Teaching Optimal Energy Expenditure Using Robotic Platforms And Microcontrollers

In this paper we describe an example of a project-centered approach to teaching optimal (i.e. minimal) electric energy expenditure while navigating through a set of coordinate waypoionts in a mobile vehicle. The platform used is an in-house ruggedized robot design based on a commercially available robotic chassis design, commercially available parts and a simple sensor suite incorporating a multi-channel Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver module for navigation, a voltage sensor and a current sensor for measuring electric power. The choice of rugged chassis design enables flexibility in the use of the GPS receiver for navigation over multiple types of terrain outdoors. The vehicle is used as a platform to integrate sensor data processing and a microcontroller-based control system. This approach to teaching concepts using robotic platforms is not revolutionary, but the use of robotics in introducing navigation concepts as well as methodologies of optimization was found to encourage the students to consider real world design challenges condensed in just a few weeks out of one semester. A description of the evolution of the topics is provided along with the content of the project tasks. In addition, a description of the hardware and software implementation completed to provide a usable robot chassis for the students is provided.