PICobot

*The PICobot design was inspired by Pololu 3pi robot.

Introduction

The objective of designing this PICobot is to engage Secondary School's or ITE's students to familiarize and hands-on autonomous robot. This PICobot is light weight, size of a palm, high performance and programable to be an autonomous robots. Example, line-following, line-maze-solving or small area navigation robot. PICobot is able to make a fast straight run and precision turn with no vary with the battery voltage level, it is powered by 4 x AAA rechargeable battery. This robot is controlled by Microchip microcontroller, PIC18F4550. C-language compiler are available online from Microchip's website, and a set of libraries which interfacing the all robot’s hardware is provided. Students are able to control the robot by written their intended motion control in C-language, compiled and downloaded via USB cable using PC.

Working on PICobot

Hardware Familiarization

Before trying to make the robot to perform any action, students need to familiarize the inputs, outputs & control devices such as the following:

• Reflective Infrared-red Sensor

• Button

• LEDs

• Buzzer

• DC Geared Motor

• LCD Display

• Microcontroller (processing unit)

Motion Control

After familiarize the hardware on the robot, students able to use them to perform the following task:

• Move forward, reverse and stop the robot

• Pivot turn in any speed & angle (Stationary turn)

• Curve turn in any speed & angle (just like normal car)

• Smart pivot turning with sensor feedback (fast & accurate angle)

• Programmed to move designated path moving as fast as possible

• Line-following (good motion control)

• Line-Maze-Solving (intelligent and good motion control)