Task: Research existing gardening robots and various weed-killing mechanisms. Research hardware components and decide which parts to buy.
Design Goal: Create an initial design of the robot based on research and engineering expertise. Decide on which parts to buy and calculate the expected cost.
Design Specification: The cost should not exceed the budget of $400.
Task: Feed the robot a diverse set of images (different types of weeds, different lighting conditions, etc.). Attach an RGB camera to the robot and program the robot to accurately identify weeds using machine learning.
Design Goal: The robot shall identify a variety of weeds from a distance and in different lighting conditions without falsely identifying plants as weeds. The robot shall determine where the weeds are in an image and approach the weeds when detected.
Design Specification: The robot shall achieve 95% accuracy in weed identification with a 95% confidence level.
Task: Attach nozzle to robot with supply of chemical spray. Program the robot to trigger the spray when it is on top of a weed, releasing the chemical spray on the weed.
Design Goal: The robot shall spray weeds with sufficient, but not excessive, amount of chemical spray when it approaches a weed. The robot shall spray with precision to prevent wasting the chemical spray and prevent harm to any nearby plants.
Design Specification: The robot shall spray 99% of the weeds it detects. The robot shall spray plants less than 1% of the time it is running.
Task: Attach wheels, motor, and sensors to the robot. Program the robot to travel the entire length of the garden and avoid obstacles when it senses one nearby.
Design Goal: The robot shall navigate through the entire garden while avoiding obstacles. The robot shall be able to traverse over a variety of terrains, crossing over dirt, grass, and rocks.
Design Specification: The robot shall consistently cover 95% of the garden in a specific time period, depending on the size of the garden. The robot shall have less than 2 collisions every hour.
Task: Connect all hardware components with color-coded wires and draw a wiring diagram for reference. Design a compact enclosure to contain all hardware components.
Design Goal: The robot shall have all wires color-coded and all hardware components (motor, battery, sensors, etc.) in designated locations for easy assembly. The robot shall look sleek and compact.
Design Specification: The robot shall have zero visible wires.
Task: Test each component individually before testing the robot as a whole. Continuously gather data and refine the design until all specifications are met.
Design Goal: The robot shall be continuously improved upon.
Design Specification: The robot shall have no major issues and meet all design goals and specifications.
If a component of the robot fails to react in real-time and/or meet the specifications, explore alternative solutions
If the cost of a component strains the budget when other alternatives are available, explore the more cost-effective alternatives.