Precision mechatronics lab robot development

Abstract

This thesis presents the results from a modification of a previously existing research project titled the Intelligent Pothole Repair Vehicle (IPRV). The direction of the research in this thesis was changed toward the development of an industrially based mobile robot. The principal goal of this work was the demonstration of the Precision Mechatronics Lab (PML) robot. This robot should be capable of traversing any known distance while maintaining a minimal position error. An optical correction capability has been added with the addition of a webcam and the appropriate image processing software. The primary development goal was the ability to maintain the accuracy and performance of the robot with inexpensive and low-resolution hardware. Combining the two abilities of dead-reckoning and optical correction on a single platform will yield a robot with the ability to accurately travel any distance. As shown in this thesis, the additional capability of off-loading its visual processing tasks to a remote computer allows the PML robot to be developed with less expensive hardware. The majority of the literature research presented in this paper is in the area of visual processing. Various methods used in industry to accomplish robotic mobility, optical processing, image enhancement, and target interception have been presented. This background material is important in understanding the complexity of this field of research and the potential application of the work conducted in this thesis. The methods shown in this research can be extended to other small robotic vehicles, with two separate drive wheels. An empirical method based upon system identification was used to develop the motion controllers. This research demonstrates a successful combination of a dead-reckoning capability, an optical correction method, and a simplified controller methodology capable of accurate path following. Implementation of this procedure could be extended to multiple and inexpensive robots used in a manufacturing setting.