My aim is to produce a line follower robot with a bump sensor

1547 Words4 Pages

My aim is to produce a line follower robot with a bump sensor

which can reverse if it goes off course.

Research: Line follower robots are most commonly produced to

take part in competitions. The purpose of the line follower robot is

to follow a line. The robot will only follow a line that is black

against a white background or a white line against a black background.

This is so that the sensors can distinguish a clear difference in

light and so the robot can trace and follow the line. From my research

I have decided to use infrared LED emitters (phototransistors). They

are fairly cheap but work relatively well.

To research into the project I was going to make I looked on the

internet to find other examples of the line follower robots. I found

many different variations and concentrated on the components used. I

looked into books and gathered information on how to assemble the

circuit on the breadboard and researched on how the components work.

I have researched on the type of amplifiers I could use for the line

follower. I will use an amplifier to increase the current as I am

using low voltage. I looked on the Maplins website (www.maplins.co.uk)

and decided to use the LM386 because it is suitable for low voltage

applications and it is relatively cheap.

Specification:

* The robot has to be able to follow straight lines, curves and turn

around corners

* It has to follow a black line that is against a white background

* It must work using one 9V battery

* The robot must be able to reverse from any obstacle it hits

* It should be able to function on its own (No help needed to guide

it)

* It should be small and light, easy to move and pick up if veered

off course.

* Should indicate what direction it will turn

Generation of possible solutions:

I could use 2 light dependant resistors to detect the difference in

light reflected from the line. It would react quite slowly

I could use two phototransistors which emit infrared beams onto the

line. When less light is detected on the phototransistors there is

less resistance thus allowing the motors to move.

Sub-system development:

My circuit had two designs combined. First is the line follower, which

detects light and moves according to the line, and the other part is a

bump sensor which when it stumbles across an obstacle it reverses,

this is ...

... middle of paper ...

...llowed the light. I also used an ammeter to check the current

passing through the circuit. This confirmed that my circuit was

working correctly. When I covered the phototransistors the there was

around 0.4 A passing through. However, when I applied light onto the

phototransistors (using an ordinary LED) I noticed that the reading on

the ammeter was 8.6 A. this proves my theory that covering the

phototransistors, it increases the resistance.

Evaluation: My circuit works well and follows my specification.

The motors move forward when light is placed and it and slow down when

no light is present on the phototransistors.

* Robot has the ability to move in s straight line, around curves

and turn corners.

* With the photo transistors it can follow a black line against a

white background.

* It works using a 9V battery

* It has a relay which reverses the direction of the motors turning

so it can move away from obstacles

* It doesn’t require anyone to move it or guide it using a remote

control.

* It is light and easy to move so when it goes of course I am able

to put it back on the line

* Has two LEDs which indicate what direction it is turning

More about My aim is to produce a line follower robot with a bump sensor

Open Document