Challenge
Build an autonomous rover that orients itself against a grid of reflective tape on the ground, then performs path-finding tasks to reach other locations within the grid.
Primary Components
- PIC Microcontroller
- Optical/infrared sensors
- Servo motors
- XBee wireless modules
- Reflective tape
Mapper builds on the concepts covered in CS 100 by adding a grid-based navigation system. Bottom-facing sensors detect the location of the reflective tape below the vehicle, which is sent to a microcontroller and translated into instructions that maintain the rover’s alignment to the grid. Meanwhile, side-mounted infrared sensors warn the rover of nearby obstacles that it must navigate around. Mapper can also be operated remotely by sending instructions from a PC to the rover’s XBee wireless modules.