Autonomous Golf CartDREW GAYNOR, TYLER LATHAM, IAN ANDERSON, CAMERON JOHNSON

ADVISORS: DR. DAVID MIKESELL AND DR. FIRAS HASSAN

Requirements

Travel to a destination selected by a user Select the best route to the chosen destination

Accurately follow this planned path along campus roads and sidewalks

No other user input required during trip, except in the case of an emergency

Transport passengers safely Detect obstacles and avoid collisions

Stop immediately if an inadvertent collision occurs

Provide emergency stop buttons

System Overview

System Overview

System Overview

Acceleration System Block Diagram

Pre-autonomous mode:

Binary signals for direction and enable come from cart

The analog signal for speed is sent from the potentiometer wiper arm on the pedal to the speed controller

Normally open switches

Acceleration System Block Diagram

Autonomous mode:

Binary signals for direction,enable, and analog output speed are calculated in LabVIEW program

Acceleration relay pushbutton closes the relays(puts cart in autonomous mode)

Binary signals are sent from the Relay module to speed controller

Cart speed signal is sent from Analog Output module to speed controller

Steering System Block Diagram

Pre-Autonomous mode:

The cart’s heading is controlled by the steering wheel on the cart

Steering System Block Diagram Autonomous mode:

The clutch pushbutton is pressed which disengages the steering shaft and allows the servo motor to steer the cart

The relay is closed so the amplifier is enabled and the cart is in autonomous mode

The heading has been calculated in LabVIEW and is outputted to the amp from the Analog Output module

Steering System Block Diagram

Amp will amplify the signal and then send it to the filter card to add inductance.

This signal is passed to the Servo motor which steers the cart.

The encoder output or position of the servo motor is then sent back to the Servo module

Java ApplicationSwitch modes

Choose destination

Autonomous start/stop button: drives to destination or cancels current trip

Position adjustment controls: offset GPS position drift or other error

Java Application

Cart (always centered)

Path points

Destinations (nodes)

GPS/Inertial

Project’s OXTS RT2500 GPS unit has a stated accuracy for position values of 2-3 meters

We were able to get an OXTS RT3002 on loan: much more accurate than RT2500

Path Following Results

• Travelled autonomously from Biggs loading dock to Kinghorn northwest doors with RT3002

• Route shown in yellow• Data collected with

RT3002• Collected more• But focused on

this route

Path Following Results

• Collected path data shown in blue

• Actual route navigated shown in red

• Followed route fairly accurately

• On right of graph, consistent gap probably due to drift

• Position adjustment controls designed to account for this

Path FollowingVideo

(Video removed to reduce file size. Original video can be retrieved from project website)

LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging)• Housing tilted downward• Angle resolution: 0.5 degrees• Baud rate: 38400 (Sampling rate = 4Hz)

Speed Reduction

Detection Field (Wheels turned < 8°)

Detection Field (Wheels turned > 8º)

Collision AvoidanceVideo

(Video removed to reduce file size. Original video can be retrieved from project website)

Complete System Video

(Video removed to reduce file size. Original video can be retrieved from project website)

Questions?

Potential Future Improvements

Weatherproofing: isolation of electronics under the hood

LIDAR Housing

LMS 511

GPS: RT3002 differential GPS

Wiring: automotive wiring harnesses

Zippswitch

Speed Reduction Algorithm