INTRODUCTION
Hi My name is Somadina Egbuna. I am a rising sophomore at Newark Collegiate Academy. My starter project is a MintyBoost which is is a portable charger and I chose this because it interested me and also because I was having a problem with my phones battery. My main project is an Omni-directional robot. I chose this project because I like robots and gadgets that move and cars so an Omni-directional robot satisfies the basics.
MAIN PROJECT – Omni-directional Robot
Final Milestone
I was able to successfully present my project on parent night. Moving forward, I am doing my final milestone video and showing all the changes I have made since my last video. I added an ultrasonic sensor that beeps faster the closer an object got to the robot. I also added blue LED’s to my robot to make it look more presentable and inviting. I chose blue because I like blue and BLUESTAMP! So I think that was interesting. Finally I changed my receiver because my old receiver malfunctioned.
SECOND MILESTONE
Today I was able to reach my second milestone. I encountered a lot of problems with my robot but I was able to make it work. I also got a bigger battery because my smaller battery kept dropping voltage and this made the entire robot shutdown and reboot really fast and this was really annoying. I got a 7.4V 30c 5400mAh Lithium Polymer battery and this battery is able to carry the robot without problems. The robot jerks a lot and that causes my battery to run into my Arduino. In order to fix that I need to create a space for my battery. I need to add an Arduino Mega to be able to add ultrasonic sensors to my robot. This is because I have run out of PWM ( pulse with modulation) pins and I now need more to run the ultrasonic sensors. PWM is a term for describing digital signal. I want to add ultrasonic sensors to perform obstacle avoidance and a buzzer to beep faster the closer an object got to it(sort of like a parking sensor.
FIRST MILESTONE
I was able to create my first milestone video. My milestone video was a little “further” because I had already put my motors on my base and I have also set up my entire base and had a fully functional robot. I was able to accomplish this because I stayed a little later than the time I was supposed to and I diligently worked on my base so that I could save time to be able to add an ultrasonic sensor to my robot. I would like to add voice control to my robot to make it a little more advanced and better. Working on this robot hasn’t been easy, especially the coding part. The coding section was the hardest part of this project and that is because I have never coded before. I was just thrown into it but I found my bearing and I was able to overcome it. I am really happy I have gone this far and I hope to go even farther in the next week.
Starter Project
Today I created a MintyBoost. This is a portable charger that that you can take with you anywhere you go and never worry about your phone dying. This device works by connecting your phone to it through a USB cable. this device is powered by AA Batteries which makes it convenient when there is no electricity. This device contains 4 resistors. these resistors reduce the amount of current the device produces. The batteries produce 1.5 volts and the USB produces 5 v and the combined voltage output of the batteries is 3v so the output is converted by the LT1302. This is a 5v boost converter. This changes the output of the batteries which is 3v to 5v which is the same as the USB output. This device also contains an inductor. An inductor stores energy in a magnetic field and resists changes in current which lets it keep current going into a capacitor which stores energy for a limited amount of time and a limited amount of energy.
Somadina,
Blue Stamp is such a valuable experience for you. Getting thrown into a situation in which you have little or no prior experience is very realistic. Learning now to persevere in these circumstances will take you far in whichever field you choose. Your NCA family is very proud of you for using your summer to make yourself a more holistic student. We look forward to seeing your completed project when you return to NCA at the end of August.
Best,
Mrs. Ibeh
Hey Somadina!
This sounds INCREDIBLE! I heard you’re doing a great job persevering through all the challenges that have arisen throughout this process. This is an invaluable experience for you. It’s okay not to have all the answers right away – don’t give up and have the confidence and grit to know that you can figure anything out that you put your mind to. Can’t wait to see the finished product and hear all about your experience in the fall! Good luck!
–Ms. De Finis
Somadina,
This looks awesome! I can’t wait to see the robot with the voice control and ultra sonic sensor!
Ms Proft