ECE 477 Digital Systems Senior Design Project Rev 8/09

Homework 2: Design Project Proposal

Team Code Name: Autonomous Targeting Vehicle (ATV) Group No.: 3

Team Members (#1 is Team Leader):

#1: Daniel Barrett Areas of Expertise: Software

#2: Sebastian Hening Areas of Expertise: System Integration & Power

#3: Sandunmalee Abeyratne Areas of Expertise: Interfacing Sensors (Hardware)

#4: Anthony Myers Areas of Expertise: Packaging & Hardware (Micro)

Project Abstract:

Our design is an autonomous wheeled vehicle that can navigate as well as visually track and follow targets. This vehicle will use GPS to determine its current location within 5-10m and will be able to autonomously navigate to another location using sensors to detect and avoid obstacles. To improve accuracy, this vehicle will use accelerometer(s), a compass, and/or wheel encoders to “dead reckon” position to provide improved precision information. These features will also allow the vehicle to move when a GPS signal cannot be received. Additionally, this vehicle will have a webcam feature that will be able to track a target and follow it. Our project will use an atom board to do the image processing, and will allow the user to connect remotely through a wireless connection to initiate tracking for the device.

Design/Functionality Overview:

Our project will allow a user to enter a destination through the wireless connection and the robot will autonomously navigate to that location. In the absence of GPS, the user will click an object in the webcam, specify the distance they wish the robot to travel, and the robot will navigate towards that object. It will use sensors to detect obstacles in its path and steer around them to arrive at the destination. It will feature wheel encoders, an accelerometer, and a compass to determine changes in position and to aid in more precise movements.

The motivation for this vehicle is for use in military and/or security applications. It would be able to stealthily navigate to a location and perform surveillance without risking human life.

The estimated cost for this project is about $750. This estimate includes parts and supplies for a robot chassis, sonic range finder, compass, accelerometer, battery, motors (if necessary), wheel encoders, etc. The PCB will be used to facilitate interfacing between the microcontroller and peripherals such as GPS, motors, and Atom board.

List of estimated parts needed for project:

Robot Platform: ~$300

GPS: ~$100

Sonic Range Finder: ~$25 - $50

Compass: ~$50

Accelerometer: ~$25

Voltage Regulators: ~$20 x 3 = $60

Battery: ~$60

Miscellaneous: ~$100

______

Total: ~$745

Team Member Contributions:

Dan and Sebastian will take responsibility for writing the software to make use of all the sensor data to perform the desired behavior. They will also take responsibility for integrating the Atom board, microcontroller, and for designing the power circuitry. Sandunmalee will take responsibility for interfacing the microcontroller to the different sensors, and retrieving the information from them. Anthony will take responsibility for writing the microcontroller code for controlling the motors, and for the physical design of the packaging. All members will contribute to the PCB design process.

Project-Specific Success Criteria:

1.  An ability to successfully read and parse GPS data to determine location.

2.  An ability to control motors for movement.

3.  An ability to visually track and follow target with webcam.

4.  An ability to detect obstacles with sonic range finder.

5.  An ability to determine changes in position using wheel encoders, accelerometer, and compass.

Block Diagram:

Division of Labor:

Design Component Homework / Professional Component Homework
4-Packaging Design and Specs / ARM / 3-Design Constraint Analysis/Parts List / DPB
5-Hardware Narrative and Prelim Schematic / SH / 10-Patent Liability Analysis / ARM
6-PCB Narrative and Prelim Layout / SNA / 11-Reliability and Safety Analysis / SH
9-Software Design Narrative / DPB / 12-Social/Political/Environmental Analysis / SNA

Key:

ARM: Anthony R. Myers

DPB: Daniel P. Barrett

SH: Sebastian Hening

SNA: Sandunmalee N. Abeyratne