Project
| # | Title | Team Members | TA | Documents | Sponsor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 | Whiteboard Assistant Robot |
Avneet Kaur Morris Yu Saj Patel |
Junyan Bai | design_document1.pdf proposal1.pdf |
|
| Team Members: - Saj Patel (spate709) - Avneet Kaur (avneetk2) - Morris Yu (morrisy3) # Problem Whiteboards are still commonly used in classrooms, labs, and meeting rooms, but adding information to them usually requires someone to stand at the board and write everything by hand. This can interrupt a presentation or discussion because the presenter has to turn away from the group to copy information onto the board. It also creates extra work when content already exists digitally. In addition, a large vertical whiteboard can be difficult to use for people who may not be able to comfortably reach or write across the entire board. Our goal is to create a portable robot that can attach to a whiteboard and automatically write or erase user-provided content, allowing information to be placed on the whiteboard without requiring a person to physically write it. # Solution The project focuses on developing a robot that can write on and erase a whiteboard automatically using the information given by the user. The user would be able to provide the content by typing it in or using voice input. The robot would attach to the whiteboard using magnets and move across the surface with the help of wheels and servo motors. By adjusting the direction and speed of the wheels, the robot would be able to travel horizontally, vertically, and diagonally. A spring-loaded marker holder would be able to keep the marker pressed against the whiteboard with consistent pressure while the robot is writing. # Solution Components ## Subsystem 1 - Movement and attachment to the board This subsystem will focus on allowing the robot to attach itself securely to the whiteboard and move across the surface of the board vertically, horizontally, and diagonally. Magnets will be used to keep the robot attached to the board while the wheels and the motors will be used to control its movement. Wheel encoders and other feedback systems will be used to track and provide feedback for the distance travelled, allowing it to trace predetermined paths for letters. An IMU will also be added to help track its orientation and detect unexpected rotation or slipping, while the wheel encoders will be used to estimate the robot's displacement. Parts: Motor driver (DRV8833PWP) 2 DC motors with encoders (DFRobot FIT0482) IMU (Bosch BMI270) Wheels (Pololu 32×7 mm silicone wheel) (smaller wheel = less mm/counts per output shaft revolutions) Others: magnets ## Subsystem 2 - Writing and erasing This subsystem will focus on the robot writing the information provided by the user. The user will be able to enter text through a computer or other device, and the program will convert the text into the paths that the robot can follow. A small spring loaded system with a microservo will be used to ensure that the pen can be lifted during gaps, and consistently pressed on the board (via the spring) in case of uneven surfaces. A similar system can/will be used for the eraser. To ensure the wheels do not drive over text or erase unintended sections, we plan to have the robot move from left to right, top to bottom, with the pen at the top of the robot such that the robot is always below and to the right of the most recent character. Parts: Micro servo for marker Micro servo (TowerPro SG90) Others: Marker, Eraser, springs ## Subsystem 3 - Control and text processing The control subsystem receives text from the user and converts each character into a path that the robot can follow. Characters will be represented using a simplified vector or single lined font. The controller will then convert each line and curve into wheel movement commands, and the encoder and IMU measurements will be used in a feedback loop to correct the robot's motion while it writes when necessary. Parts: ESP-32 (ESP32-S3-WROOM-1-N8) Others: PCB, Wifi/bluetooth connection # Criterion For Success The project will be considered successful if the robot can: - Remain attached to a steel-backed whiteboard without external support, including when it moves. - Move in two dimensions across the whiteboard, including horizontal, vertical, and diagonal motion, with little to no slipping. - Be able to receive some sort of text for it to recognize and write out via the pathing of the robot, whether it is through text, audio, or another format wirelessly. - Be able to write recognizable letters of the alphabet (a-z) - Raise and lower the marker automatically with a spring loaded system to maintain good contact, and prevent strokes outside the letters. - Erase the board completely when done. |
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