Knight Gear

Group 6
Rene A. Gajardo
Do Kim
Jorge L. Morales
Siddharth Padhi
 Motivation
• Heavy course work would require more materials.
• Posture is affected by the larger amount of things
that a student carries.
• Knight Gear would allow for easier moving of school
materials and more.
 Goals and Objectives
• Easy to use robot that follows the user using tracking
algorithm.
• Carry a limited load of materials for the user.
o Limit determined by weight sensor.

• Object avoidance system to prevent crashing into

other people or walls.
o Onboard ultrasound sensors
 Specifications
Component Design Specification
24 inches tall / at most 6 inches off the
Chasis ground

Maximum Payload 30 pounds

Ultrasound
Detection 10 feet

Battery Life 1 hour

Battery Charge Rate 1.5 hours (electrically)

Wireless
Connectivity 10 feet
Block Diagram
 Power system
Battery

6V 2000mAh rechargeable Ni-MH battery pack (x2)

Voltage(V) 1.25 per cell • High capacity and good current
output
1200~2600 • No ‘memory effect’
Capacity (mAh)
(depend on brands) • Environmentally friendly
• Inexpensive
recharge cycle 500~1000

Charging time 1~2hrs

charge/discharge
66
efficiency (%)

memory effect no

price $7~10 for 6V battery pack

 Power System

Power Regulation
• Motors draw too much of currents - > separate power source for motors
• Power dissipation of other electronic devices :
• (6V– 5V) * 380mA = 0.38W
->Low dropout linear voltage regulators will be used.
LM2940 LDO regulator for 6V to 5V @ Io =1A

LM3940 LDO voltage regulator for 5V to 3.3V@ Io =1A

 Power System

Power Regulation cont.

• Block diagram of power system

6V 2000mAh
6V 2000mAH NiMH battery
battery pack pack
Switch

6V -> 5V 5V -> 3.3V

LDO regulator LDO regulator
(LM2940) (LM3940)

6V DC
Ultrasonic geared
Microcontr Motor / Infrared Weight Accelerom Wireless Motors
oller driver IC proximity sensor eter antenna
sensors
 Motor Controller

Motors
Spur DC geared motors (x4)
• DC motor combined with a gearbox that work to decrease
the motor’s speed but increase the torque

• Pololu’s metal gear motor:

operating voltage 6V

Free speed 210 RPM

Current 450mA

stall current 4A

Torque 12.8 lb*Cm

 Motor controller cont.
H-bridge
• H-bridge circuit is commonly used in robotics and other
applications to allow DC motors to run forwards and
backwards
 Motor controller cont.
H-bridge
• H-bridge circuit is commonly used in robotics and other
applications to allow DC motors to run forwards and
backwards

1
 Motor controller cont.
H-bridge
• H-bridge circuit is commonly used in robotics and other
applications to allow DC motors to run forwards and
backwards

0
 Motor controller cont.

motor driver ICs

Texas instrument’s model SN754410 (x2)

Quad Half H-bridge

built-in protection diodes
supply voltage 4.5V to 36V
Continuous output current
1A
per each channel
Peak output current
2A
per each channel
 Ultrasonic Proximity
Sensor
• Ultrasonic sensor plays an indispensable role in
Knight Gear.
• It engenders high frequency sound waves (above
20,000 Hz), which is incorporated in these sensors, to
measure the echo encountered by the detector,
and is then received after reflecting back from the
target.
o This is the basic concept
of how Knight Gear will
detect and follow its user.
 Reading Maximum Required Required Operational
Products Resolution Price
Rate Range Voltage Current Temperature

XL-
MaxSonar 1cm 10Hz 300in-420in 3.5V-5.5V 3.4mA 0C – 65C $27.95
-EZ
XL-
MaxSonar 1 cm 10Hz 300in-420in 3.5V-5.5V 3.4mA - 40C – 70C $29.95
-AE
LV-
MaxSonar 1 cm 20Hz 254in 2.5V-5.5V 2.0mA - $21.95
-EZ
HRLV
MaxSonar 1 mm 10Hz 195in 2.5V-5.5V 3.1mA 0C – 65C $28.95
-EZ

HRXL
6Hz-
MaxSonar 1 mm 196in-393in 2.7V-5.5V 3.1mA -40C – 65C $97.95
7.5Hz
-WR
Why LV Max Sonar EZ2 ?
• Beam gets narrower
and
sensitivity gets lower
from EZ0 to EZ4
• Wider beam width is
better for detection
but provides more
noise and ghost
echoes
• EZ2 is a sensible pick
to
get good beam
width
while also avoiding
noise and ghost
echoes.
Infrared Proximity Sensor
• Infrared proximity sensors send out beams of
infrared light and then analyze the returning light.
• The photo-detector inside the sensor detects any
incoming reflection of this light.
• These reflections allow the sensor to determine the
location of the object.
• In Knight Gear, infrared light will be emitted from this
sensor which will be reflected back by the
person/object to the proximity sensor.
• Infrared proximity
sensor works as a
triangulation.
• The sensor will evaluate
the time taken and
returning angle with
modulation to assay
the distance.
 Voltage • GP2Y0A02YK0F is
Products Operational
Range
Distance Price
the best choice
• Range of 150 cm is
GP2Y0A02YK0F 2.7V - 6.2V 150cm $14.95 ideal for Knight
Gear

GP3Y0A21YK 2.7V - 5.5V 10cm-80cm $13.95

GP2D12 4.5V - 5.5V 10cm-80cm $9.95

Pololu 2.7V – 5.5V 60cm $5.95

 Accelerometer
• An accelerometer is used in Knight Gear to detect
o Velocity
o Position
o Shock
o Vibration or acceleration of gravity
• It will determine the localization and positioning of
Knight Gear by evaluating the inertial measurement
of velocity and position.
• Accelerometer can measure acceleration in one,
two or three orthogonal axis
o 2-axis accelerometer is sufficient enough for the purpose of
Knight Gear and costs more than 3-axis accelerometer
which provides more accurate data of x, y and z axis of
Knight Gear without supplementing extra weight.
 Voltage Current
Products Range Interface Axes Price
Requirements Requirements

ADXL 193 ± 250g Analog 1 3.5 – 6 V 1.5 – 2 mA $29.95

ADXL335 ±3g Analog 3 1.8 – 3.6 V 350µA $24.95

±1, 1.5, 2, This product

BMA180 SPI and I2C 3 2 – 3.6 V 650 - 975µA
3, 4, 8, 16g is retired.

LIS331 ±6, 12, 24g SPI and I2C 3 2.16 – 3.6 V 250µA $27.95

MMA7361 ±1.5, 6g Analog 3 2.2 – 6V 400-600µA $11.95

MMA8452Q ±2, 4, 8g I2C 3 1.95 – 3.6 V 165µA $9.95

MMA7341L ±3, 11g Analog 3 2.2 – 3.6 V - $9.95

• ADXL-335 has
ratiometric output.
• At Vs = 3.6V, the
output sensitivity is
typically 360m V/g.
At Vs = 2V, the
output sensitivity is
typically 195 m V/g.
• The bandwidth of
ADXL-335 ranges
from 0.5Hz to 1600Hz
for X and Y axis and
0.5Hz to 550Hz for Z
axis.
 Weight Sensor
• Knight Gear works when the weight of the backpack is
less than or equal to 30lbs.
• The weight sensor works as a Wheatstone Bridge
Network, where 4 strain gauges are connected with 4
separate resistors. When a force or load is applied,
resistance changes and results in change in output.
• This small change in output voltage is measured and
augmented carefully from low amplitude to high
amplitude and then examine to calculate the weight of
the load.
• SEN-10245 load cell will be used
for the execution of weight sensor.
o This sensor costs $9.95 and is not
complicated to implement.
 Wheels Configuration
• Mechanisms to provide locomotion that is required
for the Knight Gear
o Differential Drive
o Ackerman Drive
o Synchronous Drive, and
o Omnidirectional Drive
 Characteristics of Wheel
Configuration
Wheel Configuration Illustration Description

The front wheel allows controlling the orientation i.e.

Static unstable two-wheeled
steering and the rear wheel drives the vehicle.

If the center of mass is below the wheel axle, this

type of wheel achieves stability. The desired speed is
Static stable two-wheeled
achieved by changing the speeds and directions of
the wheels.

The center of gravity should be maintained within

Differential drive with a castor
the triangle formed by the ground contact points of
wheel
the wheels.

The drive wheels are at the rear of the robot. A

Tri-cycle drive, front/rear steering
differential allows the vehicle to avoid the
and rear/front driving
mechanical destruction.

The front wheel is used for both driving and

Tri-cycle drive combined steering
steering. The two wheels in the rear keep the
and driving.
stability of the robot.
Differential Drive
• Wheels rotate at
different speeds when
turning around the
corners
• It controls the speed of
individual wheels to
provide directionality in
robot
• Correction Factor may
be needed to fix the
excess number of
rotations
 Localization
• Knight Gear needs to accurately identify its position
at all times, regardless if it is situated outdoor or
indoor.
o it needs to avoid colliding with walls, hitting people and come to sudden
stop if someone comes in front of it.

• There are two ways in which awareness of locality

can be achieved
o Absolute Localization
o Relative Localization (Dead Reckoning System)
 Localization
Absolute Relative
• Absolute localization • Current position of the robot
locates the robot using can be determined
the coordinate system. incrementally by evaluating
• No approximate displacement, initial
estimation is required to positioning, speed the robot
initiate the localization is travelling, and direction it
process is travelling
• Uses sensors to provide • Sensors like gyroscope,
information on the accelerometer, and inertial
surroundings of the robot measurement units help in
and the information can calculating the relative
be interpreted to localization of the robot.
determine its position • However, this technique
based upon the incorporates a lot of minute
coordinate landmarks. errors that add up.
 Microcontroller
• PIC 18F452
o Low cost
o Programmable in C
o Enough memory for our needs
 Chassis
• Custom made chassis designed out of high density
polyethylene (HDPE).
o Most chassis found where either too small or too big for our needs.
o Withstands heat
o Waterproof

length 2 feet
width 1.5 feet
height 2 feet
Code Flow
 Overall code
• The robot turns in the direction of the of the sensor
which detected the signal first.
• The magnitude of the turn and the speed of the
robot is calculated by the difference in time in
which the sensors detect the user.
• It will use the echo of the sensors on the robot for
avoidance detection.
 Proportional-Integral
Controller
• We implement a PI controller instead of a PID
controller to save memory.
• Runs only on current error and integral of previous
errors.
• Using small constant multipliers to lower the
deviation on Knight Gear.
• The error is determined by the time it takes for the
signal in the users transmitter to reach both sensors
on Knight Gear.
• After the calculating the movement vector, the
Collision Detection is called.
 Collision Detection
• The code makes the two ultrasonic sensors on the
robot send a signal and wait for an echo.
• If an echo is not heard or if the distance is greater
than half a meter, Knight Gear does not need to do
collision avoidance and pings the user
• If an echo is heard and the distance calculated is
less than one meter, the accelerometer data is
gathered and Knight Gear determines if it will
collide with the object at its current velocity.
 Collision Detection
Continued
• If Knight Gear calculates that it will collide it takes
one of three actions:
o If the left sensor detects an obstacle, then Knight Gear turns right.
o If the right sensor detects an obstacle, Knight Gear turns left.
o If both sensors detect an obstacle around the same time Knight Gear
comes to a stop
 Collision Detection
Continued
• From here Knight Gear waits for a second or two
then if the obstacle is no longer in the way it pings
the user again.
• If the obstacle is still in the way it will rotate left and
run collision detection again.
Work Distribution
Subsystem Group Member
Main Software Rene Gajardo
Linear Control System Siddharth Padhi
Frame Do Kim
Motors Do Kim
Power Supply Do Kim
Microcontroller Jorge Morales
Sensors Siddharth Padhi
Wheel Configuration Siddharth Padhi
Wireless Communication Rene Gajardo
PCB Board Jorge Morales
Autonomous Algorithms Rene Gajardo
 Budget
Part Cost
Ultrasound Sensor $83.85
Infrared Sensor $13.95
Weight Sensor $9.95
Accelerometer $24.95
Battery $5
Motor $48
Motor Controller $1.87
Chassis $54.60
Microcontroller $4.68
GPS Module $29.99
Total $276.84
 Progress
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Research Design Prototyping Testing Overall
 Issues
• Problem with microcontroller decision.
o Not enough PWM lines (only have 2, need 4)

• Solar panel.
o Problems with implementation into our circuit
o Over budget

• Localization.
o No way of implementing indoor localization.
Questions?