Week 8 - Journal

My assignment's idea for this week is to design, simulate, and build Wireless Pattern Making Robot. As an engineer, I love to discover the relation between mathematics and art through patterns. So, I inspired the idea of the assignment from mathematical-based patterns that are found all around us in our daily lives as well as in nature. In this project, i work to develop a simple Wireless robot to make beautiful patterns using bluetooth module . This Robot uses a cross-shaped structure and two DC motors to create the patterns. The setup is designed to allow for multiple different movement patterns based on the configuration of the motors and the arm joints.

The design is made from cardboard where the plotter arm is controlled by one dc motor, and the plotter based is rotated by the DC motor.

Electronic components:

1-Arduino UNO

Arduino UNO is a low-cost, flexible, and easy-to-use programmable open-source microcontroller board that can be integrated into a variety of electronic projects. This board can be interfaced with other Arduino boards, Arduino shields, Raspberry Pi boards and can control relays, LEDs, servos, and motors as an output.

2- Mini DC Gearbox Motor

A gear motor is a combination of a DC motor and gearbox. The gears use to reduce the speed of the motor while increasing the torque output.

3- L298N Motor Driver

This driver module is based on L298N H-bridge. It can drive up to 2 DC motors. The driver can control both motor's speed and the direction of rotation. The speed is controlled using PWM input to ENA or ENB pins, while the motor rotation direction is controlled by suppling high and low signal to EN1-EN2 for the first motor or EN3-EN4 for the second motor.

L298 Driver module connection with Arduino tutorial can find here.

4- LCD Module 16 char.x2 lines

A Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) is a form of visual display used in electronic devices, in which a layer of a liquid crystal is sandwiched between two transparent electrodes.

LCD module connection with Arduino tutorial can find here.

5- Serial Bluetooth Module (HC-05 module)

This serial Bluetooth module can work as either master or slave. The HC-05 module for controlling Arduino via Bluetooth communication.

In this Tutorial, you can find we how to use the HC-05 module with Arduino via Bluetooth communication

6- 5V DC Adapter

The adaptor converts AC power to 5-volt DC for powering most electronic devices ( in our case the dc motor).

7- Potentiometer

The potentiometer is a three-terminal resistor with a sliding or rotating contact that forms an adjustable voltage divider. Potentiometers are commonly used to control electrical devices such as volume controls on audio equipment. In this assignment, I used it to control the speed of the DC motor.

8- Breadboard

A breadboard allows for easy and quick creation of temporary electronic circuits or to carry out experiments with circuit design. Breadboards enable developers to easily connect components or wires thanks to the rows and columns of internally connected spring clips underneath the perforated plastic enclosure.

9- DC Jack to terminal block converter

10- Jumper Wires (Male-Male)

11 - Crocodile Wires

Materials:

• Cardboard: Cardboard is a heavy-duty paper-based product having a greater thickness and superior durability or other specific mechanical attributes to paper; such as foldability, rigidity, and impact resistance. So, I used it to make the prototype of the design.

software:

• Arduino IDE 1.8.19: is open-source Arduino Software (IDE) that makes it easy to write code and upload it to the Arduino board. This software can be used with any Arduino board, in this assignment, I use Arduino UNO.

You can find Arduino IDE tutorial for beginners here.

• Arduino Bluetooth Control: is an application that allows us to control the Arduino board via Bluetooth.

Arduino Bluetooth Control tutorial can find here.

The design and implementation process :

1- The crocodile wires and Jumper Wires have been used to connect the components together (as shown in the photos )

2- The DC motors and L298N Motor Driver have been separately powered at first, in order to make sure that they are functional, before putting them together in the circuit.

3- The DC Jack to terminal block converter has been connected to the DC jack of the DC Power adapter to power the motors in parallel.

4- The crocodile wires have been used to connect the potentiometer with the Dc motor to the DC Power adapter, to control the speed of the motor.

5- LCD, push button, and keypad have been connected and fixed on the Arduino board. LCD is used as an output to print messages for the user. The Serial Bluetooth Module (HC-05 module) is being used as input to start the drawing pattern.

- Button 1: for welcome drawing

- Buttons 2, and 3: for drawings no 1, and 2

6- The one DC motor has been attached to the plotter arm, to control its motion based on the code.

7- The Cardboard has been used to make a wheel, which is used as a base to fix the motor.

8- After all connections are completed and ready, the DC power adapter has been plugged into the wall outlet to power the plotter.

9- The video shows the Wireless Pattern Making Robot while functioning.

I have learned from my colleague how to remove the overlap lines of fusion 360 using laserwork v6 before laser cutting, to avoid the repeated cutting

The challenges

After finishing the connection of circuits which include the Bluetooth module, The code failed in uploading more than one time.

The solution

To overcome this, I removed the RX and TX pin connection of the Bluetooth module each time I want to upload new code on the Arduino.

This week's assignment was my fourth step toward the final project and design Wireless Pattern Making Robot, where my final project is drawing robots.

By the end of this week, I learned different skills that will support me in the final project, such as :

- Program an Arduino Uno board to do serial communication through a wired (USB)

- Program an Arduino Uno board to do serial communication wirelessly (Via Bluetooth)

- Use a simple Graphical User Interface on PC to control a smart circuit wirelessly (Via Bluetooth)

- Use a simple Graphical User Interface on phone to control a smart circuit wirelessly (Via Bluetooth)

Micro Robot Arm was the big WOW for this week. Our team worked to program, assemble, and wirelessly control a Micro Robot Arm. Use the Robot Arm to complete challenges and compete against other teams. We won in the x or o game.