Skills Used: Data Analysis, Teamwork, Problem Solving, Programming, Troubleshooting, Product Design, Mechanical Design
Project Dates: Spring Semester 2018
Additional Documentation Available: Yes, reports and calculations
Project Description:
My very first engineering class presented teams with a task of designing and building a Hovercraft that could autonomously navigate a black line using a LEGO Mindstorms controller. We were specifically told that a round hovercraft design was unstable and would not work well, and to move onto other designs. I however wanted a challenge and convinced my team to make a round design work, despite the warnings. We were able to use some computer server fans from the class spare parts bin for propulsion, some RC car batteries from a friend of mine, and a computer CPU fan from my own stockpile.
Project Results:
A round design did indeed prove to be difficult to steer around a course successfully, but with some clever electronics and programming we ended up being the only team to successfully complete the course, round hovercraft or not. I introduced the team to PWM control and used automotive relays (controlled by the LEGO Mindstorms unit) to throttle the 2 propulsion fans proportionally to the deviation from course. This required the largest LEGO program anyone had ever seen, and it used calculus to continuously solve for the necessary throttling of each fan, then compute the on and off time necessary to achieve that throttle level. It sounded absolutely hilarious clicking and clacking away as the mechanical automotive relays clicked rapidly to the changing conditions and performing PWM control to the fans.
