Team Alpha

Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)2010 Southeastern Conference (SECON)

Hardware Competition

Team Alpha

Dr. Reese (Advisor)

Jacob Bowen Jacob Morgan Gary Weasel Ryan Wood

Solar Cell Analysis XPower Monitoring XNavigation XMotor Control X XCapacitor Analysis X X

Outline

• Competition Overview• Problem Specifications• Constraints• Tradeoffs• Timeline• Progress• Summary

Competition Overview

• March 18-21, 2010• Charlotte, NC• SECON Hardware Competition– Solar panel analysis and power harvesting– Very-low power computing– Efficient electrical to mechanical conversion and

propulsion– Problem solving, algorithm development, and

course strategy

Competition Overview

Outline

• Competition Overview• Problem Specifications• Constraints• Tradeoffs• Timeline• Progress• Summary

Problem Specifications

• No batteries• Start with no energy stored• Three minute time limit• Shorter than 16”

Outline

• Competition Overview• Problem Specifications• Constraints• Tradeoffs• Timeline• Progress• Summary

Manufacturability

• Modular construction

• Simplistic part replacement

• Easy inspection

Competition Rules

• Consistently following competition rules and constantly watching for rule changes.

• Avoid a situation where a rule violation jeopardizes the competition (such as last year’s SECON Team)

Approach

• Ultra-capacitors• Efficient motors• Less than 8” wide and 8” tall• Solar Cell Selection (Racer - 2V in series)

Outline

• Competition Overview• Problem Specifications• Constraints• Tradeoffs• Timeline• Progress• Summary

Voltage BoostCharge Pump Configuration w/ Voltage Boost IC

Pro Cons Pro Con

More efficient More Complex Simpler Design Efficiency loss

Cannot charge while consuming

Charging… Discharging…

MCUSolar Panel MCUSolar Panel MCU

Voltage Boost IC

Solar Panel

Servo vs. Differential Drive for Steering

Servo Differential Drive

Pro Con Pro Con

More Reliable Constantly draws power

Better turn radius Requires encoders

OS vs. Non-OS Firmware

OS Firmware Non-OS Firmware

Pros Con Pro Con

Multitasking environment

Learning Curve Full team familiarity Not inherently modular

Resource management

Power MonitoringPIC ADC Monitoring Power Monitoring IC

Pro Con Pros Con

Higher voltages can be measured

I/O pin limitation Convenient measurements

Cannot monitor capacitor bank voltage

Consumes negligible power

Outline

• Competition Overview• Problem Specifications• Constraints• Tradeoffs• Timeline• Progress• Summary

Timeline

August September October November December

Energy collection research and testing

System Configuration

Sensing and Navigation

Test/Debug

Optimization

Outline

• Competition Overview• Problem Specifications• Constraints• Tradeoffs• Timeline• Progress• Summary

Progress

Running vehicle with capacitor powering all components

Progress

Running vehicle with capacitor powering all components

Outline

• Competition Overview• Problem Specifications• Constraints• Tradeoffs• Timeline• Progress• Summary

Summary

Energy Collection 2” X 4” solar racer cells

Voltage Boost Voltage boost IC

Steering Differential drive

Firmware Non-OS

References• [1] “SoutheastCon 2010 Student Hardware Competition Rules,” IEEE

SoutheastCon 2010: Energizing Our Future, Sep. 11, 2009. [Online]. Available: http://southeastcon2010.org/index.php?option=com_ content &view=article&id=70&Itemid=83. [Accessed: Sept. 15, 2009].

Questions?