Projects A-Z
Navcom AI
The NAVCOM is a generalized AI board that allows the conversion of any remote controlled hobbyist vehicle into an autonomous navigator.
The NAVCOM now also interfaces with the Google Earth API - for real time survey results and route planning.
The first test platform for this was a model sailboat, built on the premise that steering a sailing vessel requires keeping track of more unpredictable variables and forces than a powered vessel.
This platform is now used by an autonomous survey boat in the Bay Area and outside Los Angeles by a Corps of Engineers contractor (eTrac engineering) to achieve survey-grade precision in measuring sea and canal water depths to determine navigability.
Video: NAVCOM AI Recovery Routine
iStar Sailboat GPS System
Robotseverwhere.net designed the hardware for a GPS interpolator that is used for accurate, real time tracking of sailboats during races. The system uses Doppler interference to improve accuracy in speed reporting.
BargeTrac
The BargeTrac system is a solar powered low current circuit based on the Basic Stamp. It is an evolution of the proprietary eTrac circuit board. BargeTrac uses two GPS units to improve positional accuracy and generate accurate heading data on metal barges on which a compass would not be effective.
PyTrac
The pyTrac software package integrates BargeTrac data and NMEA GPS data for display on Google Maps or Google Earth, generating realtime HTML reports and updating the map with representations of barges and tugs. This allows tug operators to keep an eye on other tugs and barges even outside of radar range, monitor barge displacement to detect leaks, and retrieve barges that have come unmoored.
Arise
For this project, which was done in collaboration with the University of Canada, Ottowa, I adapted by sonar-based navigational system for use with a submarine unit.
CD Grabber
Dr. Douglas Hall at STMU needs a number of CDs to distribute to freshmen for an intro course. Since there was no budget to buy one, we decided to build one on the cheap -- the system is controlled by a PICAXE18 microcontroller and uses two servos for movement and a tire inflator compressor to generate a vacuum to pick the CD up with.
Low mechanical precision of available parts forced us to design software that could adapt to bad placement of CDs. Capacity is 32 discs. This unit can also be used to generate and read back a sequential backup of a hard drive; it is compatible with all CD/DVD writing software (tested with mkisofs, Nero and MagicIso)