Isaac Hilton

UNIT 16:
AUTOMATED
COMPUTER
SYSTEMS
Task 1: Automated systems
Identify the features
The NXT module has 3 output ports and 4 input ports. In the given setup, there
are 4 different sensors: Touch, sound, light, ultrasonic. These sensors allow the
robot to know if there are object in its surroundings and have it do multiple tasks
to make sure it does not encounter them or so it can use them, depending on
what its programmed to do.

Touch Sensor: enables the robot to feel and react to the environment around it.

Ultrasonic Sensor: Enables the robot to see, measure distance to an object, and
react to movement.

Light Sensor: Enables the robot to detect light and colour.

Sound Sensor: Enables the robot to hear and react to sound.

Strengths:
A strength of having the hardware is to get the robot to be advanced enough to
be able to have different simulated approaches to scenarios. As a brief example
if the robot were to be on a path going forward and an object was in the way
then the ultrasonic sensor would detect it and adjust the path to make sure they
do not collide.

An advantage of having a NXT is that the way the manufactures made so the
creator can modify and construct anything they choose making a good product
although it can only do as many jobs as the creator is capable of to the extent of
it being AI.

The NXT module is relatively easy to program and is very useful as you can use
the same program on more than one robot using a USB or the Bluetooth method.

Weaknesses:
The build of the NXT is reliant on Lego so the structural contents are going to be
fragile and easy to break, the Lego used in not all bricks so the Lego is able to
move. In this It is a sturdy and useful bit of hardware.

The NXT is all built off the imagination of the creator for the system to work
though is through the knowledge of coding and that Is nothing to do with
imagination but calculations a robust testing for the programming.

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Flowol 4
This is a software system designed to simulate real life scenarios to show if what
was made would work. To use Flowol 4 you will need to create a flow chart for a
system that is to be used then tested on situations like a walking robot. But to
have this work the user will need to know how to handle moving parts of the
simulation.

The software has a selection where the user will choose the command and drop
it into the place they think is correct or need it to go. This is a good way of
having the setup for the user because it is easy to use and will make it a fast way
of making the simulation the user wants to create.

Below is showing the setup I used to create the traffic light simulation, and gives
some information about it.

Flowol 4 program for a traffic light Details

simulation
These are the commands is made
for the traffic light system, it
consists of timings, and inputs for
the different colourings of: Red,
Yellow and Green.
The delays were representing
timings for the cars to travel across
the bridge in the simulation.

Design for an automated system

Purpose and user requirements (1B.P2)

The robot will fulfil the state purpose by being able to move left, right, forward,
backwards and calculating an adjustment for the path its on if theres an object
in its way and to demonstrate the there are other options if the creator wants to
use the system for different situations. And the path that has been set will be

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modified by the additional hardware sensors that will include the extra code used
to make sure the robot doesnt collide with any objects in its way.

The user must be able to accommodate the robot and have the full experience of
what a automated system can do, this will be done by the programming I have
set up for the robot or by the Bluetooth connection method via smart phone.

Task 2: Design for an automated vehicle.

System hardware diagram

Component Image Description

NXT Module This is a similar idea to a
CPU and is where all the
created programming in
put and had a control pad
for a Bluetooth
connection.
Touch Sensor This is to check if there is
anything in front of the
robot and if it has claws,
tests if theres something
between the claws.
Ultrasonic Sensor Sound If programmed correctly,
Sensor the robot will move
towards or away from the
sounds depending on what
its program is.
Light Sensor This sensor detects light
making it possible, if
programmed correctly, for
the robot to follow a light
path.
Sound Sensor This can check if there is
something in the way from
a certain range.

Motor This is a motor that

rotates its surface and in
doing so, when theres an
object attached, it can
move the object.

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System Hardware

Ultrasonic
Sensor

Motion
sensor

Motor

NXT
Module

Sound
Sensor

Constraints

The Mindstorms NXT is software that I to program the NXT module, it is a good as
the user makes it, the options available can be useful depending on how the user
requires and uses it. There are tutorials that give basic step-by-step introduction
and instructions.

This software can have the robot do mediocre or much more advanced
movement but it all relies on the ability of the creator. The paths can be modified
by the hardware if correctly programmed.

One of the benefits of using this software is the trial and error method, this can
easily be done because the user can just modify the program when needed and if
needed can use completely different code and substitute the existing program to
better suit the robot.

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Test plan
What I will test How I will test it
NXT Module I will test the NXT Module by
running some predefined code on
it to test whether it send the
correct information.
Motor Testing the motors reaction and
productivity to the main module
of the NXT
Code for I will test my code by running it
movement and observing what the vehicle
does.

Alternative solutions
Alternatively, I could have designed a 5-wheeled robot with 1 motor. I have
realised that some of my equipment were not fully functional so I had to
compromise by only using on motor

Justification of design
I decided to use one wheel because the wheel was just slowing it down and
increased the amount of the weight of the main part of the structure had to
receive making it faster.

The second problem I had was the equipment no fully functional meaning that I
had to increase the speed and sensitivity of the parts to make sure they were
more suited in doing what they were tasked to complete.

The lack of effort put in by the other team members influenced how well the
calculations were fit to the robots programming making it a successful robot but
not having optimise it capability to do a more than adequate performance.

Task 3: Develop an automated system

Programmable devices

This is the main programed hardware

device, is the part of the robot that
commands the other body parts

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 This is the touch sensor, this will
detect if there is anything blocking
the path of the vehicle.

This sensor detects what is in front of

the robot and will modify, if
programmed to, the path accordingly.

This motor moves the robot in the

programmed directions

Testing the automated system

What am I What should What did happen? Any improvements

testing? happen? necessary?
NXT Module The module should The module ran N/A
run the code that the code as it
has been should.
programmed into
it.
Motor The motor should It completed its N/A
spin task
forward/backward
Ultrasonic sensor The sensor should The sensor could No improvement
detect obstacles not reach a good necessary.
and send a signal range but
to the module to completed its
inform it about the
obstacle so it can
divert the vehicle.
Touch sensor The sensor should I put an object in No improvement
detect if it is being front of the robot necessary.
pressed then send and they collide
a signal to the then the robot
module informing moved out of the
it that there is way
something in the
way.
Chassis The chassis should Stays together N/A

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 be sturdy and stay
together when the
vehicle is moving.
Code for When run, the The robot can go Better rotation
movement code should make full speed and
the vehicle move rotate whilst
forward for 3 moving
seconds, turn left,
move forward for
another 3 seconds,
turn right, move
for 3 seconds then
end
Adjusting for The vehicle should I can move around N/A
obstacles move towards and the objects
object, notice it
then adjust its
path so it avoids
the object.

Task 4: Review the Automated Vehicle

Feedback
I had asked some people to use the robot and they had told me about a few
problems that I knew might have come up, the first one was with my
structure/layout of the robot. By this they explained that there were to many
useless parts the just slowed the general mobility of the whole thing.

The second and most clear problem was the rotation and that there was on
forwards and backwards, this meant that when the user was needing move out
of the way of an object there was no way of doing it. this is one of the bigger
adjustments that I had to deal with. Some of the other improvements that I had
to take were the sensors, this was with all of them. It seemed that with the

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malfunction of the some of the equipment I was not able to code and use all the
required parts. This had a massive impact on the user requirements that I have
already mentioned.

Refining the system

To refine my automated system, I have taken in the feedback form the other
people who have tested the robot and I have removed a lot of the additional
parts to the robot to decrease the weight and due to this feedback, I have been
able to stop the robot doing a wheelie every time it goes to full acceleration as
there was too much at the rear end of the robot causing it to tilt.

Conclusion
As my conclusion, the prototype automated robot does meet the requirements
and purpose because it can move forwards, backwards, left, right and being able
to manoeuvre around obstacles. The robot does show the that an automated
vehicle can do required objectives and they could be used in different situations.
It gives a written demonstration of how fast and safe the robot can do tasks. As
described through the testing outcomes, the robot has had problems when it
comes to the equipment as well as the complications with the sensors when it
came to doing the trial and error method and I learned that the robot could do
what it is required to do. The problems with the sensors were technical errors
that could be dealt with.

In the future I, could improve my prototype automated vehicle by improving the

coding to make the robot do more advanced tasks such as grip or move objects.
The robot could be improved by adding accessories. I believe the sensors being
fully functional would improve the vehicle because they would create a lot more
options for what the robot could do as they could god roughly half the power
they were built to do, this is most likely due to how much they have been used
though I can not specify the exact reason they are not up to their expected rate.

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