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For my Senior thesis project, I chose to complete the ASME Design Competition Challenge. I was tasked with creating a remote-controlled robot capable of playing mini-golf.
I identified the most difficult part of this project to be the putting mechanism. It would need to be able to quickly exert a force to putt the ball. It would also need precise and accurate control over this force so that the ball can be hit to variable distances as desired.
My idea was to use a system with two motors and a spring. One motor would pull the putting head back a fixed distance and release it to hit the ball. The other would move a plate to compress the spring before the hit, determining the force. This model was a rough layout of how everything would function.
I first prototyped the spring compression system to ensure the design would function. A stepper motor is used to precisely turn a lead screw, moving the red plate. This compresses the spring, creating the desired spring force
I added the second motor, completing the assembly. This is a DC motor that will be turned on and off by the user to putt.
An Arduino was used for the robot's microcontroller, and an HM-10 chip was attached for Bluetooth communication with a custom mobile app. Thus, the robot can be easily controlled from a phone. Here is the whole putting system in action:
Putter Demo.mp4Tank treads were selected for the drivetrain of the robot. The will enable the robot to climb over obstacles in the course while still offering the precise maneuverability needed to line up shots.
Here is the final robot in action:
IMG_2048.MOVIMG_2035.MOVIMG_1996.MOVGoogle Sites
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