20. Project development¶
Complete your final project, tracking your progress
What tasks have been completed, and what tasks remain?¶
To follow my task, I made a ToDo list below. It’s update every time a task is done :
Conception :
- First drawing concept - week 01
- Presentation of the project - week 01
- State of the art - project
- Search and test on components / parts - project
- 3D modeling of the different parts - project
- Conception of the PCB - week 14
Fabrication :
- 3D Printing the parts - project
- Laser cut the parts - project
- Mill the PCB - week 14
- Solder the PCB - week 14
- Assemble the project - project
Programming :
- Test all the separated functions on PCB - week 07 - week 09 - week 11 - week 12
- Program and test the interface - week 16
- Code for speed regulation - software
- Code for orientation - software
- Code for distance - software
Testing :
- Test the interface and communication - week 16
- Test the speed regulation - test
- Test the orientation - test
- Test the distance sensing - test
The distance sensing is not quite very good but it’s functional. As I will said below, I can change the sensor to improve it.
What has worked? what hasn’t?¶
All of the project works. I just need to accelerate the speed by changing the motor and all could be very fine. The distance need to be improved but, as it’s a modular conception, the sensor can be easily changed. I would like to try with a version of my sensor but in laser way, and Neil give me a very good reference of a TOF laser sensor : the vl53l0x. It could be a great replacement sensor and a different way to sense the distance.
What questions need to be resolved?¶
I’m still thinking that, maybe, the choice I’ve made of a spinning mirror may not be as easy as I thought. Maybe, I would had to keep the sensor turning and make ( or buy ) a spinning collector for the cable.
In fact, spinning mirror is very great for the mechanical design point of view because it’s very simple and easy to build. But, on a software and calibration side, it’s a really nightmare !
What will happen when?¶
At this time, to finish the project, I need to do the following things with due dates for each :
- 05/06 - Print the shell
- 05/06 - Order new motor
- 12/06 - Finish all my testing on the project
- 14/06 - Film the rushs for the video
- 15/06 - Finalized the video and the slide
- 16/06 - Push them on the server
- 18/06 - Push the last commit for documentation
- 19/06 - Final presentation
Due to the server problem, I didn’t manage to push the last commit of my documentation. So, it was shifted a few days.
What have you learned?¶
This project learn me a lot on the communication network between systems ( PCB <-> PCB and PCB <-> PC ) and also on the interface programming. I didn’t code a “software” before and I’m very proud of the result. I will definitively use this process more often in the future for my project.
Testing the interface
Concerning the communication part, I work with I2C on robotic side. Working on serial and on how exchanges complexes datas with computer for this project put me into situations that I didn’t have with network between PCB. It’s very interessting because some solutions I found for this project can be used in other project my other kind of communications.
And last, but not least, the issue I got with the sensor learn me a lot on the detection cone and sensing range. In fact, traditionally, I make the sensor turn on my robots. So I didn’t have this kind of problems. But with a spinning mirror, issue happened that I never think it will ( like deformation of the detection cone ). Finding how to solve this issue, mecanically and by code was very rewarding.
Testing the distance