Project

# Title Team Members TA Documents Sponsor
18 A Transformer
 Haobo Li
Jingcheng Liu
Shiqi Yu
Tinghua Chen
 Xiaoyue Li design_document1.pdf
final_paper1.pdf
proposal1.pdf
 Rakesh Kumar
**TEAM MEMBERS:**

- Jingcheng Liu [jl138]
- Haobo Li [haoboli2]
- Tinghua Chen [tinghua3]
- Shiqi Yu [shiqiy2]

**TITLE OF THE PROJECT:**

A Transformer

**PROBLEM:**

In some cases or scenarios, humans can not reach the location or area, so we need adaptive robotics to reach that area instead of us. The robotics that we will introduce and build is Modular Self-Reconfigurable Robotics (MSRR). MSRR can be used in many scenarios, like space exploration, disaster response, undersea inspection, education, entertainment and art. Because MSRR can reconfigure its shape and modules, it can be used for space exploration missions, where they can reconfigure themselves to adapt to different tasks and environments, and they can also repair themselves and replace damaged modules. In disaster scenarios, MSRR can adapt to changing environments or narrow and complex landform, help with search and rescue missions. In the undersea scenarios, MSRR can also work and help with inspection or building piers and tunnels. The other aspect application of MSRR is education, entertainment and art. Because MSRR can be assembled and reassembled to create different configurations, it can be programmed to create interactive artworks and installations.

**SOLUTION OVERVIEW:**

We are aiming to build a modular block system with self-reconfigurable features. Our solution will include easier lighter devices, fluent transformation and easy-to-operate interface. It’s an innovation in the field of MSRR, especially in education, entertainment and art. More concisely, we will use electromagnet to control the mechanism of block robotics. Different block robots are controlled by a central host computer through wireless signals. MCU in block robots receive signals from wireless module and control the circuit to apply positive or negative current to the electromagnet to control the rotation or suspension of the block entity. When the modular block robotics come into application, we can also install different modules on different block, but they are further study and exploration which are not included in this project.

**SOLUTION COMPONENTS:**

- Wireless control module: This module will be designed to transmit command signal from host computer to block robots. After the signal is received at the remote side, MCU in block robots will process this signal and convert it to control signals on its ports.
- Electrical control circuit: Electrical circuits will get input signal from an MCU port, then use it to control the state or polarity of 6 electromagnets on the block surface or 8 electromagnets on the corner which have 5v voltage and 3kg force.
- Mechanical entity: A 3D printed cube and 12 metal sticks on the edges. Metal sticks on the edge serve as hinges to attach different cubes during the rotation.

**CRITERIA FOR SUCCESS:**

- Wireless control module can send and receive signals, transmit data and commands from host computer to remote robotic side.
- Wireless signals can be decoded in the MCU and converted to control signals in the circuits.
- Electrical control circuits can apply the voltage we want to the electromagnets.
- Block entities can rotate smoothly around the joint of block robots with an degree of 90 and 180.
- The block entities are firm and the electromagnets, metal sticks, circuits are fixed in the block.
- Commands are useful and efficient and the dynamic process is fluent and steady.
- The interaction interfaces are simple and aesthetic, easy to understanding and control.

**DISTRIBUTION OF WORK:**

- Jingcheng Liu - Electrical Engineering: Wireless and MCU control
- Haobo Li - Electrical Engineering: Mechanical entity and installation
- Tinghua Chen - Computer Engineering: MCU and control circuits
- Shiqi Yu - Computer Engineering: Commands and codes, interaction interfaces.

Prosthetic Control Board

Featured Project

Psyonic is a local start-up that has been working on a prosthetic arm with an impressive set of features as well as being affordable. The current iteration of the main hand board is functional, but has limitations in computational power as well as scalability. In lieu of this, Psyonic wishes to switch to a production-ready chip that is an improvement on the current micro controller by utilizing a more modern architecture. During this change a few new features would be added that would improve safety, allow for easier debugging, and fix some issues present in the current implementation. The board is also slated to communicate with several other boards found in the hand. Additionally we are looking at the possibility of improving the longevity of the product with methods such as conformal coating and potting.

Core Functionality:

Replace microcontroller, change connectors, and code software to send control signals to the motor drivers

Tier 1 functions:

Add additional communication interfaces (I2C), and add temperature sensor.

Tier 2 functions:

Setup framework for communication between other boards, and improve board longevity.

Overview of proposed changes by affected area:

Microcontroller/Architecture Change:

Teensy -> Production-ready chip (most likely ARM based, i.e. STM32 family of processors)

Board:

support new microcontroller, adding additional communication interfaces (I2C), change to more robust connector. (will need to design pcb for both main control as well as finger sensors)

Sensor:

Addition of a temperature sensor to provide temperature feedback to the microcontroller.

Software:

change from Arduino IDE to new toolchain. (ARM has various base libraries such as mbed and can be configured for use with eclipse to act as IDE) Lay out framework to allow communication from other boards found in other parts of the arm.