Project Drivetrain Comms June 2024

Owned by Nicolas Palmar, created
Last updated: Mar 31, 2024
2 min read

Driver

Approver

Contributors

Informed

Objective

Drive the rover using an xbox controller by communicating over radio waves

Due date

June 15th

Key outcomes

  1. Assembled drivetrain

  2. Drivetrain able to move over flat terrain

  3. Communication system exists to relay commands between base station and rover

Status

not started / in progress / complete

 

 Problem Statement

In order to keep the bay, the team must show significant progress by June 15th, 2024. In order to prove to ourselves that we can compete in the next competition, we must finalize the drivetrain and ensure that we can drive it remotely. Success will be measured by the following: Ability to drive the rover for 30 seconds, where the driver and base-station start at a distance of 50m way from the rover.

 Scope

Must have:

  • Assembled mechanical drivetrain

  • Mounts for battery and ebox

  • Comms mount on the rover

  • Completed electrical subsystem on the drivetrain and in the ebox

  • Joystick capable of relaying velocity commands to the rover

  • Comms system capable of communicating joystick velocity commands to the rover, and able to receive feedback from the rover (communicate ros topics over radio waves)

Must have:

  • Assembled mechanical drivetrain

  • Mounts for battery and ebox

  • Comms mount on the rover

  • Completed electrical subsystem on the drivetrain and in the ebox

  • Joystick capable of relaying velocity commands to the rover

  • Comms system capable of communicating joystick velocity commands to the rover, and able to receive feedback from the rover (communicate ros topics over radio waves)

Nice to have:

  • Sensor mounts on the rover (cameras)

  • Basic GUI capable of relaying visual information to the driver

  • Basic autonomy capabilities for the rover

Not in scope:

  • Multiple frequencies for comms

  • Any other forms of communication between the rover and base station

  • More sensors on board the rover for autonomy (gps, IMU)

 Milestones and deadlines

 

Mechanical

Milestone

Owner

Deadline

Status

Priority

Milestone

Owner

Deadline

Status

Priority

Epoxy Carbon Fiber Tubes to Joints

@Saheed Quadri

Apr 5, 2024

In Progress

1

Manufacture rest of 3D Printed Wheels

@Saheed Quadri

Apr 7, 2024

IN progress

2

Machine Differential Bar Link

@Saheed Quadri

Apr 7, 2024

not started

2

Battery and Ebox Mounting Design

 

Apr 28, 2024

not started

3

Stereo camera Mount Design

 

 

not started

4

Comms mount (maybe, depends if we need it)

 

 

not started

4

Electrical

Milestone

Owner

Deadline

Status

Priority

Milestone

Owner

Deadline

Status

Priority

Create motor and encoder wires (make them long enough!)

@Yuchen Lin @Josh Magder

Apr 4, 2024

in progress

1

Test running all 6 motors on the skeleton (stress test)

@Yuchen Lin @Josh Magder

Apr 7, 2024

not started

1

Move electrical system for drivetrain into ebox

 

 

not started

3

Update PDB Firmware

@Yuchen Lin

Apr 27, 2024

 

3

Decide on and order components for comms

@Yuchen Lin @Nicolas Palmar

Apr 7, 2024

in progress

2

Setup Comms for simple ROS topic transmission

@Yuchen Lin

 

 

2

Extend comms for image data from stereo cameras

@Yuchen Lin

 

 

3

Software

Milestone

Owner

Deadline

Status

Priority

Milestone

Owner

Deadline

Status

Priority

Create joystick control node (drive the rover in sim)

@Edward Wang @Soumya Khanna

Apr 27, 2024

in progress

1

Setup basic driver GUI for camera feeds

@Edward Wang

May 4, 2024

in progress

1

Test drivetrain control code

@Josh Magder @Nicolas Palmar

May 11, 2024

not started

2

Send and receive ROS topics via comms

@Josh Magder

 

not started

2

Create a more complex GUI for the driver once the basic one has been tested

@Edward Wang

 

not started

3

Complete new simulation environment for rover

@Alex Szabo

 

in progress

2

Complete basic autonomy (and document it)

@Nicolas Palmar

May 25, 2024

in progress

2

 

 Reference materials