APPLICATIONS AND IMPLICATIONS
Individual assignments
- Develop a plan for dissemination of your final project.
- Complete your final project, tracking your progress.
What will it do?
My final project consists of the construction of an independent omnidirectional robot capable of avoiding obstacles and reaching desired points based on the reading of a QR code or through its manual control. The robot is designed in SolidWorks for the main base, casing, and visualization of internal components. Likewise, it is planned to manufacture two PCBs that include the XIAO ESP32 microcontroller (specialized for the main control of the robot) and the XIAO RP2350 (responsible for motor control). In the same way, H-bridge drivers will be manufactured to allow the independent control of each motor.
This omnidirectional robot is able to move in any direction thanks to the type of wheels used, called mecanum wheels. However, it is extremely important to understand and learn about the movement type of each wheel in order to physically understand the complete movement of the robot. Based on this, a program is expected to be developed to demonstrate the robot’s movements so that it can later operate independently.
Regarding obstacle avoidance, the robot is intended to independently avoid obstacles, reach specific desired points, and be controlled through an Xbox controller.
This project encompasses a series of knowledge acquired in previous weeks, making it a very complete and interesting integrated project.
Who's done what beforehand?
Due to the type of project proposed and the wheels used, there is a large number of projects that have been carried out previously. Especially in the Fab Lab, I found that Naoki Hayashi has completed a similar project, undoubtedly an excellent project reference.
What sources will you use?
Thanks to FAB LAB PUEBLA, I can use the tools, machines, and some components to complete the project.
What will you design?
In order to complete my project, I need to design:
- Electronics: Main board, motor control board, drivers or H-bridges for motor control.
- Mechanical design: Central base of the car, casing that covers the car.
- Program interface: For data visualization.
What materials and components will be used?
My materials were divided as follows (Prices are listed in MXN.):
Mechanics
| Material | Quantity | Use | Approximate Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| PLA | - | 3D printing of robot casing and motor supports | - |
| MDF | 1 piece | Main robot base | $70 |
| M2 Screws | - | They will allow the drivers to be fixed to the motor control PCB | $126 |
| TT DC Motors | 4 | Main motors of the car | $200 |
| Mecanum Wheels | 4 | Robot movement wheels | $350 |
| Assorted Dupont Cables | 87 | Creation of 4 H-bridges, main project board, and motor control board | $130 |
| Double Battery Holder | 1 | Power supply | $15 |
| AA Batteries | 2 | Power supply | $300 |
| VL53L0X Sensors | 3 | Distance sensors | $210 |
Electronics
| Material | Quantity | Use | Approximate Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phenolic Copper Board | 2 | PCB manufacturing | $40 |
| 10uF Capacitors | 8 | H-bridge manufacturing | $130 |
| DRV8251A Driver | 4 | H-bridge manufacturing | $160 |
| XIAO ESP32C6 Microcontroller | 1 | Main PCB manufacturing | $125 |
| 10k Resistors | 5 | Main PCB manufacturing | $400 |
| 100nF Capacitors | 3 | Main PCB manufacturing | $170 |
| 0Ω Resistors | 10 | Main PCB and motor control PCB manufacturing | $117 |
| Pins | Assorted | Electrical connections | $150 |
| XIAO RP2350 Microcontroller | 1 | Motor control PCB manufacturing | $150 |
The approximate total cost is $2,843. Some materials will be obtained from the FAB LAB PUEBLA laboratory.
After researching the prices of similar cars, they range between $1500-$2000 pesos; however, these prices only correspond to the casing, wheels, and motors, without including the rest of the components, which makes building it independently a better option.
What parts and systems will be made?
- Laser cutting and additive manufacturing with 3D printing will be used for the car assembly structure.
- Electronics design and manufacturing for system control.
- Programming of motors, sensors with I2C communication, communication between boards with UART, and communication with the Xbox controller.
What processes will be used?
- Computer Controlled Cutting
- Embedded Programming
- 3D Printing
- Electronics Design
- Laser Cutting
- Communications
- Application Programming
What questions need to be answered?
I had many questions while developing the project; the main ones were how to program the wheel system so that it could move in different directions. Likewise, how to establish the connection with the Xbox controller.
How will it be evaluated?
- The robot must move from one place to another.
- The robot must avoid obstacles.
- The robot must be independent and controllable through an Xbox controller.
- The robot must detect objects in front of it.
The parts of your project
- Fabrication processes
- Electronics design and production
- Embedded microcontroller design
- Interfacing and programming