Week 06- Group Project

Introduction 

The group assignment focuses on designing and developing an innovative autonomous robot that adheres to strict specifications. The robot must fit within a compact 30 cm x 30 cm x 30 cm frame and be entirely original, reflecting the creativity and technical expertise of the team. Its functionality includes obstacle avoidance and line-following capabilities, enabling it to navigate autonomously without manual intervention. Furthermore, the assignment emphasizes thorough documentation of the robot's design process and operational workflow, which will be showcased on a dedicated team website. This project combines practical engineering skills with collaborative efforts to meet the outlined requirements and deadline effectively.

Procedure

1. Create the path

The first step of the assignment involves designing the robot's path using TinkerCAD, a versatile online 3D modeling tool. This tool allows the team to create a detailed and precise representation of the track that the robot will navigate. The path design includes features such as solid and dashed lines for the line-following functionality and obstacles to test the robot's obstacle-avoidance capabilities.

Using TinkerCAD enables the team to visualize the layout and dimensions of the track, ensuring compatibility with the robot’s sensors and programming. The software also allows for iterative design, making it easy to adjust the path as needed to meet the requirements. This approach ensures a well-thought-out environment for testing the robot's autonomous navigation capabilities.

Once the path is designed in TinkerCAD, the next step involves uploading it to Webots, a powerful open-source robot simulation software. This is done using the Object Tool in Webots, which allows the integration of custom models and environments into the simulation.

By importing the TinkerCAD-designed path, the team sets up a virtual test environment where the robot can interact with the predefined lines and obstacles. This process ensures that the path dimensions, layout, and features are accurately replicated in Webots. The simulation environment is essential for testing and refining the robot's behavior, such as its ability to follow lines and avoid obstacles, before moving to physical implementation.

2. Creating the robot and testing

After uploading the path, the next step is to create the robot in Webots using blocks and elements provided by the software. This process involves assembling the robot from scratch, ensuring it meets the specifications and functionality requirements outlined in the assignment.

Steps for Robot Creation:

1. Base Structure:

   • Use Webots blocks to create the robot's chassis, ensuring it adheres to the 30 cm x 30 cm x 30 cm size limitation. The base serves as the foundation for mounting other components like sensors and actuators.

2. Wheels and Actuators:

   • Add wheels and configure them with motors for movement. Webots' motor nodes allow precise control over speed and direction, critical for line-following and obstacle avoidance.

3. Sensors for Obstacle Avoidance:

   • Attach ultrasonic or infrared sensors to the robot to detect and avoid obstacles. These sensors should be placed strategically for optimal coverage of the robot's surroundings.

4. Line-Following Sensors:

   • Include IR sensors or an IR array beneath the chassis to detect solid and dashed lines on the path. Configure the sensors to interact with the path's visual elements in the simulation.

5. Controller and Programming:

   • Assign a controller to the robot to manage its behavior. This involves programming the robot to read sensor inputs and execute actions, such as adjusting wheel speeds for line-following or stopping to avoid obstacles.

6. Testing in Webots:

   • Use Webots’ simulation environment to test the robot's performance on the uploaded path. Check its ability to follow lines accurately, navigate around obstacles, and maintain consistent movement.

By using blocks and elements in Webots, the team can iteratively design and refine the robot, ensuring all components work harmoniously to achieve the desired autonomous capabilities.