Team Sentry
Course Instructor
Pramod Gupta
Abstract
My project involved the design and creation of an automated ball-launching turret system that integrated mechanical construction, embedded electronics, and programmable control. I don't have a name for it, I've just been calling it WALL-E but It is based on a 3D-printed launcher assembly driven by dual 130 DC motors, a servo-controlled ball-feeding mechanism, and a two-axis pan-and-tilt servo platform. An Arduino Nano Every acts as the central controller, and it manages two different modes of operation. A manual mode and an auto-sentry mode. In manual mode, the user has a two-axis joystick to control turret rotation, elevation, and firing. In auto-sentry mode, the turret has an ultrasonic distance sensor to scan its environment for objects within a predefined range and automatically fire a projectile. Power is provided through an LM2596 buck converter that regulates a 9-volt source into a stable 5-volt rail for the microcontroller and servos, adhering to the specifications of the original launcher guide. The L298N motor driver provides controlled speed and direction to the DC motors powering the flywheel launcher. I chose this project because robotics is what got me interested in Computer Science back in high school. I had never done one on this scale before, but I was intrigued to try. It was a lot of trial and error, along with dealing with delays and tight deadlines, plus failure after failure. This project shows how embedded systems combine with control logic and electrical systems in one functional device capable of user-directed and autonomous operation. The project can be used to teach students engineering concepts that we need to focus on, such as power regulation, actuator control, safety, and design, making it a strong example of a multidiscipline robotics project.
Team Sentry
My project involved the design and creation of an automated ball-launching turret system that integrated mechanical construction, embedded electronics, and programmable control. I don't have a name for it, I've just been calling it WALL-E but It is based on a 3D-printed launcher assembly driven by dual 130 DC motors, a servo-controlled ball-feeding mechanism, and a two-axis pan-and-tilt servo platform. An Arduino Nano Every acts as the central controller, and it manages two different modes of operation. A manual mode and an auto-sentry mode. In manual mode, the user has a two-axis joystick to control turret rotation, elevation, and firing. In auto-sentry mode, the turret has an ultrasonic distance sensor to scan its environment for objects within a predefined range and automatically fire a projectile. Power is provided through an LM2596 buck converter that regulates a 9-volt source into a stable 5-volt rail for the microcontroller and servos, adhering to the specifications of the original launcher guide. The L298N motor driver provides controlled speed and direction to the DC motors powering the flywheel launcher. I chose this project because robotics is what got me interested in Computer Science back in high school. I had never done one on this scale before, but I was intrigued to try. It was a lot of trial and error, along with dealing with delays and tight deadlines, plus failure after failure. This project shows how embedded systems combine with control logic and electrical systems in one functional device capable of user-directed and autonomous operation. The project can be used to teach students engineering concepts that we need to focus on, such as power regulation, actuator control, safety, and design, making it a strong example of a multidiscipline robotics project.
