Meat and Potatoes

1
Meat and Potatoes

• Micromouse 2006

2
Team Introduction

• Aaron Fujimoto
• Alex DeAngelis
• Alex Zamora
• Mike Manzano
• Tyson Seto-Mook

3
Brief Overview

• Micromouse
• Design
• Problems and Solutions
• Outstanding Problems and Solutions
• A Brief Demo

4
Original Overall Design

• Designed for flexibility
• Adjustable Sensor Array
• Horizontal Alignment
• Vertical alignment
• Top-down Sensors
• 1.8 Stepper Motor
• Lightweight, as little metal as possible
• Balsa Wood
• Breadboard / Perfboard Approach

5
Initial Goals

• Create a moving mouse
• No sensors involvement
• Create a mouse with alignment
• Center in-between walls
• Create a Wall Hugging mouse
• Left and Right Hugger
• Create a Center-Seeking Mouse
• Go to California

6
Structure of Designs and Decisions

• A compact mouse
• Smaller moment of inertia for better turning
• Keep center of gravity close to turning axis
• Keep motors close together to minimize getting
  hung up on walls
• Sensor Placement
• From 10 sensors to 12 sensors

7
Final Status

• Weve come a long way

8
Final Status

• Center-Seeking Mouse
• Made it to California, 9th place
• Etched Everything
• Two Additional Top-down sensors
• Many, many small adjustments discussed in the
  next section

9
Problems and Solutions

• Setting up Group Meetings
• Conflicting Schedule
• Lack of Organization
• Usage of wrong perfboard
• Non-metal coating
• Solder didnt stick to board
• Switch in parallel to circuit, instead of in
  series
• Short Circuit instead of Open Circuit
• Melted Battery Pack

10
Problems and Solutions

• Original Hardware Organization
• Disorganized, Wires everywhere!
• No LEDS for troubleshooting
• Mosfets broken? Motor broken? Sensor?
• Screwing/Mounting in a proper manner
• Motors not screwed in tight enough, etc
• No Acceleration/Deceleration
• Stopping/Frantic Stepping
• Sensor Spacing
• Back up code constantly

11
Outstanding Problems Suggestions

• Hardware
• Etching
• LEDS
• Sensor Placement, and Double checking circuitry
• Software
• Acceleration
• Alignment
• Program to check all sensors
• Make lots of Backups

12
Demo

• Watch our mouse in action!
• Look at the Pretty movement!
• See the pretty UH Logo!
• Dance little Alex dance!

13
Questions

• Anyone?
• ?