ARK
From ISURC
Contents |
Overview/FAQ
What is the ARK?
The ARK is an autonomous go-kart that is being designed to fulfill some of the challenges introduced by the DARPA Grand Challenge, but on a smaller scale. The DARPA Grand Challenge is a government-sponsored contest with the goal of having unmanned vehicles drive themselves through a course in a specified amount of time. Teams are given a map of the course shortly before the race begins. Our hope is that after developing the ARK we can either move on to an actual entry for the Grand Challenge or conduct a smaller regional version of the contest ourselves.
What does the ARK do?
Currently the ARK is in the design and initial construction phase. The club has purchased a go-kart and equipment to make it autonomous. Currently we have a working automatic steering system that a group of mechanical engineering students designed and installed for a senior design project in the Spring 2005 semester.
What will the ARK do in the future?
In the future we wish to use computer vision, GPS, inertial navigation, and laser range-finding to enable the ARK to navigate a set of waypoints autonomously. Most of the equipment for these subsystems has been purchased and the next step is construction.
What can I do to help?
The ARK, and robotics in general, combines knowledge a variety of fields:
- computer science
- electrical engineering
- computer engineering
- mechanical engineering
- team management
If you are a student and are interested in robotics and want to learn more while working on an exciting and challenging project, then you can help. We need mechanically-minded people to complete the "drive-by-wire" system by implementing braking and acceleration control. For those interested in electronics, we need to design a power distribution system from the batteries to the computer systems and install the sensors, such as GPS, wheel rotation, cameras, and accelerometers. Programming-savvy students may be interested in computer vision, path-planning, obstacle avoidance, and localization from sensor data.
Components and Subsystems
- SICK LMS 200 - Laser Range Finder
To Do
Administrative
Review contest rules- email contest officials about length discrepencies
- Fundraising (this one should get it's own section soon)
- Insurance
- The ARK does not qualify for the Autonomous Ground Vehicle contest
Mechanical
Design
- CAD Drawings of everything
Steering
- Redesign steering drive
Brakes
- Add a hall effect sensor mount for the rotor
- Size and purchase braided brake lines
Electrical
- Design and build E-stop system
- Design and build electronics box
- Wire batteries through switch then to Ebox
- Rewire electronic motor cutoff
- Determine needed range of motion for all actuators
- Install limit switches so actuators don't exceed range
- Wire SICK range finder
Software
Control
- Plan software architecture
Steering
- Refine teleoperation control
Throttle
- Field test teleoperation throttle control
Braking
- Set braking limits
- Field test braking
To Buy
Make sure to strike out things that have been purchased, and delete those we no longer need.
- 4awg red wire(battery)
- Fully insulated spade connectors of various gauges(4?, 12, 10)
-
Oil -
Hall effect sensor for rear axel (threaded style) - Limit Switches for linear actuators
-
O-ring for brake cylinder -
Replacement belts for steering -
Mounting hardware for limit switches - Engine air filter
