ECE 110/120 Honors Lab Section : Delivery Robot

Karan Samat, ECE 120 

NetID - karanas2 

Jerome Dinakar, ECE 110 

NetID - jeromed2

PROPOSAL FORM

Introduction

1. 1. 1. 1. 1. Statement of Purpose

               The aim of this project is to create a delivery robot that can transport items from one room in a dorm to another on the same floor. The bot will use a semi-autonomous system, charting its own path to the desired final destination, but will switch to RC when it detects obstacles.

      2.  

         1. 1. Background Research

               As two students who are currently living in dorms, we both understand the struggle of being too busy to leave our dorm to do our errands. With this Delivery Bot, we will be able to study in our dorms with no fear of not being able to make the closing time of 57 North or our amazon deliveries. We are applying a local aspect to the machine by making it semi-autonomous with two modes of either remote control or following computed paths made in coalition with floor plans.  

Design Details

1. 1. Block Diagram / Flow Chart
      
      
      
      
      
   2. System Overview
      
      
      1. Block A is the place where the camera will be placed to help the operator of the RC controller navigate around the obstacle 
      2. Block B is where the ultrasonic sensor will be placed to help detect obstacles 
      3. Block C is the container to store the items to be delivered 
      4. Block D is where the raspberry pi, RC setup and battery will be placed 
      5. Block E is the antenna for the RC    
         
         

Parts 

1. 1. Wheels
   2. Wooden chassis
   3. Wooden compartment to store the items to be delivered, 
   4. Number lock
   5. Raspberry pi 
   6. Ultrasonic sensors
   7. RC controller and transmitter
   8. Camera
   9. Motor -https://hobbyking.com/en_us/turnigy-aerodrive-sk3-6374-192kv-brushless-outrunner-motor.html
   10. Motor Controller-https://www.ebay.com.au/c/1944751579

Possible Challenges

1. 1. Integrating the floor plan for the dorm we intend to use the bot in and using it to generate the path. 
   2. Making the software flexible to accept and utilise different floor plans
   3. Switching from the chartered path to RC (and back again) when an obstacle is identified 

References

[1]"We Tried To Steal Food From A Delivery Robot", YouTube, 2019. [Online]. Available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPZwnc_Lk2M. [Accessed: 26- Sep- 2019].

[2]D. Bukszpan, "Here's how Amazon robots could make the deliveryman extinct", CNBC, 2019. [Online]. Available: https://www.cnbc.com/2019/04/26/heres-how-amazon-robots-could-make-the-deliveryman-extinct.html?&qsearchterm=delivery%20robots. [Accessed: 26- Sep- 2019].

[3]"Fully autonomous small delivery robot moving in simulated office/factory environment", YouTube, 2019. [Online]. Available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TBTw1njQ7QY. [Accessed: 26- Sep- 2019].

[4]J. Temperton, "This adorable robot could revolutionise home delivery in 2016", Wired.co.uk, 2019. [Online]. Available: https://www.wired.co.uk/article/anita-heinla-starship-wired-retail-2015. [Accessed: 26- Sep- 2019].

[5]"Starship FAQs: How does the delivery robot avoid obstacles?", YouTube, 2019. [Online]. Available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-J4D_kRTvI. [Accessed: 26- Sep- 2019].

[6]"Starship Technologies Delivery Robot", YouTube, 2019. [Online]. Available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VoMIceNHvqM. [Accessed: 26- Sep- 2019].

[7]"How does Starship robotic delivery work", YouTube, 2019. [Online]. Available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIGvM1z7YPc. [Accessed: 26- Sep- 2019].