
revisions
Arm Control
Oscar Limits




Computer I/O availability
Software knowledge
Space for chips
Types of H-bridge drivers
Arm Control
Equipment



LM 629 motorcontroller
LMD 18201 H-bridge driver
PIC18F4550
Arm Control
Present Accomplishments





Started a new design
Designed the block diagram
Researched all the chips needed for the
circuit
Created new circuit design with chips
Ordered 1 set of chips and started testing
each chip
Arm Control
Future Work




Complete testing of each chip and circuit
Work with software for programming of PIC
Work with Mechanical for placement of circuit
boards
Create circuit boards for chips
Robotic Arm
Kyle Huck
Brandon Davis
Previous Design

Main design and concepts
complete

Some parts made

The arm is not completely
assembled

Not all parts required for a
complete mechanical
system are made
Current Design

The current design remains similar to the
previous design

Fixed many small problems with the previous
design

All the changes in design are small but were
necessary to allow the design to function
Changes

No access hole
was made for the
set screw in the
wrist joint.

The set screw had
to be ground to the
curvature of the
wrist joint in order
to spin freely inside
the larger joint
piece.
Changes Cont’d

A pin was added
to the main gear
on the elbow
joint to fix the
arm to the
motion of the
gear
Changes Cont’d


The motor shafts did not
protrude from the plates
far enough for the set
screws on the wrist joint
and the worm gears to
engage on the motor
shaft.
The plates were machined
such that the motor would
be “countersunk” into the
plate
Current Status

The arm is assembled and mechanically
functional except for the fingers

Ready to begin testing and run the wiring
through the arm
Future Projects

The fingers and finger plates need to be machined

The slide mechanism needs to be built


The length of the arm may be too long in the current design to
completely fit inside OSCAR’s body
Modification to the elbow pin may be made to allow
for more swing angle in the arm movement
Resources
and Summary
Patrick Smith
Resources: Spring 2006
Personnel Effort Requirements






Arm control circuit design
Sonar Array Testing
Speech system development
Visitor demonstrations
Documenting project
Senior Design reporting
Personal Hours
140
TOTAL HOURS: 960
Philip Derr
120
Robert Dunkin
100
Peter Gaughan
80
60

Brandon Davis
Nicholas Hoch
Kyle Huck
Andrew Levisay
40
Mike Mikulecky
20
Noman Rehan
0
Lori Rogers
Patrick Smith
Resources: Spring 2006
Other Resource Requirements

New Computer


Arm Control





Software – free
Operating system – free
Documentation



Structural materials, machining –
donated
Motors – salvaged
Electronics – purchased $45.31
Speech


Has been purchased - $200
Wiki – free, donated
Printing & binding – purchased
TOTAL COST SPRING 2006:
$257.81
Resources: Spring 2006
Financial Requirements

Spring 2006




Previous Semesters









Projected cost of materials: $257.81
Projected cost of labor at $10.50 per hour: $10,080
Spring 2006 Projected Total: $10,337.81
Fall 2006: $11,336.50
Fall 2005: $10,000-11,000
Spring 2005: $6,000-9,000
Fall 2004: $9,000-13,000
Spring 2004: $12,000
Fall 2003: $15,000
Spring 2002: $10,000-16,000
Fall 2001: $11,000-17,000
Estimated Overall Total, Spring 2001- Spring 2006: $125,980
Project OSCAR: Summary
Lessons Learned

What went well


What did not go well



New team member orientation to complex system
Difficulties with sonar array
Intermittent computer problems
What technical knowledge was gained



Electronic, and control systems
Linux software development
Java code integration with various technologies
Project OSCAR: Summary
Lessons Learned

What non-technical knowledge was gained




Project management experience
Documentation methods, skills, and the importance thereof
Presentation skills
Interdisciplinary engineering interaction
Project OSCAR: Summary
Risks and Risk Management

Anticipated potential risks




Part ordering delays
Complexity of coordination
Loss of Team Member
Anticipated risks encountered


Coordination difficulties
Loss of Team Member
Project OSCAR: Summary
Risks and Risk Management

Unanticipated risks encountered


Team member health problems
Sonar multiplexer circuitry failure
Closing
Peter Gaughan
Project OSCAR: Summary
Closing

Still in overall implementation stage – autonomy is
incomplete

Continued demonstrations have been effective in
developing team member abilities

Future should involve


Finalizing OSCAR system
Satisfying department needs through further robotic
development
Project OSCAR
Questions?
http://seniord.ee.iastate.edu/ongo01