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Design Phase: Aquatic Project with Multiple Parameters - Looking for Advice
PuddleJumper:
Ahoy!
I have recently finished meeting with a group of friends and we believe we have finished what we think we want conceptually. If I seem a bit vague in some areas it may or not be intentional.
The concept is this: Design a Lead Bot and 5 Drone Bots; each bot should fully waterproof and able to perform a set of given actions detailed below.
LEAD BOT:
#1 - Remain Stationary except by RC command
#2 - Send 3 Commands to Drone BOTS
A. Spread out from LEAD BOT
B. Begin Programmed Actions
C. Converge on LEAD BOT
#3 - Send Beacon Signal to DRONE BOTS to allow them to stay within a designated range.
#4 - Send commands to DRONES based on RC inputs from USER
DRONE BOT:
#1 - Spread away from LEAD BOT
#2 - Converge on LEAD BOT
#3 - Move in a random predefined motions (For example Move N would be a predefined motion, and wiggle could be another)
#4 - Accept Signal from LEAD BOT for RANGE and COMMANDS
#5 - Have an RC override
OTHER USEFUL PARAMETERS:
* DRONE could sense when it was trapped by or collided with a potentially dangers item (not just running into a chute of grass
* DRONE will need a range of approximately 25 yards from LEAD, but up to 50 would be ideal
* DRONE should also keep a safety range of 1 yard from other drones.
* LEAD and DRONE must be 100% water proof, and should be fairly resistant to minor bumps and bruises.
* DRONE and LEAD chassis must be relatively small - 8" x 4" x 3" or less would be ideal
* DRONE and LEAD should use metal props for movement
* DRONE and LEAD should move at speeds of 1-3 feet per second. Variable speed would be nice.
* Chassis should be weighted enough to allow for some stability in rougher water (read lake on windy day, not ocean)
Please feel free to ask more questions if you are curious about function and form. As of right now, I am a bit Leary of giving out the use (nothing illegal, or unethical).
I am looking for advice across the board - from materials to sensors to motors. Any past experiences? Right now, we are leaning towards a plastic chassis with a lead keel for stability, low frequency RC transmitters, a mercury switch for one of the predefined motions (tipping into a dive position), rechargeable Nihm batteries (need suggestions), and two small RC boat DC motors for the propollesion.
I am new to robots, have only built one and read two books. I can use any help you are willing to give.
Thanks any Advance,
PJ
amakusa:
definitely read the tutorial on waterproofing servo motors, bluetooth has a range of 25 to 35 ft I think wireless has a range of 33-100 yards, not sure what the under water range would be though. Variable speed for your motor can be achieved by a microcontroller, you could use IR if they are close together, although visibility in the water will effect its range. The rest of the spreading, converging and RC override can be programed. Your chose of material to use depends if you are going to use a swim bladder or not, if so you may want to use a material that matches the density of the water, and above all else talk to JonHyland I believe he is a member of this forum he has built a AUV already and would be a wealth of info to you
PuddleJumper:
I just finished watching the waterproofing video segment - I must say I am uber impressed by the wealth of knowledge, not only in that post, but in the over 100 post I have read this morning (my brain hurts). I will check out the HUV website as well, and hopefully he'll catch this post as well.
You post brought to light some things that I failed to mention in my original post.
#1. The BOT will have two parts: 1 being the on the surface "shell'. In the shell will be several things. The shell will contain a couple actuators to perform various activities (not yet decided upon)
#2. The BOT could infact house the "brain" and "eyes" and "mouth" in it's shell.
#3. The BOT's second part will be it's "drive train" (for lack of a better term). Underwater should be the propeller.
#4. A key feature of this BOT (the DRONE's anyway) will be to keep the "Drive Train and Chassis" and a horizontal level to the water, and have the shell lift to a 90 degree angle from that. (Picture a boat pointing it's nose to the bottom of a pool). I realized that this is gonna take some experimenting with weight and center of gravity, etc.
Well, thanks for taking a look... I am back to research mode.
amakusa:
so like two boat put together? one on top of the other? 90 degree- I'm picturing a sail? drive train? you should keep it simple with just a motor, maybe you should try experiments with an r/c boat?
PuddleJumper:
Two pictures... see if this helps. ???
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