Senior Project Design Senior Project Design ReviewReview

Remote Visual Surveillance Vehicle (RVSV)

Manoj BhambwaniTameka Thomas

Project DescriptionProject Description

• Remote controlled vehicle with mounted Internet camera

• Both the vehicle and camera motion is controlled by user via an Internet interface which sends the signal through the serial port to a transceiver

• Real-time video from the Internet camera is received through the same interface via the Ethernet connection to a wireless router

Project Design Project Design IntroductionIntroduction

The project design is split into the following modules:

• Radio Signal Processing• Transmission – this includes the Java Applet and the serial

port transceiver• Receiving – this includes the microcontroller and the

transceiver circuit which it controls• Vehicle Control• Camera Control• Obstacle Detection

Project Design: Project Design: TransmissionTransmission

• The transceiver circuit includes a transceiver IC which modulates and controls transmission of the desired signal, a Max232 which converts the RS-232 signal to TTL logic and a RS-232 connector

• This unit uses an AC wall adapter for the power supply in order to minimize circuit and need for batteries

• The Internet interface uses two java applets, one to display the video and one to control the camera and vehicle movement

• The video display applet is a feature of the Internet camera and is not controlled by the user in any way

• The motion control applet consists of a read-only text box and 8 buttons total, each button sends a separate control signal to the serial port and the text box is to alert the user of any obstacles or causes of an incomplete transaction

Project Design: Project Design: Transmission,Transmission,Rough Draft GUIRough Draft GUI

Project Design: Project Design: Transmission,Transmission,Final Draft GUI ConceptFinal Draft GUI Concept

Video Stream

ForwardLeft

ForwardForward

Right

BackwardLeft

BackwardBackward

Right

ClockwiseCounter

Clockwise

RVSV Control

Obstacle Detection Notice Bar

Project Design: Project Design: Transmission,Transmission,Current Transmitter Current Transmitter ModuleModule

Project Design: Project Design: ReceivingReceiving

• The transceiver circuit consists of the transceiver module and a microcontroller which processes the signal

• The microcontroller will determine what movement is to be made and will take info from the obstacle detection circuit to determine what moves can be made

• The microcontroller will also be in charge of signaling back to the user via the transceiver if a close obstacle has caused the vehicle not to move

Project Design: Project Design: Receiving, Current Receiving, Current Receiver ModuleReceiver Module

Power Supply

Project Design: Project Design: Receiving, Receiving, Microcontroller DesignMicrocontroller Design

• Microcontroller will process the data received and will also decide if the vehicle movement can continue to be made

• For camera movement, the microcontroller will pass on information to another microcontroller

DataReceived fromTransmission

Camera or VehicleMovement?

Send Data to CameraControl Microprocessor

What vehiclemovement is beingmade and can it be

made

Camera Vehicle

Send signal to makedesired movement

Datareceived

fromObstacleDetection

Send message back touser that movement can

not complete due toobstacle

Can’t Move Can Move

Project Design: Project Design: Vehicle ControlVehicle Control

• Microcontroller used to control the vehicle is the same as the one discussed in the previous module

• There are two motors being controlled• Drive motor – handles forward and backward

motion• Steering motor – handles left and right motion• Both motors are controlled using H-bridges

• Power design used is same as the one discussed in the previous module

Project Design: Vehicle Project Design: Vehicle Control, Work in Control, Work in ProgressProgress

Project Design:Project Design:Camera ControlCamera Control

• Microcontroller will control the servo motor which will handle the camera movement

• The camera will be mounted on top of the servo, allowing it a 180º viewing range

• The servo and microcontroller use the main vehicle power supply and the camera has it’s own

• The power supply for the camera is completed and is still being tested

Project Design: Camera Project Design: Camera Control, Power SupplyControl, Power Supply

Project Design:Project Design: Obstacle Detection Obstacle Detection

• The obstacle detection circuit uses the Sharp Distance Measurement Sensor (GP2D120) which outputs a higher voltage based on the closeness of the obstacle

• The sensor connects the base of a transistor which will alert the microcontroller of an obstacle by feeding it a logic 0

Restrictions due to Restrictions due to Design: Design: NOT SET IN NOT SET IN STONESTONE

• The decision to use a servo motor for the camera movement restricts our viewing angle to only 180º

• Operating range by specs will be approximately 150 ft

• Battery life so far, according to our testing results, is 2 hours

Implementation & TestImplementation & Test

• Flow of implementation:• Serial Port Transceiver prototype• Vehicle Transceiver prototype• Interface vehicle transceiver with motion control• Interface all with camera motion control• Implement Obstacle detection and error encoding

• Each step will include several levels of testing, where applicable• Functional – Does it work?• Life – How long do I have the power?• Stress – How do I handle rough-housing?• Range – How far can I go?

Current StatusCurrent Status

• Summer Completion:• Camera Power Supply prototype built and currently

finishing testing• Functional testing for: transceivers, serial

communication (write only), obstacle detection, steering motor & camera motion motor

• First draft of Java Applet for serial communication• Currently working on:

• Signal Encoding• Serial Communication, read & write• Microcontroller for receiver, vehicle & camera control• Drive & Steering motor• Vehicle power supply

Possible ShowstoppersPossible Showstoppers

• Vehicle modification – due to the fact that mechanics are our weakest point and that this is a redesign of an existing vehicle frame, this could possible cause us the most headache• Solution – ability to backtrack, purchased two

vehicles so that if one modification doesn’t work there is room for redesign

• Power, power, power – not really a showstopper, as much as it is a “showpauser”• Solution – we’re currently working on various ideas

on how to minimize the amount of batteries needed

Questions, Comments, Questions, Comments, Concerns…Concerns…