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SAR 2023 - Projects

SAR 2023 - Projects

Owned by Austin Tailon Huang (Deactivated)
Last updated: Jan 19, 2023 by Keyon Jerome
4 min read

  • Listed below are a description of high level goals for each project

  • Descriptions have been added to Improve clarity of targeted goal

  • Priorities have been assigned in rough order of importance (I for very important / do this first, II for second, III for third … )

Arm

Task Breakdown

ID

Task Description

Subteam

Priority

Status

ID

Task Description

Subteam

Priority

Status

ARM1

Vet / validate full mechanical build

Mechanical

I

 

ARM2

Select wrist mount camera ; design wrist mount

Mechanical / Software

II

 

ARM3

Achieve position and speed control for each arm joint

Firmware

I

 

ARM4

Complete joint level load testing

Mechanical / Firmware

III

 

ARM5

Design low level control hardware interface

Software / Firmware

III

 

ARM6

Wire up the arm

Electrical

II

 

ARM7

Design + manufacture allen key tool

Mechanical

IV

 

  • ARM1

    • Ensure all encoders are properly installed, all screws/bolts/retaining features are engaged, mechanical system should be ready to go

  • ARM2

    • Look into blackfly cameras; thats what we used in the past. Select a suitable camera that interfaces well with ROS2 and the jetson that can provide operators with a good view point to line up fine object manipulation tasks

    • Figure out how to mount the camera on the wrist

  • ARM3

    • Position and velocity control needs to work on each arm joint. Ideally we want to be able to command the arm joints to move X degrees and Y speed.

    • If we need to reselect/refit encoders to achieve this, determine new encoders ASAP

  • ARM4

    • If time permits, validate that we can lift full designed loads on each arm joint

    • Monitor the following parameters

      • PWM Cycle

      • Voltage In

      • Current Draw

      • Motor RPM

    • Apply a controlled torque to the output shaft of the motor, see how motor characteristics behave

    • Work up to max joint torque requirements, determine how close motors are to stall

    • estimate actuator efficiencies (bonus)

  • ARM5

    • Set up a very low level control interface to articulate motor joints. Something even as simple as two potentiometers (one for position, one for PWM) would be perfect

    • Ensure selected firmware properly communicates with Jetson controls

  • ARM6

    • Wire up the arm to allow for testing. Select appropriate wire lengths to allow for articulation of joints, add cable relief

  • ARM7

    • Design and manufacture allen key tool to interface with gripper

JR

Ideal SAR Footage

Footage ID

Description

Priority

Footage ID

Description

Priority

V-ARM_A

B - Roll of assembled arm on driving drivetrain

I

V-ARM_B

Joint level testing of fixed arm

II

V-ARM_C

Whole arm moving on rover (joint level controls, very robotic feel)

III

V-ARM_D

Footage of arm picking up various small items, interacting with buttons and switches

  • POV footage using wrist camera if possible

IV

V-ARM_E

Load testing of arm picking up 5kg

V

Drivetrain and Power Systems

Task Breakdown

ID

Task Description

Subteam

Priority

Status

ID

Task Description

Subteam

Priority

Status

DT1

Finish design, assembly and validation of PDB 4.1

Electrical

I

 

DT2

Validate functionality of OTS BMS

Electrical

I

 

DT3

Determine system/workflow to charge LiPo batteries

Electrical

I

 

DT4

Achieve independent control of each wheel motor

Firmware

I

 

DT5

Finish design, manufacturing and assembly of comms stand

Mechanical

I

 

DT6

Finish design, manufacturing and assembly of battery mount

Mechanical

II

 

DT7

Wire drivetrain

Electrical

II

 

DT8

Implement differential drivetrain control

Software

II

 

DT9

Implement Xbox/PS4 controls on drivetrain

Software

III

 

DT10

Finish design, manufacturing, and assembly of ebox v2

Mechanical

III

 

  • DT3

    • Ensure charging process is safe, reliable and documented

  • DT4

    • Only need velocity control working (plus direction)

  • DT5

    • Includes LED matrix

  • DT7

    • Need DT5 and DT6 to be completed

JR

Ideal SAR Footage (All footage collected teleoperated, not wired)

Footage ID

Description

Priority

Footage ID

Description

Priority

V-DT_A

Rover driving on flat terrain (straight, turn in place, backing up)

I

V-DT_B

Rover driving uphill (30deg incline or more)

II

V-DT_C

Rover driving over tall osbtacles (12” obstacles, independant rocks, etc)

III

V-DT_D

Rover driving on a loose sandy/dirt terrain

IV

V-DT_E

Proper E-Stop functionality demo

V

Comms

Task Breakdown

ID

Task Description

Subteam

Priority

Status

ID

Task Description

Subteam

Priority

Status

COM1

Set up 900 Mhz and 2.4 Ghz bands

Electrical

I

 

COM2

Set up 5 Ghz bands

Electrical

III

 

COM3

Verify that commands can be sent / received from Jetson to base station

Software

I

 

COM3

Achieve video streaming over base station

Software

II

 

  • Advance comms station to allow for short range control of rover (publishing and sending commands within 500m of range)

  • Achieve video streaming (latency less important for now)

Autonomy

Task Breakdown

ID

Task Description

Subteam

Priority

Status

ID

Task Description

Subteam

Priority

Status

NAV1

Complete reliable ArCuo code detection of all potential patterns

Software

I

 

NAV2

Set up controller for gimbal (open loop, not autonomous)

Software/Firmware

II

 

NAV3

Validate functionality of LED matrix

Firmware/Electrical

I

 

NAV3

Implement LED matrix behaviour when ArCuo code is detected

Software

II

 

NAV4

Create “Gate”

Mechanical

III

 

NAV5

Create simple autonomy gate alignment script

Software

III

 

NAV6

Implement VectorNav to locate rover GNSS coordinates

Software

IV

 

  • NAV4

    • Gate refers to a goal post with ArCu codes

  • NAV5

    • Create a simple script where the rover visually sweeps the surrounding area, detects “gate”, goes thru goal posts, then displays a visual change in LED matrix

    • This would be awesome!

Ideal SAR Footage

Footage ID

Description

Priority

Footage ID

Description

Priority

V-NAV_A

POV Gimbal Footage detecting various ArCuo codes in environment

I

V-NAV_B

POV Gimbal Footage of Autonomous test script (NAV5)

II

V-NAV_C

Third Person Gimbal Footage of Autonomous test script (NAV5)

III

V-NAV_C

GNSS Localization in Google Maps API (or similar)

IV

Science

Task Breakdown

ID

Task Description

Subteam

Priority

Status

ID

Task Description

Subteam

Priority

Status

SCI1

Complete full mechanical assembly

Mechanical

I

 

SCI2

Create/document dry lab chemical testing procedure for soil samples

Science

I

 

SCI3

Create low level arduino scripts to power every actuator, and read from every sensor on science

Mechanical

II

 

SCI4

Process a full a sample

Mechanical/Science

III

 

SCI5

Integrate DinoLite camera onto Jetson/ROS2/Linux environment to stream video

Software

IV

 

  • SCI2

    • Transposing existing information

  • SCI4

    • Don’t need to process a full sample in one continuous operation; discontinuous is great

CB

Ideal SAR Footage

Footage ID

Description

Priority

Footage ID

Description

Priority

V-SCI_A

B-Roll of drivetrain driving around with science mechanism

I

V-SCI_B

Close up of drill and suction soil operation

II

V-SCI_C

Close up of sensor head application / sensor readouts

III

V-SCI_D

Close up of soil samples being deposited into test tubes

IV

V-SCI_E

Close up of chemical tests being applied to soil samples

V

V-SCI_F

DinoLite POV Footage / third person application

VI

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