Environmental Data Collection System

Our group has a strong passion and background in robotics, so we wanted to implement an automated robot design. This robot comes from a kit that initially merely moved and could avoid basic hazards. We modified it by adding multiple sensors and had it send live data to our laptops in order to suit it towards a goal of automated documentation of the environment. We built it by updating the code for the robot in order to have the robot display the proximity of objects to a laptop. We then added more sensors, as well as a second ultrasound sensor to give the robot 360 degree proximity sensing. We combined the Arduino code for each of the sensors to one code so that we can simultaneously graph all of the data being read. A lot of the times we would find ourselves with many small issues like code not uploading, hardware inconveniences, and conceptual struggles. These consumed plenty of time as we had to deal with these all throughout the entire project, but nonetheless we were able to overcome a large majority of them with our combined debugging skill. We were most proud of how much we were able to get done in such a short amount of time. We were surprised at how many sensors we were able to get the code and connect all of the hardware for, and how well we could get all of the data together. Through this project, we learned much about the Arduino IDE than how much we began with, exposing us to another variety of programming environment and libraries to differently-implemented sensors. At the same time, the building and wiring of the robot allowed us to strengthen key theoretical concepts we practiced within class all the while learning about the applications and inner-workings of new components. Some future ideas that we had for the Environmental Data Collection System is to allow it to map out an area by automatically driving around and plotting points in which it detects an object through the ultrasound sensors. We also planned to incorporate a method for it to carry small packages or samples of the environment, as well as incorporating a GPS system to help with mapping and navigation.

Built With

• arduino
• elegoo
• kits