trinity college fire fighting robot contest zach fuchs

Trinity CollegeFire Fighting Robot Contest

Zach Fuchs

Overview

• Objective – Build an

autonomous computer-

controlled robot that can find its way through an arena that represents a model house, find a lit candle that represents a fire in the house, and extinguish the fire in the shortest time.

Restrictions

• Robot must be autonomous.• A robot may bump into or touch the walls of the

arena as it travels, but it cannot mark, dislodge or damage the walls in doing so.

• The robot must, in the opinion of the judges, have found the candle before it attempts to put it out.

• Must fit in a box 31 cm long, 31 cm wide, and 21 cm tall.

Operating Modes

• Sound Activation Mode (.95)

• Extinguisher Mode (.85)

• Stairs Mode (.9)

• Uneven Floor Mode(.8)

• Total (.5814)

Floor Plan

Requirements

• Robot must navigate through the maze without sliding along the wall. The robot may bump into a wall, but may not slide along wall.

• Robot must identify the existence of a lit candle within a room.

• Once the robot has entered the room, it must approach the candle in a timely manner.

• Upon reaching the candle, the robot must extinguish the flame.

Solution

• Mobile, Robust Robotic Platform

• Sensor Array

• Modular Software

Robotic Platform• Tank Tread

Propulsion– Good Traction– Zero Turn Radius– High Torque

• CO2 Extinguisher System– Time Bonus

Sensor Suite Details

• Hamamatsu Flame Detector

• Phototransistor Array

• Incremental Encoders

• IR Range Sensors

• Tilt Sensor

The Turret

CO2 System

IR Range Devices

System Diagram

Main Controller Board

• AT89C51ED2

• Cyclone FPGA

• IR Emitter Drivers

• 24V 3A Drivers

• E-Mag Isolators

• Tilt Sensor

Turret Board

• (3) 8-Channel A/D

• Photodetector Array

• (7) IR Range Sensor

Power Board

• 24 Volt Input

• Common Ground 5V Output

• Isolated 5V Output

Buzzer Detector

Software Details

• StateMachine

• Control Modules– GuideRight– GuideLeft– CenterFront– AvoidWall– GoToCandle

Software Flowchart

Results

• Robot navigates through the maze without sliding along the wall.

• Robot identifies the existence of a lit candle within a room.

• Once the robot has entered the room, it approaches the candle in a timely manner.

• Upon reaching the candle, the robot extinguishes the flame.

Room For Improvement

• State Machine Needs Fine Tuning

• Range Sensor Adjustment when Candle is Present

• Dead Reckoning Algorithms

• Seal Leak in CO2 System

• Fine Tune Hamamatsu Flame Detector Algorithm

Questions???