RFID Automated Navigation of a Mobile Platform Tommy Brant, Charles Harper, Patrick Smith, Eni Ofong, Caleb Howell Georgia Institute of Technology School of Electrical and Computer Engineering December 8, 2008

Project Overview The Mobile Platform (MP) is a robot-based system that uses an embedded system and RFID tags to communicate wirelessly with a remote GUI to navigate itself to a final destination Prototype Dimensions: –5” x 5” x 5”

Business Aspect Intended for use in warehouses as a subsystem of automated storage (AS) and retrieval systems (RS) Appeals to AS/RS developers for use in easily expandable retrieval systems Costs $41,600 includes the product and labor for the on-site setup of the network of checkpoints

Project Goals Wireless communication between the GUI and the robot control systems RFID tagged areas to identify the location of the robot Motor control to travel on a point to point basis Overall objective is for the MP to arrive at the user- determined destination by following the shortest path through a network of RFID checkpoints

RFID Automated MP

Design Approach Program components separately to ensure the correct output Once desired outputs are achieved, attach hardware components together and modify code if needed for components to communicate properly

RFID MP System

System Logic Is at RFID? No Yes Transmit via serial CPU decides direction for robot Gumstix console-vx Gumstix Verdex Stop robot Transmit via serial Gumstix console-vx Turn robot in needed direction Robot Movement

Determine Direction Is at RFID? No Yes Transmit via serial CPU decides direction for robot Gumstix console-vx Gumstix Verdex Stop robot Transmit via serial Gumstix console-vx Turn robot in needed direction Robot Movement

Wireless Transmission Is at RFID? No Yes Transmit via serial CPU decides direction for robot Gumstix console-vx Gumstix Verdex Stop robot Transmit via serial Gumstix console-vx Turn robot in needed direction Robot Movement

Network Card Is at RFID? No Yes Transmit via serial CPU decides direction for robot Gumstix console-vx Gumstix Verdex Stop robot Transmit via serial Gumstix console-vx Turn robot in needed direction Robot Movement

Motherboard Is at RFID? No Yes Transmit via serial CPU decides direction for robot Gumstix console-vx Gumstix Verdex Stop robot Transmit via serial Gumstix console-vx Turn robot in needed direction Robot Movement

Update Direction Is at RFID? No Yes Transmit via serial CPU decides direction for robot Gumstix console-vx Gumstix Verdex Stop robot Transmit via serial Gumstix console-vx Turn robot in needed direction Robot Movement

Movement Is at RFID? No Yes Transmit via serial CPU decides direction for robot Gumstix console-vx Gumstix Verdex Stop robot Transmit via serial Gumstix console-vx Turn robot in needed direction Robot Movement

RFID Search Loop Transmit via serial CPU decides direction for robot Gumstix console-vx Stop robot Transmit via serial Gumstix console-vx Turn robot in needed direction Robot Movement Is at RFID? No Yes (Delay)

Checkpoint Is at RFID? No Yes Transmit via serial CPU decides direction for robot Gumstix console-vx Stop robot Transmit via serial Gumstix console-vx Turn robot in needed direction Robot Movement

Back To Network Card Is at RFID? No Yes Transmit via serial CPU decides direction for robot Gumstix console-vx Stop robot Transmit via serial Gumstix console-vx Turn robot in needed direction Robot Movement

Return Info. Is at RFID? No Yes Transmit via serial CPU decides direction for robot Gumstix console-vx Gumstix Verdex Stop robot Transmit via serial Gumstix console-vx Turn robot in needed direction Robot Movement

Wait for Next Action Is at RFID? No Yes Transmit via serial CPU decides direction for robot Gumstix console-vx Gumstix Verdex Stop robot Transmit via serial Gumstix console-vx Turn robot in needed direction Robot Movement

Current Problems While cross-compiling, Linux OS crashed –More control in Linux –Can modify system files easily –Also destroyed easily Unable to integrate and test components Due to the delay in receiving parts, unforeseen problems with cross-compiling C-code, and OS crash, we are significantly behind schedule

Potential Problems Proper communication between different hardware components Straight-line travel Developing algorithms for shortest path Power supply to the robot components Heat dissipation from the Gumstix modules

Project Schedule Re-cap

Cost Analysis

Working Components Peripheral components are individually working properly –RFID reader recognizes RFIDs and writes tag ID to file –Motor controller properly receives input from RFID reader

Current Status Operating system is operable Cross-compilation success OS, source code, phidgets libraries on Gumstix but execution results in error With more time, troubleshooting problems could be accomplished and produce working prototype

In Hindsight Proposed project required more time than was available –Parts delayed –Cross-compilation toolchain setup caused multiple crashes Cross-compilation could have been design project in itself Still feasible tasks given more time With more funds, better equipment could have been acquired