ENPH 253: Autonomous Robot Competition

As a part of our curriculum for Engineering Physics, students partake in an robotics competition fondly known as “Robot Summer”, course code ENPH 253: Introduction to Instrument Design. While known as “Robot Summer”, students are nevertheless expected to take on a full course load, adding up to a total of 18 credits taken during this time.

ENPH 253 is a four-month long project course. The first two months are dedicated to design laboratories, where we learned to solder, program an STM32 “Blue Pill” microprocessor, design and collaborate on CAD using OnShape, interface with digital signals and build Schmidt triggers using comparators, interface with analog signals through building reflective sensors, and finally, build H-bridge circuit to drive DC motors through a PWM signal produced by the STM32.

The second part of the course is dedicated to robotics design. Each team of four is left to their own devices to design a robot from scratch. Teams are expected to fabricate robots using laser cutters, water-jet cutters, laser printers, 3D printers, machine shop equipment and hand-tools. While parts such as motors and servos are provided, circuits to drive these devices were expected to be designed and fabricated by hand, no pre-build PCB’s were permitted. The competition was treated much like full-time job; students typically clock in to the lab at 9am, and leave for the day well past 5pm, 5-6 days per week.

My duties as a part of this phase of the competition were as follows:

• Led mechanical design within team of four, designed and fabricated self-driving all-terrain robot from scratch.

• Designed steering geometry in CAD, designed and soldered IR amplifier/detector circuit for use with STM32.