Buddy Bot is made to be an accessible assistant that follows the
user around to provide necessary support performing day-to-day tasks
Accessible
Provide assistance for elderly and disabled by transporting heavy objects, with a simple and easy to use interface
Intelligent
Account for human characteristics in a following algorithm that uses data from a variety of sensors
Simple
Buddy Bot is simple to use, working directly out of the box with no necessary additional configurations
Components
Buddy Bot uses a variety of peripheral I/O devices in conjunction with the SmartFusion SoC to provide accurate following capabilities.
WiiCam IR Camera
HC SR04 Ultrasonic Distance Sensor
L298N H-Bridge
SparkFun Graphic LCD Serial Backpack
IR Emitter Anklet
SmartFusion Soc
Usage and Implementation
Buddy Bot debuted at the EECS 373 showcase at the University of
Michigan, Ann Arbor. Below, we show a video we recorded during the testing and development phases of the
project.
Our Amazing Team
Amith Lohitsa
Computer Engineering, Class of 2020
Prakash Kumar
Computer Engineering, Class of 2020
Tarun Khubchandani
Computer Engineering, Class of 2020
WiiCam IR Camera
We used DF Robot's Wii Remote IR camera to retrieve positional data of the user based on an IR emitter anket worn by the user. This module communicated via I2C and returned X-Y coordinates of upto 4 detected IR points, which were used to determine the desired orientation of the robot.
HC SR04 Ultrasonic Distance Sensor
The ultrasonic distance sensor was used for obstacle detection and avoidance. By
communicating via PWM, the sensor returned the distance to any nearby object,
allowing the robot to avoid and reverse away from oncoming objects, and stop when
within desired range of the target anklet. In order to achieve this, an interrupt
was triggered everytime a measurement was added to a buffer. In software, a median
smoothing filter was then applied to make sure values returned were accurate.
L298N H-Bridge
The H-Bridge was used to control all 4 motors on the robot. Both motors on either side of the robot were controlled by the same PWM signal, allowing for small turn radii, and easy maneuverability in all positions with a simple interface.
SparkFun Graphic LCD Serial Backpack
The LCD display, coupled with an LED array, provide status information to the user about the current state of the robot and decisions being made. It displays the filtered sensor values and indicates how the robot will react to its current surroundings.
IR Emitter Anklet
The anklet composed of multiple resistor-LED circuits stitched into an elastic-velcro fabric to make it easily wearable for any user. A cluster of 4 LEDs forms a central emitter at the back of the anklet, while smaller clusters on either side allow for increased range.
SmartFusion SoC
The SmartFusion SoC was used as the central point of communication, via serial communication protocols and MMIO, for all I/O peripherals and central processing. The Verilog and C code for this project will be made available on the project's Github page, as allowed by the University
