Team Synergy (Robofest Team) - Electronic Circuits Projects Diagrams Free

Krumlink · 9th June 2009, 04:07 AM

While at a competition, I came across a robo-league called "robofest" sponsored by a local university and several other corporations. Robofest, Annual Autonomous Robotics Competition for Middle/High School Students - Lawrence Tech

It is based around 2-4 team members with a mentor or two. Myself and another student will enter the competition with a very complex robot design, but I have skills in C, Microcontrollers and He has adequate C# skills. We will be using MCC18 and Visual Studio C#. We plan on calling the team "Team Synergy". This will be a grab n go competition, we will dominate.

shimniok · 9th June 2009, 11:06 PM

Very cool! Best of luck and keep us updated as to your progress!!

Michael

birdman0_o · 9th June 2009, 11:08 PM

If you ever get bored of your 5000$ sensor let me know

Krumlink · 9th June 2009, 11:11 PM

Yes, TARDEC is donating a SICK LIDAR to me personally

Krumlink · 14th June 2009, 01:12 AM

Ok, bit of a update on the goal of this robot:
It will be built on a small tracked chassis, and will be controlled indirectly by a small computer, called the Microclient jrDX by Norhtec. it will have dual RS232 for interface of the microcontroller board and the SICK LIDAR. The robot will explore an unknown environment, mapping its surroundings by sending each byte directly to the computer, which will build a small dot map and storing it as some file type (possibly text file, it will be interesting to look at). There will also be several infrared sensors on the robot to ensure that it always has another method of watching its surroundings. There will be a total of 14 proximity sensors on the robot to ensure that it will never get stuck. In the future, we may expand it to include GPS or some kind of wireless interface for video feed.

Krumlink · 17th June 2009, 05:05 AM

Here's something terrible when it comes to efficiency (it is rather unfortunate): Due to certain circumstances, we will need to go from a battery source to a power inverter (dc to ac) and back into a computer PSU (ac to dc) and then to the computer. Very inefficient.

shimniok · 17th June 2009, 12:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Krumlink

Here's something terrible when it comes to efficiency (it is rather unfortunate): Due to certain circumstances, we will need to go from a battery source to a power inverter (dc to ac) and back into a computer PSU (ac to dc) and then to the computer. Very inefficient.

Hm... that is unfortunate... surely there's a solution out there somewhere?

Hero999 · 17th June 2009, 09:15 PM

Why not buy a DC input PC PSU?

Convert the mains to DC and not use an inverter.

DirtyLude · 17th June 2009, 09:16 PM

You can't use a DC computer PSU, like a PicoPSU?

picoPSU-120 12V DC-DC ATX power supply

EDIT: Hero999 Ninja posted me.

Krumlink · 18th June 2009, 08:11 PM

We are instead going to use the uclient jrDX which runs on straight 5VDC at 1.8amps. That will save the terrible efficiency of the step up step down converters.

Hero999 · 18th June 2009, 09:39 PM

Where are you going to get the 5V supply from?

Krumlink · 21st June 2009, 10:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hero999

Where are you going to get the 5V supply from?

For size and relative density, we were going to use a 4600mah NIMH 12VDC pack, and run that into a buck converter.

Salgat · 24th June 2009, 09:15 AM

Wow Krum, you're quite ambitious. Here at UM (I almost went to LTU!) the research group I'm working with is doing a very similar project. We also use lidars for mapping along with GPS and LED beacons and whatnot, and I'm continuously amazed at the logic and mathematics involved with doing this. Good luck with your robot.

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9th June 2009, 04:07 AM	#1
Krumlink	Team Synergy (Robofest Team) While at a competition, I came across a robo-league called "robofest" sponsored by a local university and several other corporations. Robofest, Annual Autonomous Robotics Competition for Middle/High School Students - Lawrence Tech It is based around 2-4 team members with a mentor or two. Myself and another student will enter the competition with a very complex robot design, but I have skills in C, Microcontrollers and He has adequate C# skills. We will be using MCC18 and Visual Studio C#. We plan on calling the team "Team Synergy". This will be a grab n go competition, we will dominate. Attached Thumbnails __________________ IF YOU WANT TO HELP FINE IF NOT PLEASE DON"T PEE IN MY CHEERO'S

9th June 2009, 11:06 PM	#2
shimniok	Very cool! Best of luck and keep us updated as to your progress!! Michael __________________ Michael Shimniok http://bot-thoughts.blogspot.com/ Microcontrollers can solve world hunger, too!

9th June 2009, 11:08 PM	#3
birdman0_o	If you ever get bored of your 5000$ sensor let me know __________________ Mike My website: www.ElectroBird.net

9th June 2009, 11:11 PM	#4
Krumlink	Yes, TARDEC is donating a SICK LIDAR to me personally __________________ IF YOU WANT TO HELP FINE IF NOT PLEASE DON"T PEE IN MY CHEERO'S

14th June 2009, 01:12 AM	#5
Krumlink	Ok, bit of a update on the goal of this robot: It will be built on a small tracked chassis, and will be controlled indirectly by a small computer, called the Microclient jrDX by Norhtec. it will have dual RS232 for interface of the microcontroller board and the SICK LIDAR. The robot will explore an unknown environment, mapping its surroundings by sending each byte directly to the computer, which will build a small dot map and storing it as some file type (possibly text file, it will be interesting to look at). There will also be several infrared sensors on the robot to ensure that it always has another method of watching its surroundings. There will be a total of 14 proximity sensors on the robot to ensure that it will never get stuck. In the future, we may expand it to include GPS or some kind of wireless interface for video feed. __________________ IF YOU WANT TO HELP FINE IF NOT PLEASE DON"T PEE IN MY CHEERO'S

17th June 2009, 05:05 AM	#6
Krumlink	Here's something terrible when it comes to efficiency (it is rather unfortunate): Due to certain circumstances, we will need to go from a battery source to a power inverter (dc to ac) and back into a computer PSU (ac to dc) and then to the computer. Very inefficient. __________________ IF YOU WANT TO HELP FINE IF NOT PLEASE DON"T PEE IN MY CHEERO'S

17th June 2009, 09:15 PM	#8
Hero999	Why not buy a DC input PC PSU? Convert the mains to DC and not use an inverter. __________________ I do not answer private messages asking for help because no one else can: benefit from advice I may give or correct me if I'm wrong. Please ask on the open forum if you have a question and I'll be happy to help, if I know the answer.

17th June 2009, 09:16 PM	#9
DirtyLude	You can't use a DC computer PSU, like a PicoPSU? picoPSU-120 12V DC-DC ATX power supply EDIT: Hero999 Ninja posted me. __________________ Mark Higgins Last edited by DirtyLude; 17th June 2009 at 09:17 PM.

18th June 2009, 08:11 PM	#10
Krumlink	We are instead going to use the uclient jrDX which runs on straight 5VDC at 1.8amps. That will save the terrible efficiency of the step up step down converters. __________________ IF YOU WANT TO HELP FINE IF NOT PLEASE DON"T PEE IN MY CHEERO'S

18th June 2009, 09:39 PM	#11
Hero999	Where are you going to get the 5V supply from? __________________ I do not answer private messages asking for help because no one else can: benefit from advice I may give or correct me if I'm wrong. Please ask on the open forum if you have a question and I'll be happy to help, if I know the answer.

24th June 2009, 09:15 AM	#13
Salgat	Wow Krum, you're quite ambitious. Here at UM (I almost went to LTU!) the research group I'm working with is doing a very similar project. We also use lidars for mapping along with GPS and LED beacons and whatnot, and I'm continuously amazed at the logic and mathematics involved with doing this. Good luck with your robot. __________________ www.salgat.net