Nomad Robots for Exploration

Introduction

A robot is an electro-mechanical device that can perform autonomous or preprogrammed tasks. A robot may act under the direct control of a human (eg. the robotic arm of the space shuttle) or autonomously under the control of a programmed computer. Robots may be used to perform tasks that are too dangerous or difficult for humans to implement directly (e.g. nuclear waste clean up) or may be used to automate repetitive tasks that can be performed with more precision by a robot than by the employment of a human (e.g. automobile production.)

        As of today Robotics is the vast field to explore the things without human intervention. The word robot is used to refer to a wide range of machines, the common feature of which is that they are all capable of movement and can be used to perform physical tasks. Robots take on many different forms, ranging from humanoid, which mimic the human form and way of moving, to industrial, whose appearance is dictated by the function they are to perform. Robots can be grouped generally as mobile robots (eg. autonomous vehicles), manipulator robots (eg. industrial robots) and self reconfigurable robots, which can conform themselves to the task at hand.

 

Proposed Idea:

        A robot is designed and constructed with associated electronic circuits to move into an unknown location and transport the details of that unknown area to a home place.  The Robot will have inbuilt sensors and cameras to achive this.

  The system is made more useful by introducing artificial intelligence to it. By artificial intelligence, we mean designing the robot is such a manner that in situation which require decision making, the robot identifies the presence of the obstacle, alerts the user and moreover awaits instruction from the user for the further action. Other condition, which the robot can determine, is presence of fire. I.e., high temperature and presence of metals in vicinity.

  This project is divided into modules for better understanding of the circuit.The modules include

PIC Microcontroller Board

Optocoupler With Stepper Driver Board

Stepper Power Supply Board.

Humidity Sensor

Gas Sensor

Intruder Sensor

Fire Sensing Unit

RF Transmitter and RF Receiver

PIC Microcontroller Board

        This is the board which contains PIC Microcontroller Chip as well as the clock Circuitary, Reset Circuit and Power Supply for the MicroController.

OptoCoupler With Stepper Driver Board.

        The need of Optocoupler is  to isolate the Microcontroller Board form the Stepper Motor to restrict any high voltage to the Microcontroller board.  And this board also contains stepper Driver circuit to amplify the Voltge and to withstand high current because the pulse coming out from the Microcontroller is not tough enough to drive the Motor.

Stepper Power Supply.

        This board contains the power Supply for the stepper motor and relay driver.

Humidity Sensor and Gas Sensor:

        Using this sensor, the corresponding parameters are obtained and sent to a home place

Flame Sensor

        An LDR is used as a flame Sensor.  And the output is given to a Digital input of the Controller.   So when the Flame is sensed we can give alarm +Visual Indication and immediately transfer the Message to a nearby Fire Station.

Temperature Sensor

        A Thermistor is  used a Temperature Sensor.  When Over Temperature is detected We can stop the movement of the Model.  Also we can give the Visual +Alarm Indication.

Intruder Sensor

        An Infrared sensor is used as a intruder detector.  So when an intruder is sensed we can redirect the movement of the Model.

RF Transmitter and Receiver:

        This is the wireless media thro which the robot sends information to the home place

       

Advantages of our Project

        Utilizes High speed embedded controller

        Freedom movement for all  axes.

        Rigid mechanical construction.

Optoisolation for Outputs.

Industrial motors with Gears.

        Artificial inputs like Flame, Obstruction, and Metal detection.

        Wireless Transfer of Data