Conclusions

<sidebar>Robotic Sensing: Adaptive Robotic Control for Improved Acoustic Source Localization in 2D Nav</sidebar>

Over the course of this project a working 2D adaptive robotic system has been constructed. Despite assurance from the simulation that our adaptive algorithm is working, the decision was made not to proceed with full 2D movement due to the limitations of the current wired Lego Mindstorm robotic system. The fact that the current system is tethered by wires proved to be a major problem in allowing the system freedom of movement on a 2D plane. Since every movement in the Y-direction requires two 90 degree rotations, the four cords hanging from the back of the robots would consistently become tangled whenever movement in the Y-direction occurred.

In addition to this, the wires posed another more subtle, but probably equally detrimental effect on robotic movement. This was that in performing the various rotations, the robots would experience a slight tension from the weight of the four cords hanging behind them. For every given movement this would impede rotation by a slight amount. However, after running for a number of consecutive movements, the error that resulted from this tension would propagate and soon the robots would be shifted off of their frame of reference. The movement hinges on the robots ability to perform rotations and then return to their original axis to move laterally in a straight manner. For this reason, even if rotation was impeded even by small amounts, this error would be propagated by the fact that the axis was shifted and the lateral movement would be diagonal from then on. It is for this reason that the system is being ported to a standalone and wireless system in order to continue with the goal of true 2D movement.