Unmanned Maze Solver

Using aerial image processing and wireless connectivity to direct a robot through a maze.

Nicholas Hoover

Matthew Mitrik

Edward Waxler

Overview

Aerial camera views terrain below (maze)Converts image into symbolic formFinds path through the terrain (maze)Communicates path wirelessly to unmanned vehicle (robot)Vehicle follows given path

Major System Components

MazeBase Station (camera, PC, wireless node)Robot

Maze Tile Templates

Tile templates can be used to reconfigure a maze on the fly

Image Capturing

Sony EVI-D100Osprey-210 Analog Capture Card Up to 30 frames/sec

Image Processing

Intel OpenCV Image

Filtering Template

Matching

Maze Before & After Extraction

Dijkstra’s shortest path algorithm will be used to solve the maze

Graphical User Interface

Real-time feed

Graphical representation

Overrides

Status

Video

Forward

Reverse

Rotate Left

Rotate Right

Transmit path #

Halt

Resume

Distress

Finished

Stopped

Communicating

Communication Network

Two nodes Base station Robot

Mica2 MotesTwo-way reliable communication

Mica2 Motes

CompactLow-powerIntegrated solution

Packet Format

Description

Preamble (1 Byte) Indicates the beginning of a packet.

Packet Number (1 Byte)

Number of payload bytes in the packet.

Payload (12 Bytes Max) Contains up to 12 bytes of control, recipe, or override commands. Each command will follow the message format described previously.

Checksum (1 Byte) One byte checksum to ensure the payload was transmitted correctly.

Robot

Robot Block Diagram

Messaging Protocol

Control Recipe Commands

Overrides

Heartbeat

DistressACKStartDONE

ForwardLeft TurnRight TurnEndR

Forward StepBackward

StepCCW StepCW StepPauseResumeReset

Project MilestonesFinal project proposal and design review, sample maze tiles 12/1/2005

Basic mote messaging, maze solving algorithm 12/8/2005

Website started 12/13/2005

Image recognition of robot, basic robot movement, overrides and robot UI

12/15/2005

Final maze construction, wireless protocol implementation, sensors working

1/5/2006

Image recognition of maze tiles and robot, robot-mote communication 1/12/2006

Symbolic graph extraction of maze, full wireless communication 1/19/2006

Base station GUI, begin integration 1/26/2006

Integration and reliability testing 2/2/2006

Poster, presentation, final report 2/9/2006

Project write-up, website, and demonstration (Instructor) 2/14/2006

Public demonstration 2/16/2006

Team Assessments 2/22/2006

Bill of Materials

Component Price Quantity

Camera $959.00 1

Maze & Fixture $50.00 1

Mica2 Mote $125.00 2

Mica Interface Board $95.00 1

PIC18F4320 uController $8.17 1

UC3770 Motor Controller

$5.56 4

Tires $5.99 2

Bill of Materials II

Component Price Quantity

Stepper Motors $6.49 2

9.6V Rechargeable Battery

$8.99 1

Battery Charger $26.99 1

Acrylite FF Sheets $9.99 1

Ball Bearings $9.99 1

LEDs, Switches, Misc. $10.00 1

QRB1113 Optoreflectors

$1.50 8

Questions?

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