I've long had an idea for a project, that I have been kicking around. The project is to design and build an tele-operated semi-autonomous detecting rover, which will drive up and down a beach, or in a desert area, or in an open field, all the while scanning the ground it traverses for metal, and uploading finds to the operator's remote control PC laptop.
The idea is to have the detected locations wirelessly sent to a laptop with a nice GUI front-end, that is using Google Maps to display GPS coordinates.
I plan on offering this design open source on an as going basis, to allow for others to contribute, and make suggestions. I plan on not only offering the entire design for the detector, but for the rover, and all hardware and software involved from the PC to the detector itself. This includes Eagle PCBs and schematics, CAD drawings, source code, etc. Nothing will be hidden.
As a quick rundown on the hardware and software I plan on using for the build, this is what I'm looking at using so far:
1) Parallax Propeller Prototype USB board with sensors for GPS, Digital Compass, Temp/Humidity, Barometric Pressure, Gyroscope, 3 axis Accelerometer. The software for this will be done in 12blocks to illustrate use of graphical programming on Propeller.
2) XMOS controlled metal detecting front-end.
3) DSP Robotics Flowstone graphical programming software for PC-Based GUI frontend.
4) Gas Powered power source (small 2kw generator). Battery bank for controls.
5) Phidget SBC2 running Debian Linux. Phidget GPS, Spatializer 3/3/3, 4ch Encoder, 4ch solid state relay board, IR sensor module, 1 Motor Amplifier boards X3, Text LCD display, Encoder Module.
6) Wireless interfacing from PC laptop to Rover using standard Wifi home router.
7) Xbox 360 wireless controller operator frontend. Rumble control for detected metal or terrain.
8) HTPC media PC running Windows XP or 7
9) Android based Cell phone for 3G internet connectivity.
10) 80/20 Extruded aluminum frame for hardware mounting, 5ft x 3ft
11) Detector Boom arm with rotation, adjustable height, and arm extension for detector coil.
The idea is to have the detected locations wirelessly sent to a laptop with a nice GUI front-end, that is using Google Maps to display GPS coordinates.
I plan on offering this design open source on an as going basis, to allow for others to contribute, and make suggestions. I plan on not only offering the entire design for the detector, but for the rover, and all hardware and software involved from the PC to the detector itself. This includes Eagle PCBs and schematics, CAD drawings, source code, etc. Nothing will be hidden.
As a quick rundown on the hardware and software I plan on using for the build, this is what I'm looking at using so far:
1) Parallax Propeller Prototype USB board with sensors for GPS, Digital Compass, Temp/Humidity, Barometric Pressure, Gyroscope, 3 axis Accelerometer. The software for this will be done in 12blocks to illustrate use of graphical programming on Propeller.
2) XMOS controlled metal detecting front-end.
3) DSP Robotics Flowstone graphical programming software for PC-Based GUI frontend.
4) Gas Powered power source (small 2kw generator). Battery bank for controls.
5) Phidget SBC2 running Debian Linux. Phidget GPS, Spatializer 3/3/3, 4ch Encoder, 4ch solid state relay board, IR sensor module, 1 Motor Amplifier boards X3, Text LCD display, Encoder Module.
6) Wireless interfacing from PC laptop to Rover using standard Wifi home router.
7) Xbox 360 wireless controller operator frontend. Rumble control for detected metal or terrain.
8) HTPC media PC running Windows XP or 7
9) Android based Cell phone for 3G internet connectivity.
10) 80/20 Extruded aluminum frame for hardware mounting, 5ft x 3ft
11) Detector Boom arm with rotation, adjustable height, and arm extension for detector coil.
12) Baracuda Pulse Induction metal detector circuit
13) Gamma 6000 VLF metal detector circuit
14) 13" Wheelchair Motors
15) 3rd axle, non-driven for dead reckoning
16) DSP Robotics Flowboard for relay and ESTOP I/O control.
17) Pololu 24V23 amplifiers for the wheelchair motors.
Feel free to let me know what you think. I'm open to any and all suggestions.
1 comment:
James,
How can I get a hold of you? We're working on the EXACT same thing here and I think we could help each other. Please email me lakemcguire at mac dot com
-Lake
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