20. Project development¶

The class shows some example of final projects in previous years. There are a lot of interesting project I could see and inspired something from here. The class video is here

Assignment¶

Complete your final project, tracking your progress:

• what tasks have been completed, and what tasks remain?
• what has worked? what hasn’t?
• what questions need to be resolved?
• what will happen when?
• what have you learned?

The following description is at the point on July 6.

What task have been completed, and what tasks remain?¶

Completed Tasks:

• Studying robotics to learn mechanical design of walking robot.
  • by making and analyzing FabWalker
  • by making and analyzing commercial toy robots by TAMIYA
• 3D design of mechanism of six legs walking. by Autodesk Fusion
• Computer-controlled cutting (using laser cutter) for making parts of robot
• 3D design of BEETLE body by Autodesk Fusion
• 3D printing of BEETLE body
• Electrocics design of DC motor drivers and check it does works or not.

Remained Tasks:

• Electronics Design by Autodesk EAGLE: Based on Satshakit and added dual DC motor driver (TG6612FNG) and 5V regulator
• Making of Designed PCB by Roland SRM-20
• Embedded Programming by Arduino for controlling DC motors
• Making some original sensor modules for measuring something in nature. That sensor modules have VCC, GND and ADC pins.
• Network Communications (Wifi or BLE, I still does not decide yet)
• Interface application for controlling robot and receive logging sensor data.

What has worked? What hasn’t?¶

Worked

Mechanical Design of 6 legs walking. I studied basic of robots mechanism and design it and confirmed to works. Also, checked it could be controlled from microcontroller with using TG6612FNG dual DC motor driver and I could have a prediction that it would works on my designed PCB.

Not Worked

At this point, Electronics Dsign and making PCB borad does not completed. I think it would be one of the most hard tasks to complete. This should be highest priority to complete.

Based onthe triage, I have set low priority on following functions.

• Networking Communciations
  • I tried to use some WiFi or BLE in lab inventory. But, I could found out it is a little bit difficult to use them. So, still need time to find out more suitable one.
• Interface Applications
  • I have already keep some sample code for data visualization program. But, it could not be examined until when networking communication does installed.

I regard those are also important functions for ideal of my final project. But, now it should be more high priority to work as a robot having some sensors.

So, making Original Dseigned PCB is most high priority because it would be a center part of this final project.

On the other hands, Newotking Communications and Interface Applications are not high priority to finish my final project this time.

What questions need to be resolved?¶

• how to assemble each parts (PCB, battery packs and other parts)?
• how to solider TG6612FNG because it is too small chip that ATMega microcontroller.
• Voltage supply. DC motor drivers are noisy and it would be influenced to microcontroller. How to design power supply part for microcontrollers and DC motor driver.

What will happen when?¶

The following description is at the point on July 6.

• June 11: Completing to make Original PCB
• June 12: Completing to make Insect Body by 3D Printing
• June 13: Make a sensor module, connect to PCB and test it
• June 15: Integrations
• June 16: I have to complete to make integrated one until this day.
• June 17: Making slide and video, and presentation.
• June 19: I will finish to write-up the documentation.
• June 26 - July 3: Getting Feedbacks and revise/add something that would required.
• July 3: Final Day for revising.

What have you learned?¶

One of the tough part was mechanical design of robot. I have never make robots, so I couldn’t imagine how to make it and what should I do.

So, this final project has started from researching some basic knowledge of robotics and mechanism of robot walking. Also, I make some robots and analzed it. I took so many times for these tasks, but it should be do more early stage of this Fab Academy cycle.

From these experience, I have keenly realized the importance of project management, especiall time management (supply side and demand side). In each assignment, I have always tried to do something that I had never did before. I hadn’t do each assignment with concerning final project development.

For example, if I have completed to research of robot mechanism, at least the following weekly assignment would be related to my final project.

• Week 6: 3D printing and scanning: Maybe I could try to print out big Insect body.
• Week 12: Output devices: Maybe I could try to work DC motor drivers (not servo motors)
• Week 14: Networking and Communications: Maybe if I could make Wi-Fi module, I could easily use it in the final project.

I had learned so many things in each assignments. Therefore, I will not regret about it. But, at this point, learning new things has over. Now is the time to compromise something for completing minimum requirement of final project.