Research existing automated delivery systems, find most common means of transportation and areas of use
Learn how to implement APIs to find the optimal path between two addresses
Design a chassis that is capable of transporting small packages without being damaged
Research the advantages of computer vision and ultrasonic sensors to develop an obstacle avoidance system
Develop an interface for the customers to receive alerts regarding the delivery. Django and Flask may be potential tools to use
Testing and iteration
The final state of our solution will be an autonomous delivery vehicle that can detect and avoid obstacles, uses real-time tracking to determine the optimal delivery route, and includes a IoT connection to send update to the users.
In order to achieve this, we shall pay close attention to the accuracy of our tracking. If this system is unable to locate itself, it will not be able to properly deliver the package. We shall also consider our method of obstacle avoidance, as ultrasonic sensor may not be reliable enough to be practical. Finally we shall consider how the IoT connection will be sustained while the robot is travelling over a distance.
Goals
This system shall reliably detect and avoid obstacles when necessary, prioritizing the safety of the people around it
The path-finding system shall find the optimal path to save both time and money
The battery and movement system shall be able to travel moderate distances, at most 5km, without failure
The chassis shall be able to hold a small package, ideally as many as possible without affecting performance.
Constraints
The battery life of the robot should be able to perform round trips in its location
It should be able to operate in standard weather and temperature conditions
It cannot be obstructive to pedestrians or other people in the area