Final PresentationFinal PresentationEE 296 – MicromouseEE 296 – Micromouse

Spring 2007Spring 2007

Friday, May 4, 2007Friday, May 4, 2007

POST 214POST 214

Team Giga-CatTeam Giga-Cat

Team MembersTeam Members

Mark FujiharaMark Fujihara

Christopher HoChristopher Ho

Katherine IshidaKatherine Ishida

David OtaDavid Ota

OverviewOverview

Build an autonomous robot mouse that can Build an autonomous robot mouse that can find the center of a 16 x 16 maze and then find the center of a 16 x 16 maze and then calculate and make multiple runs using the calculate and make multiple runs using the

shortest path to the center.shortest path to the center.

Our First DesignOur First Design Top Down sensors for path/wall detectionTop Down sensors for path/wall detection

4 sensors at each corner4 sensors at each corner 3 for error correction3 for error correction 1 for wall detection1 for wall detection

2 sensors in the middle for error correction 2 sensors in the middle for error correction during turnsduring turns

Two wheels and a ball bearing for mobilityTwo wheels and a ball bearing for mobility Stepper motorsStepper motors

Sensor Layout Chassis Layout

Drawings and DesignsDrawings and Designs

Goals For Original DesignGoals For Original Design Move forward and backMove forward and back

Front and back sensorsFront and back sensors

Look sleek, not bulkyLook sleek, not bulky Stacked circuit boardsStacked circuit boards Put a spoiler and bumper on itPut a spoiler and bumper on it

Use a flood fill algorithm to map and solve Use a flood fill algorithm to map and solve the mazethe maze

Go to the mainland and win competitionGo to the mainland and win competition Build a killer mouseBuild a killer mouse

What We Ended Up WithWhat We Ended Up With Top Down sensors for path/wall detectionTop Down sensors for path/wall detection

3 sensors at each corner3 sensors at each corner 2 for error correction, 1 for wall detection2 for error correction, 1 for wall detection

2 sensors in the front and back for front and 2 sensors in the front and back for front and back wall detectionback wall detection

1 sensor in front and back for emergency stop1 sensor in front and back for emergency stop

2 wheels and 2 slider pads for mobility2 wheels and 2 slider pads for mobility Stepper motorsStepper motors

Right wall huggerRight wall hugger

Our Final DesignOur Final Design

Here are the early stages of construction…Here are the early stages of construction…

Our Final DesignOur Final Design

Which eventually became our final beauty!Which eventually became our final beauty!

Final Design FeaturesFinal Design Features Used a stacked circuit board designUsed a stacked circuit board design L-braces to hold motors in placeL-braces to hold motors in place Had sensors on a metal frame, adjustable Had sensors on a metal frame, adjustable

according to the wall heightaccording to the wall height

More Design FeaturesMore Design Features Put LEDs on top sensor board instead of Put LEDs on top sensor board instead of

directly over corresponding sensordirectly over corresponding sensor Incorporated LEDs for each motor stepIncorporated LEDs for each motor step

So What Went Wrong?So What Went Wrong? Sensor layout was badSensor layout was bad

We re-did the sensor layoutWe re-did the sensor layout Number of sensorsNumber of sensors PlacementPlacement

Our original chassis was too bigOur original chassis was too big We built a new chassisWe built a new chassis

Our “stacked” design was terribleOur “stacked” design was terrible Hard to solderHard to solder Spacing was badSpacing was bad

We “sucked it up” and dealt with itWe “sucked it up” and dealt with it

More Problems…More Problems… Our mouse did not move the first timeOur mouse did not move the first time

We found our power and ground rails were We found our power and ground rails were connected together and fixed itconnected together and fixed it

One motor did not step correctlyOne motor did not step correctly We found a loose connection in the MOSFETWe found a loose connection in the MOSFET

Mouse moved, but kept getting stuckMouse moved, but kept getting stuck We found the mouse was too heavy, so we We found the mouse was too heavy, so we

slowed the speed down to create more torqueslowed the speed down to create more torque

Battery connections were looseBattery connections were loose We had to put more electrical tapeWe had to put more electrical tape

Programming ProblemsProgramming Problems Originally pulsed each motor individually Originally pulsed each motor individually

(right, left, right, left, etc.)(right, left, right, left, etc.) We changed the program so the motors We changed the program so the motors

stepped togetherstepped together

Both wheels were programmed to go Both wheels were programmed to go clockwise, so it went in a circleclockwise, so it went in a circle Made one go counter clockwiseMade one go counter clockwise

What’s Still Wrong?What’s Still Wrong? Mouse can only navigate the mazeMouse can only navigate the maze

Does not mapDoes not map Does not solve the shortest pathDoes not solve the shortest path

Does not go backwardDoes not go backward Does not win any competition (except the Does not win any competition (except the

beauty contest!)beauty contest!)

Design SuggestionsDesign Suggestions Do not use the “stacked” designDo not use the “stacked” design

Complicated and messy, too many extra wiresComplicated and messy, too many extra wires

Do not use too many standoffs or extra Do not use too many standoffs or extra metal that adds weightmetal that adds weight

Use a Perforated Circuit Board with Use a Perforated Circuit Board with copper lining in the holescopper lining in the holes It will make soldering neater and easierIt will make soldering neater and easier

Color-coding wires is very usefulColor-coding wires is very useful

Completion SuggestionsCompletion Suggestions Do not waste time at the beginning of the Do not waste time at the beginning of the

semester. It is not as long as you think.semester. It is not as long as you think. Multi-task. Have someone begin code Multi-task. Have someone begin code

before mouse is completely builtbefore mouse is completely built Work hard during spring breakWork hard during spring break

Now, lets see our beauty Now, lets see our beauty in action!in action!

Mini-maze please…Mini-maze please…

Thank YouThank You

Any Questions, Comments, Any Questions, Comments, Suggestions?Suggestions?