2. 2
OUTLINE
Motivation: DARPA Grand Challenge and NAIT
Introduction: The purpose of autonomous vehicles
and future roles
Problem Statement: NAIT’s settings for the new
competition
Proposed Solutions: Possible answers
Results: Video and Explanations
Conclusion: New understanding and Learning
Future Work: Possible extensions to my work
Questions
Thanks
3. 3
MOTIVATION
The DARPA Grand
Challenge was a
great inspiration to
me.
Along with a 2
million dollar prize.
NAIT played a big
role in my
motivation as well.
http://media.pbs.org/asxgen/general/windows/wgbh/nova/darpa_outt_
03_220.wmv
4. 4
INTRODUCTION
The issue with producing an
autonomous vehicle is that everything
that can, always will go wrong.
Argo was a major part of my research.
The DARPA Grand Challenge
How autonomous vehicles work properly
The direction in which they are headed in
the near future.
6. 6
PROBLEM STATEMENT
The National Association of Industrial
Technology
Added an autonomous component to the
annual robotics competition
The robot must be able to follow a 1 ½
inch strip of reflective aluminum tape
Creating a need for understanding
autonomous vehicles
7. 7
PROPOSED SOLUTION
To Solve this I went through many
possibilities:
Calibrating and adjusting the infrared detectors I
have.
Purchasing close proximately infrared detectors.
Creating a light sensitive circuit that reflects light
off the tape
Creating a circuit sending voltage through the tape
and receiving the information
8. 8
Proposed Solution
My solution was to create the circuit
that ran voltage through the tape.
Other methods need constant revision
The circuit method is simplistic
It only deals with one main variable
Less things to go wrong
9. 9
RESULTS
It worked, not quit to
where I wanted it, but it
still works.
Problems that resulted:
At higher speeds
handling has problems.
The directional decisions
are entirely too slow
The bot does all the
tasks that are required at
this point.
10. 10
Results
To the right is my
code
Below is the main
circuit
' {$STAMP BS2}
' {$PBASIC 2.5}
DEBUG "Program Running!"
voltdetector1 VAR Bit
voltdetector2 VAR Bit
voltdetector3 VAR Bit
voltdetector4 VAR Bit
DO
DEBUG CLS
voltdetector1 = IN0
voltdetector2 = IN1
voltdetector3 = IN2
voltdetector4 = IN3
IF (voltdetector2 = 0) AND (voltdetector3 = 0) THEN
DEBUG "Moving Forward"
PULSOUT 13, 850
PULSOUT 12, 650
ELSEIF (voltdetector2 = 1) THEN
DEBUG "Front Left is off track"
PULSOUT 13, 850
PULSOUT 12, 850
ELSEIF (voltdetector3 = 1) THEN
DEBUG "Front Right is off track"
PULSOUT 13, 650
PULSOUT 12, 650
ENDIF
LOOP
11. 11
CONCLUSIONS
Not yet ready for the DARPA Grand Challenge
We have made head way for NAIT next year
That is, if my predecessors don’t squander their
time and resources.
Understanding an autonomous vehicle was
the goal of this project
I have obtained that goal
I’m still in awe of the capabilities out there, but I
at least know the basics of how they work.
12. 12
FUTURE WORK
Possible extensions
Add vision analyses,
nothing big
Create infrared mapping
And possibly add GPS