ECE 477 Digital Systems Senior Design Project Spring 2010

DIGITAL OBJECT GATHERER

Digijock(ette)-Strength Digital System DesignTM

DOG is an autonomous robot which :•Simulates the behavior of dog fetching•Tracks a thrown object, picks it up, and returns it to initial GPS location•Avoids obstacles using sonar sensors•Recognizes an object using a camera•Follows object using computer vision algorithm

DOG is an autonomous robot which :•Simulates the behavior of dog fetching•Tracks a thrown object, picks it up, and returns it to initial GPS location•Avoids obstacles using sonar sensors•Recognizes an object using a camera•Follows object using computer vision algorithm

(L-R)

Beau Morrison

Seraj Dosenbach

Greg Lammers

Ananya Panja

DESIGN ASPECTS

System Block Diagram

PCB Design

PCB Top Layer

PCB Bottom Layer

•Getting correct GPS headers in order to return home

•Making the DOG less prone to sonar echoes while avoiding obstacles

•Driving the DOG straight while balancing its body

•Lifting up the heavy neck using relatively weak servos

•Designing efficient power circuitry to withstand 60A drawn by the motors

•Training the DOG to track different objects

•Getting correct GPS headers in order to return home

•Making the DOG less prone to sonar echoes while avoiding obstacles

•Driving the DOG straight while balancing its body

•Lifting up the heavy neck using relatively weak servos

•Designing efficient power circuitry to withstand 60A drawn by the motors

•Training the DOG to track different objects