Team members:
- Martin Carbajal
- Mike Mellman
- Curtis Porter
- Erik Zurinkas
Our team proposes to create an electronically controlled lawn mower robot that will autonomously mow a lawn with minimal user input. We would like our robot to be able to move on its own. The lawn mower will be powered by two servo motors on central wheels that can move independently of each other, and are controlled by a microcontroller. The mower will have on-board batteries that can be charged at a solar powered base station. We want to have the solar panel charge a car battery, and then have the car battery charge the mower's batteries.
The mower will move in a predetermined pattern, as opposed to a random motion. The initial programming of the pattern will be done with a joystick to control the mower on the required path. The mower will record the distance and heading with a 3D accelerometer, compass, and wheel movements into memory. After that, the mower will be able to track its position on the path any time it mows. It will wirelessly transmit its location to the base station, which will allow for interruption and resumption of the mowing pattern (if the batteries run out).