Project
| # | Title | Team Members | TA | Documents | Sponsor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 | Invertible-Control Ant-Weight Battle Bot |
Ben Goldman Jack Moran |
Haocheng Bill Yang | design_document1.pdf final_paper1.pdf photo1.jpeg photo2.jpeg photo3.jpeg presentation1.pdf proposal1.pdf video |
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| **TEAM MEMBERS:** - Jack Moran (jackm6) - Ben Goldman (bg23) **PROBLEM:** The primary objective is to create a bot weighing under 2lbs to disable an opponent in an ant weight combat battle bots match in a confined space. Winning a match like this often requires a high skill level to pilot a robot, especially as they get flipped or lose control when other bots attack. Additionally, many bots may suffer from reliability issues as teams overcomplicate the robotics which leads to vulnerabilities. We need a solution to maximize weapon power while simplifying the driving experience for the operator so all they need to focus on is planning attacks against other opponent bots. **SOLUTION:** We propose a 2lb combat battle bot designed to deliver catastrophic blows to opponents using a double sided horizontal spinning bar with an easy to use control system to allow for efficient battle. The chassis will feature a large primary weapon consisting of a horizontal spinning bar capable of delivering powerful attacks after winding up due to high inertia. This primary weapon will stick out of the front. The sides and back of the bot will be rounded in shape with no sharp edges or corners in order to deflect attacks and prevent opponent's weapons from grabbing on. For the controls and movement, the bot will feature two wheels to enable a tank like steering system. These wheels will be enclosed within the body of the bot so that only a small section, where it would contact the ground, protrudes from the top and bottom of the bot. There would be small skid sections to allow the remainder of the body to stay low to the ground while also moving easily when on smooth surfaces. Since the bot will have a weapon, defense system, and wheels which can operate in either orientation, this bot will be capable of operating if flipped. However, whenever the bot is inverted, the steering and controls would be inverted making it hard to command. To combat this, we will include an IMU sensor to detect if the bot has been flipped. The controls would then be inverted so that the driver does not need to focus on the orientation of the robot and can focus on controlling the weapon towards opponents as controls would be reversed automatically. The bot would be controlled from the driver's laptop. **SOLUTION COMPONENTS:** **Subsystem 1: Mobility and Drive System** This subsystem is responsible for the mobility and driving capabilities of our bot. The bot needs to be highly mobile and fast in order to evade and attack other bots. In addition, this system will need to be capable of operating no matter the orientation of the bot. Using two motors for mobility will allow the bot to be able to turn very efficiently using tank like steering. - Drive type: Differential wheeled drive (two motors). - Wheel placement: Wheels recessed inside the chassis to protect against direct impacts. Each wheel only slightly protrudes from top and bottom of the chassis. - Motors: High-torque brushed DC gearmotors sized for ant-weight limits. - Control: Independent left/right motor control via H-bridges on the custom PCB. **Subsystem 2: Spinning Weapon System** The main weapon of our battle bot is a horizontal spinning bar. This piece will be 3D printed in a manner such that it is very strong and will not break on impact. It will be driven by the bot's third motor. In addition, this weapon must comply with ant-weight regulations. Therefore, this weapon must stop completely within 60 seconds of shutoff. The weapon provides offensive capability while keeping mechanical complexity to a minimum. - Weapon type: Horizontal spinning bar. - Actuation: Brushed DC motor belt driven or directly driven. - Safety: Software-controlled spin up sequence and current monitoring to prevent overcurrent or unsafe startup. **Subsystem 3: Orientation Detection and Control Inversion** The battle bot will feature the use of IMU sensors to help the driver control the bot. When flipped upside down by other bots, this bot will detect the inversion and be able to invert all controls. This allows for the driver to focus on attacking and evading other bots rather than wasting energy understanding how to control a bot when it is upside down using reversed controls. - Sensor: 6-axis IMU (accelerometer + gyroscope). Potential option: MPU-6050 - Function: Detect robot orientation (upright vs inverted). - Control logic: Automatically invert motor commands when inverted so “forward” and “turn” remain intuitive to the operator. **Subsystem 4: Control Electronics and Custom PCB** The PCB and control electronics are responsible for the main control and communication of our robot. Our microcontroller will be our central controller receiving operator commands and translating them into control signals. This will interface with the IMU to determine the robot’s orientation and apply the correct control logic accordingly. This subsystem also monitors our safety conditions. It will kill all motors and enforce failsafe behavior for our weaponry if communication is lost or there is a fault. - Microcontroller: ESP32 (Wi-Fi or Bluetooth control). Potential option: ESP32-WROOM-32E - Wireless control: PC-based controller via Wi-Fi/BLE. This is included in the ESP32 - Motor drivers: Custom H-bridge circuits for left drive, right drive, and weapon motor. - Power management: LiPo battery. Potential option: Turnigy Nano-Tech 3S LiPo. Would include voltage regulation for logic (3.3V) and current sensing for protection. - Safety features: Hardware kill switch. Automatic shutdown on RF link loss **Subsystem 5: Mechanical Design and Fabrication** The body of the bot will be primarily 3D printed and will adhere to all requirements of an ant-weight battle bot. Primarily, this means that the bot will measure in under 2lbs for competition. The chassis will be able to be opened in order to properly build and work on the bot including access to the PCB, microcontroller, battery, and motors. This chassis will also provide all primary defense systems by being smooth and rounded everywhere other than at the front where the weapon protrudes. This prevents attacks from spinning weapons or claw like devices to do damage. In addition, weight distribution will be optimized to keep the center of mass low and stable. - Materials: PLA+, PETG, or ABS. - Weight limit: ≤ 2 lb total robot mass. - Manufacturing: Fully 3D-printed chassis with modular access to electronics. **CRITERIA FOR SUCCESS:** **Mobility and Drive System** - The robot remains fully drivable when inverted. - The robot contains two wheels directly driven by motors such that front, back, and sides of each wheel are protected by the chassis. **Spinning Weapon System** - Uninterrupted high speed 360 degree rotation possible in both directions. - After impact, the spinning weapon immediately starts to spin up again. - The control system has an operational killswitch which shuts down all operations of the bot. - Weapon comes to a complete stop within 60 seconds after shutoff. **Orientation Detection and Control Inversion** - Sensors detect both upright and inverted positions which are displayed on the laptop controlling the bot. - Controls get inverted when the bot is upside down and return to normal when upright based on the use of the IMU. - Controls invert within 300ms after bot flips. **Control Electronics and Custom PCB** - The robot passes all safety shutdown tests required in ant-weight battle bot rules. - Custom PCB operates reliably without overheating or brownouts. This means it remains operational for ten or more minutes. **Mechanical Design and Fabrication** - The chassis of the battle bot weights in under 2lbs. - The chassis of the battle bot is smooth and curved with no sharp corners other than on the main spinning weapon. - The robot is competition-ready and able to participate in the ECE 445 ant-weight battle bot event. |
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