SAFETY SYSTEM FOR A SEMI-AUTOMATIC ROBOT

A project work report submitted to

MANIPAL UNIVERSITY
For Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for the Award of the Degree of

BACHELOR OF ENGINEERING
in

INSTRUMENTATION AND CONTROL ENGINEERING

by ANIRUDH SRIKANT VARUN.K.V

Under the Guidance of

Dr.P.R.Venkateswaran
Reader, Department of Instrumentation & Control Engineering

DEPARTMENT OF INSTRUMENTATION AND CONTROL ENGINEERING

MANIPAL INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

(A constituent Institute of MANIPAL UNIVERSITY)

MANIPAL - 576 104, KARNATAKA, INDIA

2010

MANIPAL INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

(A constituent Institute of MANIPAL UNIVERSITY MANIPAL - 576 104 .

DEPARTMENT OF INSTRUMENTATION & CONTROL ENGINEERING

CERTIFICATE
This is to certify that the project work titled SAFETY SYSTEM FOR A SEMI-AUTOMATIC ROBOT is a bonafide work of
ANIRUDH SRIKANT VARUN.K.V 060921002 060921034

carried out in partial fulfillment of the requirements for awarding the degree of Bachelor of Engineering in Instrumentation & Control discipline in Manipal Institute of Technology under MANIPAL University, Manipal during the academic year 2009-2010.

Dr. P.R.Venkateswaran Reader Project Guide

Dr. V.I.George Professor & Head Dept. of Instrumentation & Control Engineering

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Todays academic pursuits require contributions from various individuals for its successful completion; this project too has come up in its present form with the contribution from many people.

First of all we would like to thank our project guide Dr. P.R.Venkateswaran (Reader, Department of Instrumentation &Control Engg., Manipal Institute of Technology). This project wouldnt have been in its present form without his guidance and selfless patience which made this project a real learning experience.

Also we would like to thank Dr.R.Jyothilakshmi (Reader, Department of Physics, Manipal Institute of Technology) who has been of great support especially in the selection of the optical sensor. Our sincere thanks to lab in charge of AEC lab and the Lab VIEW academy, whose support was always there with us throughout the course of our project.

A final word of thanks to Dr.V.I.George (Professor & Head of The Department, Department of Instrumentation &Control Engg., Manipal Institute of Technology), for all the co-operation and help which led to a smooth completion of our project.

ABSTRACT
Keywords: Safety Device, Semi-Automatic Robot, Optical sensor, DC Servo Motor Control, Unknown Terrain Exploration Applications. The aim of the project is to create a safety device for a human controlled robot (Semi-automatic system) that is capable of working in an obstacle filled terrain. In this device, safety of the robot is defined as protection against collision with unknown target. This is realized using distance sensors on board of the robot and including the distance measurement in the control circuitry. The control circuitry is designed using Lab View for implementation and embedding it into the robot assembly. Initially it is proposed to make use of the Optical (IR) sensor for displacement measurement (in our case the distance from the object which is present in the path of the robot). Optical sensors that require minimal external circuitry and no trigger for their continuous operation are preferred. The signal from the optical sensor is taken to the computer using suitable Data Acquisition Devices and into a program (preferably one with a graphical programming option) for the design of the control system. It is preferred that the program supports a wide range of Data Acquisition Devices without the need of additional drivers. The signal from the control loop is taken to the bypass circuit which is used to override the manual control of the robot, thereby providing the proposed safety. Since this system is very flexible it can be applied in a number of situations such as unknown terrain exploration underground cable inspection etc.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ................................................................................................. i ABSTRACT......................................................................................................................... ii LIST OF FIGURES ............................................................................................................ v LIST OF TABLES ............................................................................................................ vii

CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................... 1 1.1 PREFACE ................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 PROPOSED SCHEMATIC OF THE PROJECT .......................................................... 2 1.3 SEMI-AUTOMATIC SYSTEM................................................................................. 3

CHAPTER 2 THE ROBOT PARTS AND DESCRIPTION .................................................................... 4 2.1 CONTROL CIRCUIT.................................................................................................. 4 2.2 ROBOT CONSTRUCTION ........................................................................................ 6 2.3 ROBOT WORKING ................................................................................................... 8

CHAPTER 3 SHARP GP2D12 EYES OF THE ROBOT .................................................................... 10 3.1 SHARP GP2D12 DESCRIPTION........................................................................... 10 3.2 WORKING OF DISTANCE SENSOR ...................................................................... 12 3.3 EXPERIMENTATION USING DISTANCE SENSOR .............................................. 12

CHAPTER 4 THE INTERFACING ....................................................................................................... 15 4.1 BLOCK DIAGRAM OF THE SETUP AND DESCRIPTION .................................... 15 4.2 WHY LAB VIEW? ................................................................................................... 16

CHAPTER 5 THE LABVIEW ................................................................................................................ 18 iii

5.1 INTRODUCTION TO LABVIEW ............................................................................ 18 5.2 GRAPHICAL PROGRAMMING .............................................................................. 18 5.3 VIRTUAL INSTRUMENTS ..................................................................................... 19 5.3.1 Front Panel Window ........................................................................................... 20 5.3.2 Block Diagram Window...................................................................................... 20 5.3.3 Icon & Connector Pane ....................................................................................... 21 5.4 PARTS OF THE LABVIEW INTERFACE ............................................................... 22 5.5 The DAQ ................................................................................................................... 22 5.6 NI ELVIS FUNDAMENTALS .................................................................................. 24 5.7 NI ELVIS SPECIFICATIONS ................................................................................... 26 5.7.1 Analog Input ....................................................................................................... 26 5.7.2 Digital I/O and PFI.............................................................................................. 26

CHAPTER 6 THE INTEGRATION ....................................................................................................... 27 6.1 CONTROLLER LOGIC AND WORKING OF THE CIRCUIT ................................. 27 6.2 LABVIEW VI ........................................................................................................... 28

CHAPTER 7 CONCLUSION ................................................................................................................. 32 7.1 CONCLUSION ......................................................................................................... 32 7.2 FUTURE POSSIBILITIES ........................................................................................ 32

APPENDIX ........................................................................................................................ 34 I. COMPONENTS LIST ............................................................................................. 34

II. DATA SHEET OF SHARP GP2D12 .......................................................................... 36 III. DATA SHEET OF NI ELVIS .................................................................................... 40

REFERENCES .................................................................................................................. 43

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LIST OF FIGURES

Figure no. 1.1 1.2 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 2.9 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 5.1 5.2

Title

Page No. 2 3 4 6 6 7 7 7

Proposed Safety System Schematic..

Semi Automatic Control System. Joystick Circuit

Plank showing the hole for the passage of bus.

The wheel-motor assembly fitted into the wooden plank

The bottom of the robot showing the bus connections. The bottom of the PCB showing the circuit connections. The top of the PCB showing the circuit components... The robot assembly showing the power supply along with the control circuit. DPDT in Forward Movement position DPDT in Reverse Movement position. Sharp Sensor GP2D12. Sharp Sensor GP2D12 dimensions.. Triangulation Method.. Experimental Setup to test the Sharp GP2D12 Experimental Setup to test the Sharp GP2D12 Sharp Sensor Test Results NI LabVIEW Logo.. Graphical Programming NI LabVIEW Interface Front Panel Window Block Diagram Window.. Connector Pane Layout Icon Editor Window. DAQ Card Output DAQ Assistant..
v

8 9 9 10 11 12 13 13 14 18 18 19 20 20 21 21 22 23

5.3
5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7 5.8 5.9

5.10 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 A.2.1-4 A.3.1-3

NI Elvis. Input DAQ Specifications. False Case. True Case . Output DAQ for Motor 1.. Output DAQ for Motor 2.. Sharp GP2D12 Datasheet. NI ELVIS Datasheet.

24 29 29 30 31 31 37-40 41-42

vi

LIST OF TABLES

Table no. 5.1 A.1

Title

Page No. 26 34-35

NI Elvis Input Channel Specifications

Component List.

vii

CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION
1.1 PREFACE A feedback control loop will be employed for the implementation of the safety parameter i.e. anti-collision system. While the robot moves on human command, it senses the external environmental conditions and sends back the data to the computer for analysis. The computer meanwhile analyses the data and issues appropriate control signal. The aim of this device is ensure the safety of the robot independent of human intervention. It is proposed to control the robot by using DPDT switches (for directional control) and potentiometers (for speed control). By using Lab VIEW as the interfacing software, it is proposed to achieve greater customizability and quicker response time.

1.2 PROPOSED SCHEMATIC OF THE PROJECT

PC/ LabVIEW Interface Sharp Sensor Assembly

Detector Emitter Triangulation Method

Wheels driven by a pair of DC motors

Supportive Freewheel

Obstruction

Fig.1.1 Proposed Safety System Schematic

The robot is to be constructed on 3 wheels of which the two back wheels are controlled by the joystick (described in the following chapter). The third wheel is to provide support for the entire robot. The Sharp sensor GP2D12 (Distance sensor) is used for the obstruction detection. It employs the horizontal triangulation method and is found very suitable for the current application. The schematic of the Figure 1.1 is proposed to be realized in hardware.

1.3 SEMI-AUTOMATIC SYSTEM There are basically 3 kinds of systems:Manual Systems- These systems are entirely controlled by the Human operator. Automatic System- These systems are those which do not require Human intervention for their continuous operation. Sometimes called as intelligent systems, they sense the external environment and perform various operations based on their purpose. They can use ICs, Comps etc for sensing and analyzing the external environment.

Fig 1.2 Semi Automatic Control System Semi-Automatic Systems- As we can see in the above block diagram a semiautomatic system consists of both a manual and an automatic part. The system is not entirely capable of running continuously by itself and thus needs a Human operator to guide its operation. If the Human control block is removed from the above diagram the system becomes fully automatic and vice-versa.

CHAPTER 2

THE ROBOT PARTS AND DESCRIPTION

2.1 CONTROL CIRCUIT

Fig.2.1 Joystick Circuit

The proposed design consists of two DPDTs used for controlling the direction of the two wheels and the transistor pair is used for the power amplification. As it can be seen in the designed circuit, the 12V power supply is initially give to a 10k potentiometer where the power can be varied to increase or decrease the speed of the robot. Then it is given to the basic 347 transistor followed by 2N6292 for current amplification required for the startup for the motor i.e. the wheels of the robot. After the transistor then the power is given to the individual DPDT switches where its direction can be changed by changing the polarity of the power supply. Finally the output of the DPDT is given to the push button switches so that the robot moves when the circuit is closed that is the push button switch is pressed. The actual photograph of the implementation of this circuit is given in the construction part. Thus the designed circuit is able to give total control of the robot locomotion i.e. 360 o.

2.2 ROBOT CONSTRUCTION Step 1:- The wheels are fixed to the motor.

Fig.2.2 Plank showing the hole for the passage of bus Step2:- A small hole is drilled into the wooden board for the passage of bus.

Fig. 2.3 The wheel-motor assembly fitted into the wooden plank Step 3:- The wheel motor assembly is fixed to the wooden board along with the supportive bearing.

Fig.2.4 The bottom of the robot showing the bus connections Step 4:- The BUS connections are connected to the DC motor.

Fig.2.5 The bottom of the PCB showing the circuit connections.

Fig.2.6 The top of the PCB showing the circuit components.

Step 5:- The control circuit is designed and soldered on the project board.

Fig.2.7 The robot assembly showing the power supply along with the control circuit. Step 6:- The BUS is connected to the control circuit.

2.3 ROBOT WORKING In this robot, we are using a combination of DPDT & push button switches for the full control of the robot locomotion i.e. 360o .The DPDT switches are used to change the direction by changing the current to the motor. The push button switches are used to move the robot by completing the circuit. The potentiometer is used to vary the speed of the robot by varying the power supply. The N6292B347 pair of transistors is used to provide the power amplification necessary for the startup of the motor. The supportive bearing is a free moving wheel

added for movement of the robot in any direction. The 2 wheels are separately controlled as indicated below by the switch direction for the respective movement.

Forward Movement: Left DPDT: - Forward Right DPDT: - Forward Reverse Movement: Left DPDT: - Reverse Right DPDT: - Reverse

Left Turn: Right DPDT: - Forward Right Turn: Left DPDT: - Forward

Fig.2.8 DPDT in Forward Movement position

Clockwise Movement: Left DPDT: - Forward Right DPDT: - Reverse Anti-Clockwise: Left DPDT: - Reverse Fig.2.9 DPDT in Reverse Movement position Right DPDT: - Forward

SUMMARY In short it can be said that due to independent control of each robotic wheel locomotion of the robot is possible in any direction desired by the controller. That too this is achieved without the involvement of any programming steps.

CHAPTER 3

SHARP GP2D12 EYES OF THE ROBOT

3.1 SHARP GP2D12 DESCRIPTION The Sharp GP2D12 is a distance

measuring sensor with integrated signal processing circuit. Hence no external circuit is required for it to start giving output unlike majority of the other distance sensors. Due to this feature using Fig. 3.1 Sharp Sensor GP2D12

Sharp sensor is as easy as giving it specified power i.e.5V in this case, and checking its output from any multimeter i.e. voltage, which is proportional to the distance. Some of its prime features are listed below Analog output Effective Range: 10 to 80 cm LED pulse cycle duration: 32 ms Typical response time: 39 ms Typical start up delay: 44 ms Average current consumption: 33 mA Detection area diameter @ 80 cm: 6 cm Less influence by colour and sensitivity of the target object High accuracy measuring by sequential position detection and mean processing data output.

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The dimensions of the distance sensor are shown in Figure 3.2 in detail where all units are in mm.

Fig. 3.2 Sharp Sensor GP2D12 dimensions

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3.2 WORKING OF DISTANCE SENSOR

Fig. 3.3 Triangulation Method

The Sharp sensor GP2D12 basically works on the principle of triangulation. As it can be seen in the diagram Optical spot position on PSD shall be changed when reflective object is at A point and at B point. By processing this optical spot position electrically, the position (displacement) of the reflective object on straight line can be detected. This basically is the triangulation method used by the sensor GP2D12.

3.3 EXPERIMENTATION USING DISTANCE SENSOR Now after seeing how the sharp sensor works it was tested in the current situation to obtain various responses so that it can be fully integrated with the robot. For experimentation the circuit is as shown. A 9V battery connected to a 7805 Voltage regulator has been utilized for providing the required 5v power supply for the sharp sensor. A project circuit board has been used as the obstacle for the sensor for obtaining the following results. The same has been plotted below to obtain the characteristic output curve.
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Fig. 3.4 Experimental Setup to test the Sharp GP2D12

Fig. 3.5 Testing of the sharp sensor

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GP2D12 Output Curve

80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 0.51 0.52 0.54 0.55 0.58 0.59 0.61 0.71 0.81 1

Voltage (in Volts)

1.22
1.71 2.21

Fig. 3.6 Sharp Sensor Test Results

As it can be seen from the graph the experimentation of the SHARP sensor has provided near ideal results there by reaffirming its selection as the obstacle displacement sensor.

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CHAPTER 4

THE INTERFACING

4.1 BLOCK DIAGRAM OF THE SETUP AND DESCRIPTION Basically the robot setup hasnt been changed for the interfacing and the control system implementation which has been done using LabVIEW (explained in further sub sections). The Sharp Sensor GP2D12 which has been acting like the eyes of the robot have been given a 5 V power supply on the robot body itself. The bypass circuit has been made and attached to the robot body too. Actually the power supply of the sensor also is on the same PCB. Now the bypass circuit comprises of two 5V DC Reed Relays and the two 7805 power supply along with the battery. The bypass circuit is the junction of two different bus wires. The first one being the bus from the joystick circuit (also the power supply to the robot) and the other being the bus to the computer. This is the LabVIEW interface that is the main control communication line between the robot and the computer which is the control system in this case. As it can be observed in the initial design current controlled switches have been used for the control of the robot. This has been replaced with the reed relays for better performance and reliability. The reed relay is very precise in its functionality and since it uses 5V power supply the power output of the Computer (USB ports) itself is enough unlike other relays which may require an additional power supply circuit just to trigger the relay. Hence the functionality and the efficiency is greatly improved due to the use of the reed relay.

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4.2 WHY LAB VIEW?

It is apt now for us to explore into the reasoning behind using LabVIEW as our interfacing software. But before that we need to understand the application of this robot in a new light. The main benefit of using the Sharp GP2D12 sensor is that it can measure distances very accurately in its range (10-80 cm) and the operation itself being very fast and continuous. Also it has many other benefits but for now we are concerned with this property itself. This property is very useful in any field where we want to measure distance instantaneously. Hence this property allows for the greater customizability of any system it is being used in. Therefore it has a huge application potential in the area of Artificial Intelligence. Now what this sensor does is to convert the displacement into an electric signal. So for any control system this voltage has to be compared with some value to get the value of the displacement measured. Now if we want the system to perform different tasks for the respective displacement values, a comparator circuit is needed for every value or a IC circuit is needed. Both the above options have serious drawbacks. The first one being the comparator circuit is fixed and has to be remade for every value hence it is tedious and therefore can be used in the absence of other alternatives. The second one being the IC circuit also involves very tedious soldering process which requires a great deal of expertise and moreover the programming also requires the user to have a previous knowledge of programming the microcontroller or microprocessor. Even if he has the knowledge the programming restricts the possibility of multiple tasking due to its lengthy nature.

16

Now in this case as we use the LabVIEW, the need for the comparator circuit is eliminated totally due to the fact that the computer understands the electric signal directly. Hence very high customizability is achieved due to this fact and also LabVIEW uses graphical programming meaning that the user need not know complex programming structures for simple applications. By using LabVIEW itself the flexibility of the application itself increases many times. Moreover LabVIEW supports a very large number of devices without requiring additional interfacing programs. Hence the application also increases as the number of devices to which it can be applied also increases. In this way LabVIEW is our preferred choice for interfacing and control system design.

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CHAPTER 5

THE LABVIEW

5.1 INTRODUCTION TO LABVIEW LabVIEW (short for Laboratory Virtual Instrumentation Engineering Workbench) is a platform and development environment for a visual programming language from National Instruments. The graphical language is named "G". Originally released for the Apple Macintosh in 1986, LabVIEW is commonly used for data acquisition, instrument control, and industrial

automation on a variety of platforms including

Fig.5.1 NI LabVIEW Logo.

Microsoft Windows, various flavors of UNIX, Linux, and Mac OS X. The latest version of LabVIEW is version LabVIEW 2009, released in August 2009. 5.2 GRAPHICAL PROGRAMMING The programming language used in LabVIEW, also referred to as G, is a dataflow programming language. Execution is

determined by the structure of a graphical block diagram (the LV-source code) on which the programmer connects different function-nodes by drawing wires. These wires propagate variables and any node can Fig.5.2 Graphical Programming
18

execute as soon as all its input data become available. Since this might be the case for multiple nodes simultaneously, G is inherently capable of parallel execution. Multiprocessing and multi-threading hardware is automatically exploited by the built-in scheduler, which multiplexes multiple OS threads over the nodes ready for execution. 5.3 VIRTUAL INSTRUMENTS LabVIEW programs are called virtual instruments or VIs because their appearance and operation imitate physical instruments, such as oscilloscope and multimeters. LabVIEW contains a comprehensive set of tools for acquiring, analyzing, displaying and storing data, as well as tools to help in troubleshooting the code written in any program. LabVIEW VIs contain three main components the front panel window, the block diagram, and the icon/ connector pane.

Fig.5.3 NI LabVIEW Interface

19

5.3.1 Front Panel Window The front panel window is the user interface for the VI. The given figure shows an example of a front panel window. The front panel window is created using and which

controls indicators

are the interactive input and output terminals of the VI, respectively. 5.3.2 Block Diagram Window After the front panel is created, the code is added using graphical representations of functions to control the front panel objects. The given figure shows a block diagram window. The block diagram window contains this graphical source code. Front panel objects as terminals on the block diagram. Fig.5.5 Block Diagram Window Fig.5.4 Front Panel Window

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5.3.3 Icon & Connector Pane The icon and connector pane allows you to use and view a VI in another VI. A VI that is used in another VI is called a subVI, which is similar to function in a text-based programming language. To use a VI as a sub VI, it must have Fig.5.6 Connector Pane Layout an icon and a connector pane. Every VI displays an icon in the upper right corner of the front panel window and block diagram window. An example of the default icon is shown below. An icon is a

graphical representation of a VI. The icon can contain both text and images. If a VI is used as a subVI, the icon identifies the subVI on the block diagram of the Fig.5.7 Icon Editor Window

VI. The default icon contains a number that indicates how many new VIs have been opened after LabVIEW has been launched. To use a VI as a sub VI, a connector pane needs to be built as shown. The connector pane is a set of terminals on the icon that corresponds to the controls and indicators of that VI, similar to the parameter list of a function call in text based programming languages. The connector pane can be accessed only by right clicking the icon in the upper right corner of the front panel window. It cannot be accessed from the icon in the block diagram window.

21

5.4 PARTS OF THE LABVIEW INTERFACE A front panel window appears whenever a new or existing VI is opened. The front panel is the user interface for the VI. The figure given below shows an example of a front panel window. The controls are knobs, push buttons, dials and other input devices. Indicators are graphs, LEDs and other displays. Controls simulate instrument input devices and supply data to the block diagram of the VI. Indicators simulate instrument output devices and display data, the block diagram acquires or generates. The above figure has the following objects: two controls: Number of Measurements and Delay (sec).And another XY graph named temperature Graph. The user can change the input value for the Number of Measurements and Delay controls. The user can see the value generated by the VI on the Temperature Graph indicator. The VI generates the values for the indicators based on the code created on the block diagram. Every control or indicator has a data type associated with it.

5.5 The DAQ

Data acquisition (abbreviated DAQ) is the process of sampling of real world physical conditions and conversion of the resulting samples into digital numeric values that can be manipulated by a computer. Data acquisition and data acquisition systems (abbreviated with the acronym DAS) typically involves the conversion of analog waveforms into digital values for processing.
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Fig.5.8 DAQ Card

Fig.5.9 Output DAQ Assistant

The components of data acquisition systems include:

Sensors that convert physical parameters to electrical signals. Signal conditioning circuitry to convert sensor signals into a form that can be converted to digital values.

Analog-to-digital converters, which convert conditioned sensor signals to digital values.

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5.6 NI ELVIS FUNDAMENTALS

Fig.5.10 NI Elvis Overview The NI Educational Laboratory Virtual Instrumentation Suite (NI ELVIS) is a handson design and prototyping platform that integrates 12 of the most commonly used instruments including the oscilloscope, DMM, function generator , and Bode analyzer into a compact form factor ideal for the hardware lab or classroom. A 100 MS/s oscilloscope option is available on the NI ELVIS II+. Based on NI LabVIEW graphical system design software, NI ELVIS, with USB plugand-play capabilities, offers the flexibility of virtual instrumentation and allows for quick and easy measurement acquisition and display. This hardware platform, used from first-year classes to advanced senior classes, helps educators teach a variety of concepts, including measurement and instrumentation,
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analog and digital circuits, controls and mechatronics, telecommunications, and embedded theory. NI ELVIS, an integral part of the NI electronics education platform, combines simulation and measurements from NI ELVIS inside the NI Multisim capture and SPICE simulation environment. Students transfer concepts taught in a textbook to Multisim, where they can learn through modeling circuit behavior and interactive circuits. They can compare simulation and real measurements with a single mouse click using NI ELVIS instruments inside the Multisim environment and achieve more complex analysis using LabVIEW or LabVIEW Signal Express. NI-ELVISmx Driver and LabVIEW Accessibility With the NI-ELVISmx driver, students can access their suite of 12 instruments through the NI-ELVISmx instrument launcher. These virtual instruments with their soft front panels provide an interactive interface to configure instruments. NI ELVIS virtual instruments are open-sourced and customizable in LabVIEW. With the installation of the driver, students can use LabVIEW Express VIs and LabVIEW Signal Express steps to program their devices. This provides point-and-click configuration capabilities for the individual instruments, so they can achieve customized and more complex analysis of acquired data in LabVIEW.

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5.7 NI ELVIS SPECIFICATIONS Performance is typical at 25 C unless otherwise specified. 5.7.1 Analog Input Channels ADC resolution Absolute accuracy 8 differential or 16 single-ended 16 bits Refer to NI ELVIS II 1.25 MS/s single channel, Maximum sampling rate 1.00 MS/s multichannel (aggregate) 10, 5, 2, 1, 0.5, 0.2, Input range and 0.1 V Maximum working voltage for analog inputs (signal + common mode) Device on AI+ or AI- to AIGND Device off AI+ or AI- to AIGND Small signal bandwidth (-3 dB) 11 V of AI GND Input impedance >10 G || 100 pF 820 1.2 MHz

Table.5.1 NI Elvis Input Channel Specifications

5.7.2 Digital I/O and PFI Channels - 24 DIO, 15 PFI Direction control - Each line individually programmable as input or output

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CHAPTER 6

THE INTEGRATION

6.1 CONTROLLER LOGIC AND WORKING OF THE CIRCUIT The type of logic used in this control system is a memory less type (explained later). The control signal that is the analog voltage output of the sharp sensor is given to the computer. In the computer we compare the value with a setpoint in the LabVIEW to check whether the robot is on a collision course with some object in its path. After this the computer outputs the digital voltage which acts like the trigger switching the path of the current flow in the circuit hence the robot starts moving in the direction opposite to the one in which it was traversing. In this way the robot need not remember the path it was traversing while it was on the collision course. By this we have eliminated the need of memory. Also the programming is simple since it is memory less. The bypass circuit working can be explained using the following instance as an example. Let us consider that the robot is moving in the forward direction and it continuously sends the real-time displacement values to the computer. Now there is an object in its path and hence the value spikes. In the computer the value is continuously compared with a setpoint which is set by the user. Now this set point is the numerical output value of the sharp sensor GP2D12 corresponding to the safe distance as deemed by the user. Hence the user is at the liberty of deciding when the robot changes the direction of its movement.

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If the value of the sensor output is more than the setpoint then the computer sends a 5V DC signal to the reed relay there by switching the circuit. To each of the reed relay we have given the connections as shown below. Hence the bypass network consists of the power supply from the joystick but from the DPDT directly and also the polarity is reversed. In this way the direction of the robot movement is reversed. If the computer was moving forward by default it starts moving backward and vice versa. This reverse movement is also timed to prevent any other mishaps. The 5V DC signal is given only as long as the duration which again is set by the user. In our case the time we have set is 3 seconds i.e. the robot will move in the opposite direction only for 3 seconds after which the control is returned to the joystick user. In this way we are able to make this robot, a semi automatic robot. 6.2 LABVIEW VI As it can be seen from the figure given, the VI consists of the following components: Data Acquisition VI Numeric indicator (1) Comparator (>) Numeric constant (1) True/False Case Structure (2) Data Transmission VI (4) Numeric Array (4)

The above components are arranged as shown in the figure. Initially we acquire the signals from the sensor to the LabVIEW using the data acquisition VI by selecting the appropriate input channel, in our case AI0.

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Fig.6.1 Input DAQ Specifications

The signal is converted into a numerical value in the DAQ VI and given to a comparator which checks weather the value is more than the threshold/the set point. In case the value is less than the set point, then the case structure which reads as false will send a signal less than 5V to the Reed Relay using Fig.6.2 VI - False Case the data transmission VI (in our case 2V)

through the selected channel (DI0 in our case).

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In case the value is greater than the set point, then the case structure which reads as true will send a signal of 5V to the Reed Relay using the data transmission VI. Hence by this mechanism we are able to
override the motion of the robot, thereby providing the safety to the system.

Fig.6.3 VI True case

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Fig.6.4 Output DAQ for Motor 1

Fig.6.5 Output DAQ for Motor 2

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CHAPTER 7

CONCLUSION

7.1 CONCLUSION

A safety device for a human controlled robot that would be capable of working in an obstacle filled terrain has been created. In this device, safety of the robot was defined as protection against collision with unknown target. This was realized using distance sensors on board of the robot and including the distance measurement in the control circuitry. The control circuitry was designed using Lab View and embedded into the robot assembly. Therefore in this way the robot is able to protect itself from a collision against an unknown target. 7.2 FUTURE POSSIBILITIES
The following are the salient features of this robot:a. Sharp sensor GP2D12 is a very accurate displacement sensor which doesnt require high power or external circuitry for providing measurements. b. The joystick allows for the complete 360o motion control of the robot by the user c. The system as such is very flexible in the components used because every component other than the sensor and the circuitry can be replaced with any other component which gives the same functionality for the concerned application. d. Since this system uses LabVIEW as the interfacing and control software the setpoint and other dynamic parameters can be varied with greater ease to achieve the required control.

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Hence, this system can be used in any application which requires the above features. In addition to that this entire system can also be made wireless by replacing the power supply with a portable battery source and embedding the LabVIEW VI into a FPGA. By making the system wireless greater flexibility and range of operation are achieved.

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APPENDIX

I.

COMPONENTS LIST

Sl. No.

Name of component

Range/ Specification

Number required

Approx. price(pp)

1.

SHARP GP2D12 (displacement sensor)

10-80 cm

900

2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

DC motor Power Supply DPDT switches 7805 (Voltage regulator) 2N6292 (Power

12V, 1A 12V, 1A 5V

2 1 2 1 1

75 250 15 15 20

Amp -

Transistor) 7. B347 (Power Amp 1 10

Transistor) 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. Push button Switches Potentiometer Bus Reed Relay 19F Opto-couplers Project Circuit Board 10K Comp SMPS 30V, 2A DC 5V 15x15 cm 2 1 3m 2 4 2 10 25 150 25 5 20

Table A.1 Component List 34

14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20.

Wooden plank Wheels Supportive Bearing Connecting Wires Wheel Holders Battery Battery Holder 9V -

1 2 1 2 2 2 Rs.3060/-

300 50 40 20 -

Total Cost

Table A.1 Component List (contd.)

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II. DATA SHEET OF SHARP GP2D12

Fig. A.2.1 Sharp GP2D12 Datasheet Page 1

36

Fig. A.2.2 Sharp GP2D12 Datasheet Page 2

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Fig. A.2.3 Sharp GP2D12 Datasheet Page 3

38

Fig. A.2.4 Sharp GP2D12 Datasheet Page 4

39

III. DATA SHEET OF NI ELVIS

Fig. A.3.1 NI ELVIS Datasheet Page 1

40

Fig. A.3.2 NI ELVIS Datasheet Page 2

41

Fig. A.3.3 NI ELVIS Datasheet Page 3

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REFERENCES

1. www.parallax.com/dl/docs/prod/acc/SharpGP2D12Snrs.pdf

2. http://www.acroname.com/robotics/info/articles/sharp/sharp.html

3. Electric Machines: Theory, Operating Applications, and Controls, 2/e,

Charles I. Hubert, Pearson Education, 2002, (ISBN 8131708020, 9788131708026)

4. LabVIEW Basics I & II manuals by NI

5. Analog

electronics

with

LabVIEW

(National

Instruments

virtual

instrumentation series - Virtual Instrumentation Series, National instruments), Kenneth L. Ashley, Prentice Hall PTR, 2003, (ISBN0130470651, 9780130470652)

6. Integrated Electronics, Millman & Halkias, Tata McGraw-Hill, 2001

(ISBN 0074622455, 9780074622452)

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