Micromouse Meeting #2

Micromouse Meeting #2Program details, applying for funding, overall systemsFirst things First:Teams!There were a lot of you this year.This Years Program$75 deposit$250 in funding from IEEEMust traverse 16 maze cells, which must include right turns, left turns, and dead ends.$150 deposit$500 in funding from IEEESolve the maze! Easy, right?Almost all the teams that signed up went for the basic budgetIn the PastProsFlexibleProvides freedom to teamsSimple and EfficientConsProvides little accountabilityTeams unlikely to finishFunding can be wastedNew SystemNew SystemProsEnsures teams have completed preliminary design, not just parts, before proceedingAllows motivated teams to receive more feedback from IEEETeams are actively engaged with officers about design requirementsEmulates a real work environment, the key being design reviewsThey wont be too crazy in depth, but we are doing this to ensure that teams are serious about creating a working mouse.ConsWe do a lot of workCan be a little micro-management-yWe will try to avoid this as much as possible. We are here to help you and give overall guidance, not to micromanage.Things You NeedWhen applying for funding, we will request three documentsParts List/BOM with datasheets for active ICs and partsList of all the parts, part number, cost, and linkDatasheets for all active partsPreliminary Hardware DesignSchematic Outline of hardware I/O systemsPreliminary Software DesignQuick, high-level drawing of software plan

Sample Parts List

Sample Hardware Design

This is a very crude hardware I/O layoutProbably about 80-90% of what we will be looking for in your designThings missing from this designLabels on pin headersDetails of the encodersWhere are the motors?

Sample Software DesignHigh-level drawing of software systems of the mouseFeedback control (PID?)Left/Right/U-turn decision makingMaze-solving logic overviewAlgorithmsFloodfillhttp://web.cecs.pdx.edu/~edam/Reports/2001/DWillardson.pdfFor each cell: Get sensor data Determine where walls are Decide movement: Push move forward if not visitedPush move left if not visited Push move right if not visited

Pop stack Move mouse according to top of stackApprovalWe will review your 3 documents as soon as possible and get back to you on whether or not your design was approvedIf it was not approved, we will give you advice on things to change and revise. If necessary, the process will be significantly guidedOtherwise, once you receive approval, turn in your deposits. Once we receive the deposits, your funding will be cleared and you can start ordering partsDepending on time constraints, we may set up an online submission portal. If this doesnt happen, then we will do it through regular e-mail.Time between submission and approval/revision should be < 3 days.If it takes longer than 3 days, please e-mail us and we will get on it right away.Micromouse from a High LevelWe are trying to build a small robot. Parts that are essential to all mice are the following:Microcontroller5V RegulatorsH-BridgesIR Sensors (or maybe a different technology?)MotorsEncodersBatteriesGyroscope (not necessary, but useful)

MicrocontrollersSmall, low-power computersRuns custom code that you compile and upload to the controllersAlmost all run C/C++ codeProvides multiple inputs and outputsThings to consider in your microcontroller choiceClock SpeedRAM/Flash memoryI/O (Analog or Digital)SizePower consumption/requirementsLogic Level (Voltage range)Arduino Software

Common platform for microcontrollersC/C++Simple to use Standard Arduino software used for:All ArduinosTeensy (2.0, ++, 3.0, etc.) with Teensy LoaderModified Arduino software used for:LeafLabs (Maple Mini)Arduino Nano16 MHz, 32KB Flash, 2KB RAM$10

Teensy 2.0Common choice, built-in USBArduino IDE16 MHz, 32KB Flash, 2KB RAM25 I/O$16

Teensy 3.0Built-in USBArduino IDE48 MHz34 I/O3.3 V logic level$19

mBedWeb-based compiler96 MHz, 512KB Flash, 32KB RAM25 I/O$60

Maple

Maple Mini72 MHzRuns Arduino code$45 (Mini is $35)MicrocontrollersFind more information online! Useful links here:Arduinohttp://arduino.ccTeensyhttp://pjrc.commbedhttp://mbed.orgLeafLabs (Maple Mini)http://leaflabs.com Whats next?E-mail us at micromouse@ieee.ucla.edu with your preliminary choice of microcontroller by next Wednesday, October 30th!Include a short blurb including your reasoning/theory behind why you chose the one you didMeet with your team! This is only a little bit important, except for the fact that its really important.We will be designing and planning out our future lectures. A schedule will be sent out by e-mail.Next WeekNext weeks lecture: Motors and EncodersWhat are motors and encoders?How are motors controlled?Powering your mouseAttaching an AC 120V to your mouse is not idealBatteries will probably work betterPower consumption, voltage, current, etc.