Development of personal area network (PAN) for mobile robot using bluetooth transceiver

The work presents the concept of providing a Personal Area Network (PAN) for microcontroller based mobile robots using Bluetooth transceiver. With the concept of replacing cable, low cost, low power consumption and communication range between 10m to 100m, Bluetooth is suitable for communication between mobile robots since most mobile robots are powered by batteries and have high mobility. The network aimed to support real-time control of up to two mobile robots from a master mobile robot through communication using Bluetooth transceiver. If a fast network radio link is implemented, a whole new world of possibilities is opened in the research of robotics control and Artificial Intelligence (AI) research works, sending real time image and information. Robots could communicate through obstacles or even through walls. Bluetooth Ad Hoc topology provides a simple communication between devices in close by forming PAN. A system contained of both hardware and software is designed to enable the robots to form a PAN and communicating, sharing information. Three microcontroller based mobile robots are built for this research work. Bluetooth Protocol Stack and mobile robot control architecture is implemented on a single microcontroller chip. The PAN enabled a few mobile robots to communicate with each other to complete a given task. The wireless communication between mobile robots is reliable based from the result of experiments carried out. Thus this is a platform for multi mobile robots system and Ad Hoc networking system. Results from experiments show that microcontroller based mobile robots can easily form a Bluetooth PAN and communicate with each other

Design of an embedded microcomputer based mini quadrotor UAV

This paper describes the design and realization of a mini quadrotor UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) that has been initiated in the Systems and Control Laboratory at the Computer and Automation Research institute of the Hungarian Academy of Science in collaboration with control departments of the Budapest University of Technology and Economics. The mini quadrotor UAV is intended to use in several areas such as camera-based air-surveillance, traffic control, environmental measurements, etc. The paper focuses upon the embedded microcomputer-based implementation of the mini UAV, describes the elements of the implementation, the tools realized for mathematical model building, as well as obtains a brief outline of the control design

Networking Heterogeneous Microcontroller based Systems through Universal Serial Bus

Networking heterogeneous embedded systems is a challenge. Every distributed embedded systems requires that the network is designed specifically considering the heterogeneity that exits among different Microcontroller based systems that are used in developing a distributed embedded system. Communication architecture, which considers the addressing of the individual systems, arbitration, synchronisation, error detection and control etc., needs to be designed considering a specific application. The issue of configuring the slaves has to be addressed. It is also important that the messages, flow of the messages across the individual ES systems must be designed. Every distributed embedded system is different and needs to be dealt with separately. This paper presents an approach that addresses various issues related to networking distributed embedded systems through use of universal serial bus communication protocol (USB). The approach has been applied to design a distributed embedded that monitors and controls temperatures within a Nuclear reactor system

Remote boot manager for Raspberry Pi cluster

Dissertação de mestrado em Engenharia Eletrónica Industrial e ComputadoresThe increasing applicability and integration of interconnected embedded systems (clusters) in bigger products and systems has been contributing for an increase in efficiency and utility of the later, due to the clusters’ fast processing and multitasking abilities, and even their low power consumption. With the use of those clusters, data acquirement, communication and other small yet important tasks are executed faster and more efficiency. Given this, it has become obvious that being able to supervise, manage and control these clusters is essential to ensure the proper functioning of the whole system. After doing a thorough research on papers and products that aim to manage and communicate with multiple microcontrollers, the conclusion taken is that none fulfil the requirements proposed in thisMaster’s thesis, which are to communicate, detect boot errors and burn a desired OS at any time in each of the cluster’s Raspberry Pi. The aim of this Master’s thesis was to develop a Central Monitoring System for Raspberry Pi clusters which takes into account mainly these three requirements. A permanent TCP/IP connection with each of the cluster’s Raspberry Pi was established, for data and command exchanging. A GUI was also developed, which displays updated information about each of the Raspberry Pi and allows for a easy management of each of them individually or all together. The GUI also makes it possible to upload and download any OS to an FTP server, to later be burned to a Raspberry Pi. The integration of this Monitoring System in already existing products can have very good implications and improve performance and efficiency, as the work, cost and time of maintenance have been reduced. The whole system becomes more versatile, as the cluster can change its role, by burning a different OS on demand.A crescente aplicabilidade e integração de sistemas embebidos interconectados (clusters) em produtos e sistemas maiores tem vindo a contribuir para um aumento da eficiência e utilidade dos últimos, devido à rapidez de processamento e capacidade de fazer várias tarefas ao mesmo tempo, e até ao seu baixo consumo de energia. Com o uso destesclusters, aquisição de data, comunicação e outras tarefas pequenas mas importantes são executadas mais rapidamente e com mais eficácia. Dado isto, tornou-se óbvio que ser capaz de supervisionar, gerir e controlar esses clusters é essencial para assegurar o bom funcionamento de todo o sistema. Depois de fazer uma pesquisa intensiva em papers e produtos que visam gerir e comunicar com vários microcontroladores, a conlusão a que se chega é que nenhum cumpre os requisitos propostos nesta Dissertação, que são comunicar, detetar a ocorrência de erros de arranque e instalar qualquer sistema operativo, a qualquer momento, em cada Raspberry Pi do cluster. O objetivo desta Dissertação foi desenvolver um Sistema de Monitorização Central para clusters de Raspberry Pi que tem em conta principalmente estes três requisitos. Foi estabelecida uma conexão TCP/IP permanente com cada Raspberry Pi do cluster, para troca de dados e comandos. Também foi desenvolvida uma Interface Gráfica do Utilizador, que mostra informação atualizada sobre todas as Raspberry PI do cluster e permite uma gestão individual ou coletiva fácil. A Interface Gráfica do Utilizador também faz com que seja possível fazer o upload e download de qualquer Sistema Operativo para um servidor FTP, para mais tarde ser instalado em qualquer Raspberry PI. A integração deste Sistema de Monitorização em produtos já existentes pode ter implicações muito positivas e melhorar eficácia e eficiência, uma vez que o trabalho, tempo e custo de manutenção foram reduzidos. O sistema completo torna-se mais versátil, uma vez que o cluster pode mudar a sua função, ao instalar um Sistema Operativo quando solicitado

Wireless sensors and IoT platform for intelligent HVAC control

Energy consumption of buildings (residential and non-residential) represents approximately 40% of total world electricity consumption, with half of this energy consumed by HVAC systems. Model-Based Predictive Control (MBPC) is perhaps the technique most often proposed for HVAC control, since it offers an enormous potential for energy savings. Despite the large number of papers on this topic during the last few years, there are only a few reported applications of the use of MBPC for existing buildings, under normal occupancy conditions and, to the best of our knowledge, no commercial solution yet. A marketable solution has been recently presented by the authors, coined the IMBPC HVAC system. This paper describes the design, prototyping and validation of two components of this integrated system, the Self-Powered Wireless Sensors and the IOT platform developed. Results for the use of IMBPC in a real building under normal occupation demonstrate savings in the electricity bill while maintaining thermal comfort during the whole occupation schedule.QREN SIDT [38798]; Portuguese Foundation for Science & Technology, through IDMEC, under LAETA [ID/EMS/50022/2013

Controller Area Network Based Distributed Control for Autonomous Vehicles

The goal of this project was to evaluate the potential of a controller area network (CAN bus) to be used as the communication network for a distributed control system on an autonomous agricultural vehicle. The prototype system utilized microcontroller-driven nodes to act as control points along a CAN bus. Messages were transferred to the steering, transmission, and hitch control nodes via a task computer. The task computer utilized global positioning system data to generate appropriate control commands. Laboratory and field testing demonstrated that each of the control nodes could function simultaneously over the CAN bus. Results showed that the task computer adequately applied a feedback control model to the system and achieved guidance accuracy levels well within the desired range. Testing also demonstrated the system’s ability to complete normal field operations, such as headland turning and implement control

System on fabrics utilising distributed computing

The main vision of wearable computing is to make electronic systems an important part of everyday clothing in the future which will serve as intelligent personal assistants. Wearable devices have the potential to be wearable computers and not mere input/output devices for the human body. The present thesis focuses on introducing a new wearable computing paradigm, where the processing elements are closely coupled with the sensors that are distributed using Instruction Systolic Array (ISA) architecture. The thesis describes a novel, multiple sensor, multiple processor system architecture prototype based on the Instruction Systolic Array paradigm for distributed computing on fabrics. The thesis introduces new programming model to implement the distributed computer on fabrics. The implementation of the concept has been validated using parallel algorithms. A real-time shape sensing and reconstruction application has been implemented on this architecture and has demonstrated a physical design for a wearable system based on the ISA concept constructed from off-the-shelf microcontrollers and sensors. Results demonstrate that the real time application executes on the prototype ISA implementation thus confirming the viability of the proposed architecture for fabric-resident computing devices

The design and construction of electronic motor control and network interface hardware for advance concept urban mobility vehicles

Thesis (S.B.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, 2008.Includes bibliographical references (leaf 25).Over the past several years, the Smart Cities Group at MIT's Media Lab has engaged in research to develop several advanced concepts for vehicles to improve urban mobility. This research has focused on developing a modular vehicle architecture, centered around the concept of the self-contained Wheel Robot. The goal is to develop Wheel Robot systems in which all power, transmission, suspension, and steering functions are incorporated into self-contained units with a simple, standardized interface providing for mechanical mounting, electrical power distribution, and access to the vehicle control network. This thesis outlines my research and design work implementing several electronic power and control systems that contribute to ongoing Wheel Robot development efforts. The designs for a high-current motor controller and two electronic sensing and control interfaces are described, and several strategies for further control systems development are proposed.by Bryan L. Morrissey.S.B