Difference between revisions of "Networking Cars"

From ESE205 Wiki
Jump to navigation Jump to search
Line 1: Line 1:
 
== Overview ==
 
== Overview ==
The project is to create a network of at least two cars that can locate each other without user guidance. Using the open source platform of the Pi Car, we hope to add a serviceable extra module to integrate with existing functions of the current system. This module will consist of a transmitter and a receiver on respective cars, and the dynamic car will be able to interpret the signal in order to self-navigate to the location of a second car.
+
The goal of this project is to build a remote controlled car which can be toggled to home to a stationary base. This project is a first step in to creating a network of remote controlled vehicles which can also autonomously move and do specific work. The base car of this project is a PiCar, an open source remote controlled car project developed by Prof. Xuan Zhang and her lab. On the base PiCar platform, which is essentially a remote controlled car which can be connected to an Arduino/Raspberry Pi, we installed an Arduino Uno and an IR beacon to, and wrote code to enable the homing functionality. Near the end of the project, we decided to add an additional feature of having the car be able to follow black lines on the floor using IR obstacle sensors.
  
 
'''[[Networking_Cars_Log|Weekly Log]]
 
'''[[Networking_Cars_Log|Weekly Log]]
Line 10: Line 10:
 
Andrew O'Sullivan (TA) <br>
 
Andrew O'Sullivan (TA) <br>
 
== Objectives ==
 
== Objectives ==
* Design sensor system to communicate relative location between two vehicles. <br>
+
* Design sensor system to communicate relative location between two objects. <br>
 
* Integrate sensors in order to allow Pi Car to interpret signals into usable commands. <br>
 
* Integrate sensors in order to allow Pi Car to interpret signals into usable commands. <br>
* Assemble Pi Car Chassis. <br>
+
* Assemble Pi Car Chassis with Arduino and all required sensors mounted. <br>
* Design and build a latching mechanism that integrates electromagnets and wire connections. <br>
+
* Build install killswitch mechanisms for safety. <br>
* Using Bluetooth or similar systems, enable each car to locate one another. <br>
+
* Add code to enable the car to toggle back and forth from being remote controlled to autonomously run.
* Create a software interface and allows users to send commands to the cars to connect/disconnect. <br>
 
* Add circuitry to each of the microcontrollers on the cars to share information with one another using the I2C connection protocol.
 
  
 
== Challenges ==
 
== Challenges ==
* Establishing reliable communication between cars <br>
+
* Getting the car to reliably find, move to and stop near an IR beacon <br>
* Make sure system is not susceptible to interference from ambient networks.
+
* Writing Arduino code to toggle between remote control and autonomous driving <br>
* Design System for Power Delivery (Stretch Goal) <br>
+
* Mounting all sensors securely on the car <br>
* Become familiar with Pi Car hardware capabilities. <br>
+
* Ensuring transition between driving modes are quick and reliable  <br>
* Learn Raspberry Pi
+
* Learning how the PiCar ESC and remote functions
  
 
== Budget ==
 
== Budget ==

Revision as of 12:06, 1 December 2017

Overview

The goal of this project is to build a remote controlled car which can be toggled to home to a stationary base. This project is a first step in to creating a network of remote controlled vehicles which can also autonomously move and do specific work. The base car of this project is a PiCar, an open source remote controlled car project developed by Prof. Xuan Zhang and her lab. On the base PiCar platform, which is essentially a remote controlled car which can be connected to an Arduino/Raspberry Pi, we installed an Arduino Uno and an IR beacon to, and wrote code to enable the homing functionality. Near the end of the project, we decided to add an additional feature of having the car be able to follow black lines on the floor using IR obstacle sensors.

Weekly Log

Team Members

Curtis Hoffman
Deep Jyoti
Andrew O'Sullivan (TA)

Objectives

  • Design sensor system to communicate relative location between two objects.
  • Integrate sensors in order to allow Pi Car to interpret signals into usable commands.
  • Assemble Pi Car Chassis with Arduino and all required sensors mounted.
  • Build install killswitch mechanisms for safety.
  • Add code to enable the car to toggle back and forth from being remote controlled to autonomously run.

Challenges

  • Getting the car to reliably find, move to and stop near an IR beacon
  • Writing Arduino code to toggle between remote control and autonomous driving
  • Mounting all sensors securely on the car
  • Ensuring transition between driving modes are quick and reliable
  • Learning how the PiCar ESC and remote functions

Budget

  • Pi Car Hardware - Provided by Dpt.
  • Pololu IR Beacon Transceivers - $49.95
  • Osoyoo IR Infrared Obstacle Avoidance Module - $9.99

Gantt Chart

Gantt Chart For Networking Pi Cars