unit and line sensors are used in the MR1 to get more accurate positioning. For laser sensor,
current sensors are needed for the mainboard to get the reading from the laser sensors.
Figure 1: Electronic block diagram of the MR1 robot
Limit switches and analog sensors are giving feed-back to the main-board while the
inertial measurement unit, line sensors and encoders which consist of external encoder and
motor encoder are connected to the robot navigation system.
In order to control the MR1 using a PS4 controller, a PS4 module is designed and
communicated with the main-board.
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Figure 2: Block diagram of the MR2 robot
For the MR2, we also use STM32F407VG as main processor in our main-board and
robot navigation system. H-Bridge power distribution module which is connected to the
main-board is used to control all motors through motor driver. Motor driver is equipped with
an emergency button to enable power cut-off to the motor when the emergency button is
pressed.
Analog sensors, laser sensors, ultrasonic sensors, limit switches, inertial
measurement unit and external encoders are used for more accurate positioning. The sensors
send data to the main-board. Some of the external encoders are connected to the robot
navigation system. Mode selector is used to signal the main-board so that we can select the
mode. LED indicator connected to the mainboard is used to indicate the condition of the
robot.
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2.3 Software Design
Figure 3: Flow-chart of the MR1
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Figure 4: Flow-chart of the MR2
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Software design of the MR1 is based on autonomous and manual mode. The operator
can switch between the modes to complete the tasks. Generally, the position of the robot is
calculated by using two external rotary encoders. In case of emergency, the operator can
stop the robot using the controller. The algorithm for the MR1 is shown in Figure 3.
At the start of the game, the MR2 will have wait for the Gerege to be received. After
receiving the Gerege, it will start to move, cross the Sand Dune and Tussock. At Mountain
Urtuu, after climbing signal is given by the operator, the MR2 will start to move to Uukhai
Zone. It will stop and raise the Gerege when it reaches the Uukhai Zone. The algorithm for
the MR2 is shown in Figure 4.
3.0 DATA ANALYSIS
A simple result for tuning the navigation of the MR1 is shown in Figure 5. The PID
of the navigation motor is tuned until the graph is raised perfectly.
Figure 5: Graph of distance against time
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4.0 CONCLUSIONS, LIMITATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
To conclude, the development of quadrupled robot presents a great challenge to us.
With the involvement in ROBOCON Malaysia 2019, we learnt a lot of new knowledge in
robotics especially about quadrupled robot.
The MR2 design has a flaw, that is the torque of power window motors is not high
enough to actuate the legs if the legs are directly attached to the motors without gearing
down. This makes the attachment to be complex and increases the weight of the MR2.
We recommend that the robot design should be improved by using motors with
higher torque and this should be directly attached to the legs to reduce the weight of the
robot.
5.0 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
We would like to express our gratitude to Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, the Faculty
of Engineering, especially the School of Electrical, School of Mechanical and the School of
Computing for giving us support and facilities to develop our robots. We also thank our
team manager, Prof. Madya Ir. Dr. Mohd Ridzuan Bin Ahmad for his generous advice
particularly in terms of technical issues and in managing our team.
Thanks to all of our team members for continuously developing better robots for the
competition. We also extend our thank to our sponsors for supporting us in the preparation
for ROBOCON Malaysia 2019.
References
[1] ROBOCON MALAYSIA 2019. n.d., Retrieved March 12, 2019, from
https://ROBOCONmalaysia.com/.
[2] ROBOCON MALAYSIA 2019 RULEBOOK. Retrieved March 25, 2019, from
https://ROBOCONmalaysia.com/malaysia-ROBOCON-rules/.
[3] ABU ROBOCON 2019. n.d., Retrieved February 27, 2019, from
http://abuROBOCON2019.mnb.mn/en.
[4] ABU ROBOCON 2019 Theme & Rules “GREAT URTUU”. Retrieved March 8, 2019, from
http://abuROBOCON2019.mnb.mn/uploads/file/ROBOCON_2019_Mongolia_RULE.pdf
[5] STMicroelectronics. RM0090 Reference manual, February 2019.
https://www.st.com/content/ccc/resource/technical/document/reference_manual/3d/6d/5a/66/b
4/99/40/d4/DM00031020.pdf/files/DM00031020.pdf/jcr:content/translations/en.DM00031020.
pdf.
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TATITROOPS from TATI University College
TEAM SUPERVISOR: Safuan Naim Bin Mohamad
TEAM ADVISORS: Muhammad Luqman Bin Muhd Zain
Nazry Bin Abdul Rahman
Zulfikri Bin Salleh
Kharudin Bin Ali
Mohd Tarmizi Bin Ibrahim
TEAM MEMBERS: Mohamed Affiq Bin Mohamed Bakhory (Author)
Wan Muhammad Hafyiez Bin Wan Fauzi (Author)
Ahmad Rahimi Bin Abdul Rahim (Author)
Muhammad Arif Imran Bin Azmi (Author)
Syazwan Noraza Bin Nor Azman (Author)
Ahmad Armin Bin Sulong (Author)
ABSTRACT
In ABU ROBOCON 2019, participants must compete using two robots – the manual and
automatic. The mission of the ABU ROBOCON 2019 is to deliver information fast by using
a relay messenger system - the Urtuu. Each team has one manual robot known as Messenger
Robot 1 (MR1) and one automatic robot known as Messenger Robot 2 (MR2). The
locomotion of the MR2 must be legged, meaning that it cannot have any type of slider or
wheels to move. To collect points, the MR1 must throw an item called the Shagai into the
Throwing Zone. Before performing this task, the MR1 must complete its course and pass an
item called the Gerege to the MR2. After 50 points are collected, the MR2 is allowed to
climb the hill where it raises the Gerege, indicating the team’s victory. Thus, the MR1 must
have the ability to throw the Shagai and hold the Gerege to be passed to the MR2 without
failing. On the other side, the automatic robot must move with four legs against the obstacles
after receiving the Gerege from the manual robot and climb the Mountain. If it reaches the
Uukhai Zone and raises the Gerege first, the team is declared the winner, which is called
Uukhai.
1.0 INTRODUCTION
This report looks into the process and specification of robots by TATITROOPS. The
purpose of this report is to share knowledge on how to make a robot that fit the game of
ROBOCON Malaysia 2019. The ABU Asia-Pacific Robot Contest (ABU ROBOCON) is
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an Asian-Oceanian College robot competition, founded in 2002 by Asia-Pacific
Broadcasting Union. In the competition, the robots compete to complete a task within a set
period of time. The contest aims to create friendship among young people with similar
interests who will lead their countries in the 21st century, as well as help advance
engineering and broadcasting technologies in the region.
In TATIUC, we were divided into two groups to speed up the process of making the
robot. For manual robot, the mechanism for lifting the Shagai and throwing it is the most
critical part.
As for the automatic robot, finding the best mechanism for the leg and the ability to
rotate comsumes the most time. For TATITROOP team, we were committed to finish the
match within a minute in order to secure the victory. The objective of TATIUC ROBOCON
team is to expose the student with the knowledge of making the robot and current
technologies.
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Last year, TATITROOPS managed to earn 3 place in ROBOCON Malaysia 2018
and motivated all of the management, staff and team members to ensure that ROBOCON
Malaysia 2019 will be better.
1.1 Objectives
To develop manual and automatic robots for the competition.
To understand the mechanism and programming of the robot
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2.0 DETAILED DESIGN
2.1 Mechanical Design
Figure 19: Manual robot (MR1)
Figure 20: Automatic robot (MR2)
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Table 1: Robot dimension
Robot Dimensions Mass Components and Functions
(cm)
(kg)
( × × )
Manual 100 x 55 x 90 26 Gripper: Holds the “Shagai”
the MR1 Lifter: Lifts the gripper
Slider: Extends robot
Sponge: Extra grip on “Shagai”
Pneumatic components: composed of valves
and cylinders to move the lifter, slider,
platform, and launchers
Automatic 84 x 77.5 x 74 20 Gripper: Holds the “Shagai”
the MR2 Sensor 1: Detects the “Shagai” delivered by the
MR2 to move
Sensor 2: Detects operator’s signal to climb the
Mountain
Pixy2 Camera: Follows the game field line for
robot to move
Figure 21: Extendable platform for the MR1
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2.2 Electronic Design
Figure 4: MR1 micro-controller circuit
Figure 5: MR1 solid state relay circuit
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Figure 22: The MR2 micro-controller circuit
Figure 23: The MR2 motor driver circuit
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2.3 Software Design
Figure 8: The MR1 flow-chart
Figure 9: The MR2 flow-chart
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3.0 PRESENTATION OF DATA
3.1 Manual Robot
Figure 10 shows the block diagram for this project. The input is a wireless controller,
the custom application in the controller communicates with the Arduino via Bluetooth
between built-in Bluetooth module in the wireless joystick and the Bluetooth module
attached to the Arduino. The Arduino Mega acts as the micro-controller that processes all
the input received and gives output signals as programmed to the solid-state relay to switch
on/off the Electric Scooter Motor.
Figure 10: The MR1 block diagram
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Table 2: MR1 PS2 controller layout
Digital
M1a M1b M1c M1d M2a M2b M2c M2d M3 Motion
button
0 1 0 1 1 0 1 0 - Forward
1 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 - Reverse
0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 - Left
0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 - Right
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 - Stop
- - - - - - - - 1 Speed
3.2 Automatic Robot
The power supply (Li-Po battery) for this robot consists of two parts: the controllers
and motors. Both use 12 V DC Li-Po battery to power up. An emergency stop button is
installed on both connections to immediately cut off the power in case of emergency.
A 5 V 5 A DC to DC converter is used to step down the power distributed from
battery to controllers. The controllers (Arduino UNO and Arduino MEGA) require a 5 V
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voltage supply to power up. This converter reduces the voltage to be distributed to the
controllers while maintaining the current.
All five motors for this robot are controlled using Arduino UNO and Arduino
MEGA. A master-slave circuit is used to control this robot to ease the programming
declaration and wiring. The motors and limit switches are controlled by UNO while
components like the Gerege motor, Pixy2 Camera, and strobe light are controlled by
MEGA.
4.0 CONCLUSION
The project to develop manual and auto robots for the competition was successfully
executed. This competition is also aimed at generating awareness and interest in robotics
technology as well as creating a platform for various people especially the students to be
involved in a more hands-on and practical aspect in engineering and technology through
robotics.
The electronic, software and mechanism design used in the making of the whole
robot was understood. The objective was achieved and we hope all of the people especially
engineering students can get involved and participate in making the robot.
4.1 Limitation
The manual robot depends too much on pneumatic component, and the air in the
tank cannot last long.
The connection between the controller and the robot has a little bit of delay.
4.2 Recommendation
We recommend that this project should be upgraded by adding more sensors so that
the robot can go through the obstacles smoothly. Second, set the angle and use mathematical
calculation to know the right position throwing the Shagai. Third, to make it more efficient
a semi-automatic system can be added to the system in order to avoid human errors.
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5.0 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
All praises are due to Allah who has given us this opportunity to accomplish this
project upon the competition, that is ROBOCON Malaysia 2019.
We also thank those who have given us guidance and motivation in accomplishing
this task, they include our supervisor, Ts. Dr. Ruzlaini Ghoni for providing us with who
gave us the most support. Thanks are also extended to our co-supervisor, Mr Muhammad
Luqman Bin Muhd Zain for helping us especially in terms of learning, trouble-shooting and
creativity while undertaking this task. We also record our appreciation to our advisors who
helped us in solving any programming issues and guide us in making it possible.
References
[1] Wireless PS2 Controller (Compatible), Cytron Technology, March 2019.
https://www.cytron.io/p-ps-gp-2
[2] VEXTA Brushless Motor (30 Watt) 30:1, Cytron Technology, March 2019.
https://www.cytron.io/p-vexta-brushless-motor-30-watt-30-1?src=search.instant
[3] 10Amp 5V-30V DC Motor Driver, Cytron Technology, March 2019. https://www.cytron.io/p-
10amp-5v-30v-dc-motor-driver?search=motor%20driver&description=1&src=search
[4] Arduino Mega 2560 R3-Main Board, Cytron Technology, March 2019. https://www.cytron.io/p-
arduino-mega-2560-r3-main-board?src=search.instant
[5] Arduino Uno Rev3-Main Board, Cytron Technology, March 2019. https://www.cytron.io/p-
arduino-uno-rev3-main-board?src=search.instant
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JTM LIONS from Institut Latihan Perindustrian Mersing
TEAM SUPERVISOR: Haizan Binti Hussein
TEAM ADVISORS: Mohd Saimi Bin Md Yatim
TEAM MEMBERS: Floriana Anak Malih
Esmeralda Anak Agar
Nur Fitrah Binti Endot
Nurhazira Binti Sahabuddin
Muhammad Faiz Bin Mohamad Saidi
Muhammad Zuhairi Bin Mohd Razali
Muhammad Syakir Ziqhri Bin Mohd Shukri
ABSTRACT
The purpose of this report is to describe the design and development of two (2) Messenger
Robots known as the Messenger Robot 1 (MR1) and the Messenger Robot 2 (MR2) for the
ROBOCON Malaysia 2019 competition. The MR1 can be either a manual, semi-automatic
or fully automatic robot. The MR2 is an autonomous robot which has four legs like a horse
to move without any wheel. The MR1 and the MR2 robots are programmed to fulfil the
match requirements based on the ROBOCON Malaysia 2019 concept - Sharing of
Knowledge. The match is between a Red team and a Blue team for a maximum of three (3)
minutes. Within the three minutes, the first team to achieve UUKHAI is the winner. This
report involves data gathering, designing process, fabricating and programming stages for
the development of the two robots. These two robots are designed using IronCad. The
movement and the behaviour of the robots are fully controlled by a programmable micro-
controller Arduino.
1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 Back ground
The main purpose of this report is to document the development process of the robots
that are capable of completing the tasks specified by the rules and regulations of ROBOCON
Malaysia 2019. ROBOCON Malaysia is organized with the aim of finding the
representatives to participate in ABU ROBOCON 2019 in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. Each
team has one robot known as the MR1 and a fully automatic robot known as the MR2. The
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two robots must follow the regulations and the weight limit of ROBOCON Malaysia 2019
specifications.
1.2 Problem Statement
For the past years, several robots have been built by the team members of JTM
LIONS from ILP Mersing. However, so far, none of them are suitable to perform the tasks
of the MR2 as required by the ROBOCON Malaysia 2019 rule-book. The problems that
need to be of concern are:
(a) Throwing mechanism:
The MR1 must have arms that can pick-up the Shagai from Khagai Area and throw
the Shagai into the Landing Zone once the MR2 successfully reached Mountain
Urtuu. The distance between the Throwing Zone and the Landing Zone is about 2000
mm.
(b) Leg mechanism
The MR2 has four legs like a horse to move without any wheel. Each of the four legs
needs to make contact with the ground and separated again. Shuffling is not allowed.
Mechanism whose contact area with the field rotates 360 degree is prohibited [2].
1.3 Aim and Objective
The aim of this project is to design and develop the MR1 that can carry the Gerege,
goes along the Forest, the Bridge, crosses Line 1 in Khangai area, passes the Gerege to the
MR2 and throwing the Shagai. The MR2 must successfully receive Gerege, passes through
Sand Dune, Tussock and climb Mountain Urtuu to reach the Uukhai Zone. Each team has
to complete tasks in the Khangai Area, Gobi Area and Mountain Area. The first team that
reaches the Uukhai Zone and achieve Uukhai is the winner [1]. To achieve this, these
objectives are to be carried out:
(a) To design and develop a the MR1 robot consisting of an arm, a gripper mechanism
and throwing mechanism.
(b) To design and develop the MR2 robot consisting of four legs just like a horse and
this robot cannot use wheels to move.
(c) To develop electric circuit hardware that is able to integrate the sensors and electric
motors with micro-controller for the robots.
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(d) To programme the robots such that they are able to complete all ROBOCON
Malaysia 2019 tasks.
2.0 DETAILED DESIGN
2.1 Mechanical Design
2.1.1 The MR1 Movement Mechanism
The MR1 moves using four attached mecanum wheels. Mecanum wheel is a wheel
which can move in any directions. It is a conventional wheel with a series of rollers attached
to its circumference. The MR1 uses a set of 152 mm mecanum wheel left/bearing rollers
14101L. The four mecanum wheels are each directly connected to a motor for independent
control. The robot can move forward, reverse and spin just like any regular wheels. The
configuration of rollers at 45 degrees also allows the robot to translate sideways and move
through a combination of these i.e. in any direction. We have split the force into two vectors;
1) one forward/backward and 2) one right/left. When the wheels on one side are spinning in
the opposite directions, the forward and backward vectors cancel out while both sideways
vectors add up.
2.1.2 The MR1 Throwing Mechanism
The MR1 uses pneumatics system which utilises pressurised air to launch the Shagai
into the Landing Zone. The MR1 uses a kicking concept. This concept needs certain strength
and calculated angle for the best angle. The best angle and sufficient strength can make the
best throw to get the points.
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Figure 1: Messenger Robot 1 (MR1) design
2.1.3 The MR2 Movement Mechanism
The MR2 legs are made of ¾ inch aluminum bar and are connected to four 150
mm pneumatic cylinders. Pneumatic is a compressed air technology, but in some circles, it
is more fashionable to refer it as a type of automation control. The MR2 uses twelve (12)
bottles to ensure sufficient compressed air while moving from Gobi Area to Mountain
Urtuu.
Figure 2: Messenger Robot 2 (MR2) design
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2.2 Electronic Design
2.2.1 Arduino MEGA 2560 (MR1 and MR2)
The Arduino Mega is a micro-controller board based on the ATmega2560. The MR1
and the MR2 each uses this micro-controller because it has 54 digital input/output pins (of
which 14 can be used as PWM outputs), 16 analog inputs, four UARTs (hardware serial
ports), a 16 MHz crystal oscillator, a USB connection, a power jack, an ICSP header, and a
reset button. It contains everything needed to support the micro-controller [3].
2.2.2 Rotary encoder (C/W COUPLING -500 PPR) MR1
This 500 pulse-per-rotation rotary encoder produces gray code which can be
interpreted using a micro-controller in order to find out which direction the shaft is turning
and by how much. The MR1 uses two encoders for forward/backward and left/right.
2.2.3 Sensor-ultrasonic HC-SR04 MR2
The ultrasonic sensor uses sonar to determine the distance of the robot to an
object. This sensor is used as a signal from a team member without any physical contact or
additional signal transmitter to the MR2 to start the MR2 after a retry and to signal the MR2
to climb the Mountain.
2.2.4 PIXY camera - CMUCam5 SENSOR MR2
The Pixy CMUCam5 also uses hue and saturation as its primary means of image
detection - rather than the normal RGB. This camera is used for the MR2 to detect line, the
Sand Dune, Tussock and Mountain Urtuu at Gobi Area.
2.2.5 Limit Switch MR2
In electrical engineering, a limit switch is a switch operated by the motion of a
machine part or presence of an object. They are used for controlling machinery as part of a
control system, as a safety interlocks, or to count objects passing a point. The limit switch
then regulates the electrical circuit that controls the system to stop the motor when the MR2
moves forward.
2.3 Software Design
2.3.1 Arduino IDE (Integrated Development Environment)
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The Arduino Mega 2560 is programmed using the Arduino Software (IDE) that runs
both online and offline. It is used to write and upload programs to the Arduino board. The
Arduino IDE supports the languages of C and C++ using special rules of code structuring.
User-written code only requires two basic functions, for starting the sketch and the main
programme loop, that are compiled and linked with a programme stub main() into an
executable cyclic executive program with the GNU toolchain, also included with the IDE
distribution.
For the smooth and steady locomotion of the MR2, a sequence of leg and body
motions must be generated. A general programming for a sequence of leg is shown in Figure
3,4 and 5.
2.3.2 Movement for the MR2 Flow-chart
START
LEG_1_UP
LEG_2_UP
MOTOR_1_FORWARD
MOTOR_2_FORWARD
LEG_1_DOWN
LEG_2_DOWN
MOTOR_1_BACKWARD
MOTOR_2_BACKWARD
MOTOR_3_FORWARD
MOTOR_4_FORWARD
LEG_3_UP
LEG_4_UP
MOTOR_3_BACKWARD
MOTOR_4_BACKWARD
LEG_3_DOWN
LEG_4_DOWN
Figure 3: Movement for the MR2 flow-chart
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2.3.3 Movement for MR2 Codes
Figure 4: Main Code for the MR2 movement
Figure 5: Sub-routine code for the MR2 movement
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3.0 PRESENTATION OF DATA
In order to validate the movement of the MR1 and the MR2, few tests were carried
out which included testing both components and the overall robot system. The results of the
tests is presented in this section.
3.1 Movement for the MR1
Table 1: Distances using encoder
Encoder
Component Direction Speed Distance (mm)
Rotation
Forward / Backward 200 1000 89
Encoder 1
45 degree direction 200 1000 56
Encoder 2 Slide to the left /right 200 1000 110
3.2 Throwing Angle for the MR1
Table 2: Angle for throwing mechanism
Angle (degree) Pneumatic Pressure (bar) Distance (mm)
3.0 bar 1300 mm
17˚
4.5 bar 1850 mm
3.0 bar 1700 mm
10˚
4.5 bar 2330 mm
3.0 bar 1860 mm
2˚
4.5 bar 2840 mm
3.3 Movement for the MR2
Table 3: Distance per step
Component Value cycle Distance (mm)
Motor IG32 / Speed : 100 / 2 cycle 260
Pneumatic Air Pressure : 2.5 bar
Motor IG32 / Speed : 150 / 2 cycle 300
Pneumatic Air Pressure : 2.5 bar
Motor IG32 / Speed : 200 / 2 cycle 380
Pneumatic Air Pressure : 2.5 bar
Motor IG32 / Speed : 255 / 2 cycle 400
Pneumatic Air Pressure : 2.5 bar
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4.0 CONCLUSIONS, LIMITATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
4.1 Conclusion
This report presents the design and development of the MR1 and the MR2 for the
ROBOCON Malaysia 2019 competition. The robots are drafted using computer aided
design software and IronCad, and the fabrication for some components utilises advance
technology and 3D-printing to save cost and time. The components for the MR1 and the
MR2 are made up of PLA (Polylactic Acid). During the 3D printing process, we faced a
problem in printing an overhanging part which strongly affects the joining part of the robot
that causes a severe defect. Actuators are used to perform the MR2 movement using
pneumatic system. The servo motor used in the MR2 as a balancing system is controlled via
an Arduino Mega 2560 through coding. The movement range of the balancing system for
the MR2 is within 360 degrees. The MR1 and the MR2 parts are joined together by fastener
i.e. screws and nuts. For the MR2 movement, the system mainly consisted of three
components which are micro-controller, motor and pneumatic system. Arduino micro-
controller is cheaper and easier to be programmed with C language compared to the other
micro-controllers. Experiment is set to test the performance of the MR1 and the MR2 by
varying the distance and speed. The throwing mechanism and balancing system is validated
from the results obtained during testing stages.
4.2 Recommendations
Due to time constraints, the robots can only perform a few parameters of testing. For
future undertakings, it is highly recommended that the testing parameters be diversified. By
diversifying these parameters, the accuracy of the robot in performing tasks will be
enhanced and the overall outcome of the robot will be improved. The test parameters to be
improved are:
1. Testing of the movement of the MR1 when crossing the Forest and going through the
Bridge.
2. Testing of throwing mechanism of the MR1.
3. Leg mechanism for the MR2.
4. Sequence movement for the MR2.
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5.0 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
We would like to first and foremost give our greatest gratitude to Allah S.W.T
because by His Mercy and Grace, we managed to finish up building two (2) robots for the
ROBOCON Malaysia 2019. We would like to thank our beloved director, Ts. Syahrull
Nizam Bin Hj. Perdan, for his endless supports and advices throughout the development
phase of these robots. Not forgetting, our JTM Lions team members, we thank you for
supporting us while we encountered difficulties in the mechanical and electrical designs and
programming. We truly appreciate your valuable contribution and effort in giving us the
idea to solve our problems. We also would like to thank all the Telecommunication
Technology lecturers that are involved during the development of these robots. Thank you
for the good advices on the usage of the power-tool equipments. Your guidance is important
for us in achieving our goals. To all our beloved friends and family, thanks for supporting
and helping us when we are in need. Thank you so much.
References
[1] ABU Asia-Pacific Robot Contest 2019 Ulaanbaatar, Mongolio. Theme & Rules.
[2] ROBOCON Malaysia 2019. RuleBook
[3] Cytron Marketplace website, Arduino Mega 2560 R3-Main Board.
https://www.cytron.io/p-arduino-mega-2560-r3-main-board
[4] Cytron Marketplace website, HC-SR04 Ultrasonic Sensor. https://www.cytron.io/p-
hc-sr04-ultrasonic-sensor
[5] C. F. Olson, 2000, Probabilistic self-localization for mobile robots, Robotics and
Automation, IEEE Transactions on, vol. 16, pp. 55-66.
[6] A. C. McDonald, 1986, Robot technology: theory, design and applications, Ontario: Sir
Sanford Fleming Coll.
[7] M. Hägele, K. Nilsson, and J. N. Pires, 2008, Industrial robotics, in Springer handbook
of robotics, ed: Springer.
[8] B. Siciliano, L. Sciavicco, L. Villani, and G. Oriolo, 2009, Robotics: modelling,
planning and control: Springer Science & Business Media.
[9] C. A. Schuler and W. L. McNamee, 1986, Industrial electronics and robotics: McGraw-
Hill.
[10] T. Zielinska, and John Heng, 2003, Mechanical design of multifunctional
quadruped, Mechanism and Machine Theory, 38: 463-478.
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UITMPP from Universiti Teknologi MARA Pulau Pinang
TEAM SUPERVISOR: Norizzatie binti Mohammad Khai
TEAM ADVISORS: Nur Afiqah binti Muhammad Faisal
Amalia Qistina binti Nazari
TEAM MEMBERS: Muhammad Luqman Hakim Bin Abdul Rahim
Shaimim Raphay Bin Shahul Hameed Raphay
Muhamad Arif Bin Ariffin
Harris Lutfi Bin Adzman
Harith Firdaus Bin Mustapha
Shazwan Amirul Bin Shabudin
Badrul Amin Bin Md Nayan
Muhamad Arif Bin Ariffin
Muhammad Fakhrudin Bin Abdul Rahim
Muhammad Yusriman Bin Kamarudin
Muhammad Izzat Bin Mat Padzil
Muhammad Azri Asyraf Bin Mohd Hafez
Nur Faiziatul Akmar binti Mohamad Fauzi
Nurul Kamilia binti Abd Halim
ABSTRACT
This report explains the designing and development process of two robots that act as
messengers. The first robot messenger, the MR1, can travel through the Forest and River by
means of wheels in all directions. A user can control the movement by using a joystick
connected to the MR1. Pneumatics system is applied for throwing mechanism. The system
used compressed air to transmit and control the energy level. The second robot messenger,
the MR2, is constructed based on a horse structure, that is having four legs to deliver a
message in the form of Gerege. The DC motor is used to move the robot through the
obstacles, which areSand Dune and Mountain.
1.0 INTRODUCTION
The Asia-Pacific Robot Contest (ABU ROBOCON) is an Asian-Oceanian College
Robotic Competition, founded in 2002 by the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union. During the
competition, multiple robots compete to complete tasks within a set period of time. The
contest aims to create friendship among young people with similar interests who will lead
their countries in the 21st century, as well as to inculcate an advance robotics culture in the
region. The event is broadcasted in many countries through ABU member broadcasters.
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Each year, the competition has a different problem statement to be tackled by the
participants with two or more robots involved in completing the tasks. One of the robots
may be manually controlled while the other is automatically controlled. To build the robots,
contestants are restricted to the undergraduate students of a higher learning institution who
possess good knowledge in programming, mechanical design and electronic circuit design.
For this year, the theme of the competition is the Great Urtuu - Sharing the Knowledge.
Two robots need to be developed for this year competition.
2.0 DETAILED DESIGN
2.1 Mechanical Design
The MR1 uses four mecanum wheels. These wheels are unique as the small rollers
are at a 45 degree angle. This allows for the wheels to be mounted like normal wheels as
shown in Figure 1, but provides the same style of movement as the omni wheels. The main
advantage of these wheels is that the dimension of the rollers is larger. The larger the
diameter of a wheel the larger the obstacles it can roll over. The wheels can also move
sideways at a smaller degree shift. The power supply is directly connected to the DC motor
with encoder.
Figure 24: Base of the MR1 with Mecanum wheels and DC geared motor (12 V 248 RPM)
In developing the throwing mechanism, pneumatics system is used. Pneumatic
system is similar to hydraulic system but utilises compressed air instead of fluid for the
hydraulic system. Compressed air is used to transmit and control energy. Air compressor
225
which sucks air from the atmosphere is stored in a high pressure tank called receiver. This
compressed air is then supplied to the system through a series of solenoid valves. Each valve
is then plumbed to a cylinder. This allows the distribution of power from the engine to the
equipment. The total maximum pressure pump is 0.6 MPa. The force is equaled to the area
of the cylinder piston times the pressure. The valves need a minimum of 0.15 MPa to 0.7
MPa to work properly. There are three small cylinders and one big cylinder of 0.7 MPa and
0.8 MPa max pressure respectively. These three cylinders are functioning to extend and pull
over the gripper to secure the Shagai. Figure 2 shows the gripper for this robot design.
To design the platform, aluminium extrusion (25 x 25 mm) and aluminium rod are
used. It provides good support and allows the gripper to grip the Shagai at different height.
Motor driver is used to lift the base that holds the Shagai and the gripper as shown (see
Figure 3).
Figure 25: The gripper to hold Figure 3: The stand for the pneumatic
the Shagai system
Figure 4: The look from above Figure 5: The connection between
for the MR1 base shaft and metal key hub
226
The MR2 walks using four legs which are connected to a shaft bracket and metal
key hub as illustrated in Figure 4. The shaft bracket is developed using 3D printer. Each leg
is controlled by a DC geared motor (12 V 248 RPM) and have two joints which are; 1)
between the DC geared motor and the shaft bracket; and 2) between the shaft bracket and
leg. Two DC geared motors will be controlled by one motor driver while Arduino MEGA
gives command to the motor driver to control the speed of motor. The motor comes with a
24:1 gear head that produces 248 RPM and 980 mN.m torque. It is suitable for general
purpose automation projects. It also comes with a five pulses per rotation encoder feed-back
to provide a real-time feed-back on the rotating position. For the MR2 walking mechanism,
the first leg will be at 45 degree and continue with the other three legs with the same degree.
The MR2 walking sequence starts with the right rear leg followed by the right front leg and
then the left rear leg and finally the left front leg. The MR2 is powered using the LiPo
rechargeable battery (11.1 V 2200 mAH). Two legs will be connected to one LiPo
rechargeable battery.
227
Figure 6: The case to hold the Figure 7: The case to hold the Gerege
Gerege from the right side
Further, the MR2 also has arm which receives the Gerege from the MR1 and holds
it. A case was build using clear acrylic perspex sheet and cut into 28 cm x 13 cm x 6.5 cm
(given in Figures 6 and 7). The use of the case is to hold the Gerege so that it will not fall.
On the other hand, the arms are also fixed to springs at 75 degree as shown in Figures 8 and
9. When the MR2 received the Gerege, the arm will be at a 90 degree position. After the
MR2 receives the Gerege, a toggle switch is switched on by the Gerege and this activates
the MR2.
Figure 8: The arm that is Figure 9: The right side of the
connected with a spring arm
The dimension of the MR2 body is 71 cm x 52 cm x 74 cm and the total mass is 8.5
kg. The MR2 can hold a total weight up to 1.5 kg. Each leg has a two degree of freedom
(DOF) while the arm holding the Gerege has only one degree of freedom (DOF).
2.2 Electronics Design
The MR1 consists of a joystick and a DC motor with encoder connected to an
Arduino mega. An encoder that is used in the development of the robots is an
electromechanical device that provides an electrical signal to control the speed and position.
228
It turns mechanical motion into an electrical signal to monitor specific parameters and to
make adjustments if necessary to maintain the operation of the device as desired. For the
throwing mechanism, relay is used. A relay is an electrically operated switch that can be
turned on or off, letting intended current flow, and can be controlled using low voltages.
Motor driver is used to lift the base that holds the Shagai. The mechanism is controlled by
an external joystick.
Figure 10: Set of pneumatic system Figure 11: Set of pulley system
The MR2 consists of four infrared sensors which is built-in with a motor. An infrared
sensor is an electronic device that emits infrared radiation in order to sense the surrounding
conditions. An infrared sensor can measure the heat of an object as well as detect motion.
Usually in the infrared spectrum, all objects radiate some forms of thermal radiation. These
types of radiations are invisible to our eyes but can be detected by an infrared sensor. The
emitter is an IR LED (Light Emitting Diode) while the detector is an IR photodiode which
is sensitive to IR light of the same wavelength as that emitted by the IR LED. When IR light
is captured by the photodiode, the resistance and the output voltage change in proportion to
the magnitude of the IR light received. The main function of this sensor is to detect the angle
of each leg in order to make the MR2 robot moves forward or backward. Once a leg rotates
over the set up angle value, this sensor will detect it and send an analog signal to the Arduino,
commending the motor to stop rotating. In order to set the automatic the MR2 robot, a toggle
switch is used. This is placed in the case where the MR2 receives the Gerege. Toggle switch
will send a digital signal which is 1 or 0 to the Arduino.
2.3 Software Design
Different process flows are made for the two robots to complete their tasks.
Examples of process flow are given in Figures 12 and 13. SolidWork has been used to design
229
both the MR1 and the MR2 (as shown in Figure 14 to Figure 17). The design in the
SolidWork however is not very accurate in real implementation. Hence, minimal changes
have been made to the design.
Figure 12: Flow-chart of the MR2
230
Figure 13: Set of pneumatic system.
Figure 14: The right side of the MR2 Figure 15: The right side of the MR2
when the arm is lifted
231
Figure 16: Right view of Figure 17: Full view of Figure 18: The top view of
the MR1 the MR1 the MR1
3.0 ROBOT TESTING
Figure 19 shows how an encoder is used to test the DC geared motor to identify the
angle of the motor. The motor driver is connected to the Arduino.
Figures 20 and 21, on the other hand, illustrate the air testing pressure using the
pressure regulator to ensure the correct pressure is stored in the bottle. Besides that, since a
hole was made on each of the bottle cap to insert the male straight connector (PC4-01), it is
important that the hole was well sealed.
. Figure 19: The MR2 is being Figure 20: Testing the MR1 Figure 21: The situation of
tested using encoder pressure testing the pressure of the
pneumatic
4.0 CONCLUSION, LIMITATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
4.1 Limitations
As the cylinders of pneumatic components are not very large, a pneumatic system
can not drive loads that are too heavy. Compressed air must also be processed prior to filling
in the cylinders to ensure the absence of water vapour or dust. Otherwise, the moving parts
232
of the pneumatic components may wear out quickly due to friction. The cylinders can also
leak easily when it is not carefully handled. As air can easily be compressed, the moving
speeds of the pistons are relatively uneven. Finally, loud noises were also produced when
compressed air was released from the pneumatic components. The other limitation is that
the robot legs cannot move faster as the legs are at risked of getting stuck between the legs.
Moreover, the MR2 cannot hold heavy load since the selected motor is not sufficient to
operate.
4.2 Recommendations
Before switching on a compressed air supply unit at the MR1, one should thoroughly
inspect the whole circuit to see if there are any loose parts, abnormal pressure or damaged
tubes and cylinders. A loose tube will cause the robot to shake violently due to the high
pressure built up inside it. Therefore, each time before the system pressure is increased,
thorough inspection of the entire circuit is required to prevent accidents.
To make the MR2 robot hold heavier load, the legs need to be made bigger.
Furthermore, the motor needs to change from the DC geared motor (12 V 248 RPM) to the
DC geared motor (12 V 120 RPM) for better performance.
5.0 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
We would like to express our deepest appreciation to all who have provided us the
possibility to complete this report and to build our robots. A special gratitude goes to our
lecturers, Dr Rozan Boudville, Prof. Madya. Ir. Dr. Zakaria Bin Hussin, Dr. Saiful Zaimy
Bin Yahya and Ir. Khairul Azman Bin Ahmad whose contributions in providing stimulating
suggestions and encouragement, have helped us to coordinate our project in building the
two robots and writing this report.
Furthermore, we would also like to acknowledge with much appreciation the crucial
role played by Mr Adi Izhar Che Ani who gave us the permission to use all the required
equipments and provided the necessary materials to enable us to complete the development
of our robots. A special thanks goes to our team mates, who have helped to assemble the
parts and gave good suggestions in completing the robots. Last but not least, many thanks
go to Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) Pulau Pinang Campus, Permatang Pauh for
trusting us to participate in ROBOCON Malaysia 2019.
233
References
[1] Arduino.cc. 2019, Arduino - ArduinoBoardMega. [online] Available at:
https://www.arduino.cc/en/Main/arduinoBoardMega/ [Accessed 31 Mar. 2019].
[2] SATYENDRA, ispatguru.com, 14 November 2015. [Online]. Available:
http://ispatguru.com/basics-of-pneumatics-and-pneumatic-systems/. [Accessed 28 Mac 2019].
[3] Driving Mecanum Wheels, 25 October 2015. [Online]. Available:
https://www.roboteq.com/index.php/docman/motor-controllers-documents-and-
files/documentation/application-notes/application-notes-1/260-an1543-driving-mecanum-
wheels-omnidirectional-robot/file. [Accessed 27 Mac 2019].
234
UniSZA RoboPRO from Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin
TEAM SUPERVISOR: Engku Fadzli Hasan Bin Syed Abdullah
Azrul Amri Bin Jamal
TEAM ADVISORS: Weng Kit
Amir Fadzli Bin Abd Ghani
Mohd Hosni Bin Rifin
Zarkashim Bin Mad Zali
1.0 INTRODUCTION
Generally, the Messenger Robot 1 (MR1) is an omni-wheel robot and the Messenger
Robot (MR2) is a robot that has legs on it. We have designed the MR1 with three Omni-
wheel and the MR2 with quadruplet legs. The MR1 can grip the Shagai from the floor using
pneumatic systems connected to a motor. The clamper of the Gerege in the MR1 also uses
pneumatic system. MR 1 movement is controlled by a PS2 controller, while the MR2 is an
autonomous robot. The MR2 can move on four legs. The MR2 is also designed in such a
way that it can overcome the obstacle course in the game field, for example, the Tussock,
the Hill and the Sand Dune. The MR2 uses eight servos to move the robot. Each servo acts
as the motor for the joint of the robot. The problem that the team faced is to overcome the
instability of the robot. The other problem is to obtained the right coding sequence for the
MR2 to be an autonomous robot. The MR2 is designed based on the rhinoceroses. This
report is presented to inform the reader on the design and implementation of the UniSZA’s
robots for ROBOCON 2019.
2.0 DETAILED DESIGN
2.1 Mechanical Design
The MR1 moves using special types of wheels. The wheels are called omni-wheels.
The special feature of this type of wheel is that it can turn left and right without turning the
robot itself. The robot has three wheels with three motors. Each motor uses a 12 V battery.
The movement of the MR1 is being controlled by a PS2 controller. The MR1 uses three
batteries to operate. The first and second batteries are 12 V each, and the third battery is 7.4
V. The first 12 V battery is for the Nucleo board (F412ZG). The second 12 V battery is for
the MR1 movement and the third 7.4 V is used to power up the PS2 controller.
235
The other mechanical design component of the MR1 is the pneumatic hand. This
pneumatic hand is used to pick-up the Shagai and put it on the launcher. The pneumatic
hand is made of steel. The pneumatic hand is also designed to move 180 degree to pick-up
the Shagai. To power up this pneumatic hand, it uses a motor with a battery ranging between
7.4 V and 12 V. By using this range of voltage, it can pick-up the Shagai to the launcher
without any error to the robot nor damaging the Shagai. The MR1 also has a special feature
that allows the Shagai to land in the Landing Zone.
The special feature is the pressure powered launcher. This kind of launcher uses
solenoid cylinder shaped as the main part of the launcher. It uses air pressure to launch the
Shagai into the Landing Zone. This method ensures that the Shagai to land in the Landing
Zone perfectly and precisely. This solenoid uses 5 Pa to create a power that pushes the
Shagai into the Landing Zone.
The MR1 must also be able deliver the Gerege to the MR2. For this, a clamper is
designed for the MR1. This clamper also uses cylinder shaped solenoid. This clamper will
be operating as a hand to grab the Gerege and to pass the Gerege to the MR2. Air pressure
is also used to create a force to grab and release the Gerege. Figure 1 shows the structure of
the MR1.
Figure 1: Mechanical design of the MR1
236
The motion parameters of the MR2 robot legs were collected and sent to the robot
vision system. This is to solve the stabilization problems of the software-based algorithms
in searching for the global motion parameters. The motion jitter parameters of the four legs
are extracted and combined with the software stabilization methods. This works as the basis
for solving global motion parameters and provides guided solutions for the parameters. The
simulation tools of MATLAB SimMechanics toolkits are utilized to analyse the MR2
stability. The results indicated that the proposed algorithm for four-legged robot movement
in real-time is better and more accurate.
2.2 Movement Mechanism
An actuator is a type of motor that is responsible for moving or controlling a
mechanism or system. It is operated by a source of energy, typically electric current,
hydraulic fluid pressure, or pneumatic pressure, and converts that energy into motion.
Figure 2: Actuator
We are using JX Servo PDI-HV2060MG 180 degree 60 kg metal gear high voltage core
digital high torque servo motor for the UAV robot.
(a) (b)
Figure 3: (a) Front look of the MR1 and (b) Upper look of the MR1
237
1. Cylinder for pneumatic hand
2. Pneumatic hand
3. Motor
4. Omni-wheel
5. Cylinder for the Shagai launcher
6. Cylinder for the Gerege clamper
Figure 4: A closer look at omni wheel
Figure 5: A closer look at clamper of the Gerege
2.4 Electronic Design
The distribution of the sensors and the architecture of the processing units within the
robots is shown in Figure 6.
1. Motor shield board.
2. Nucleo board.
3. Custom made board.
Figure 6: Distribution of sensors and architecture of the processing unit
238
All three boards are mounted on the (perspex) before being fitted in the centre of the
MR1 body. This will provide a stable structure to the design. A 24 V power supply is used
to power up the motor shield board as well as the three wheels of the MR1 robot. A 7.4 V
power supply is used to power up the PS2 controller. Four motor shields of SHIELD-MD10
R2 are used in the MR1; three of which are used to programme the omni-wheels and the
fourth is used for the ps2 controller. The main board of the MR1 is the Nucleo board
(NUCLEO F412ZG). A custom-made board that is connected to the top of the Nucleo board
is to connect the main board with the four motor shields that are used in the MR1. The third
board is also a custom-made board that acts as the supply power gate to the motor shields
and the Nucleo board. The board is equipped with the on and off switches.
For the MR2, there is a Lipo RC battery of 900 mAh 7.4 V 25 C to power up the
Arduino mega board. A battery to supply power for two servo motors is connected to the
MR2 legs. We also use a limit sensor to detect barrier while the robot is moving. The MR2
is also equipped with an MPU6050 Gyro Sensor to allow it to spin rapidly about an axis.
The orientation of the axis is not affected when tilted. Therefore, the gyroscopes can be used
to provide stability or to maintain a reference direction in a robot navigation systems.
An Arduino Mega 2560 R3-Main board has been selected as the micro-controller
for the MR2. It has 54 digital input/output pins (of which 14 can be used as PWM outputs),
16 analog inputs, four UARTs (hardware serial ports), a 16 MHz crystal oscillator, a USB
connection, a power jack, an ICSP header and a reset button. It contains every thing needed
to support the micro-controller; simply connect it to a computer with a USB cable or power
it with a AC-to-DC adapter or battery to get started. The Mega is compatible with most
shields designed for the Arduino Duemilanove or Diecimila.
2.5 Programming of the Robot
Figure 7 shows the flow-chart of the programme.
239
Figure 7: Flow-chart of the programme
240
2.6 Calculations for the Placement of Omni-Wheels
Figure 8: Schematic of the three omni-wheels robot
Figure 8 shows the schematic view of the three omni-wheels robot, where each
wheel (W1, W2, W3) is 120 degrees apart. R is the length from the centre of the robot to
each wheel. VW1, VW2, VW3 are velocities of wheel 1, wheel 2 and wheel 3. r is the radius
of each omni-wheel. From the kinematics equation, all forces are divided into two
components which are the X-component and Y-component to X-axis and Y-axis
respectively. The following equations have been used in our robot design:
For wheel 1, W1,
2 =− ( ) (1)
2
2 = ( ) (2)
2
For wheel 2, W2,
= 3 − ( ) − ( ) (3)
2
1
= ( ) − ( ) (4)
2
1
= 1 + 2 + 3 (5)
(1,2,3) = . (6)
241
where,
ω = Angular velocity of the Omni-directional wheel (rad/sec).
r = Omni-directional wheel radius (cm).
Vθ = Robot movement velocity.
The wheels are arranged in symmetrical order which is 120° apart, thus the kinematic
model can be rewritten in matrix form as:
−1/2 −1/2 1 1
[ ] = [√3/2 −√3/2 0 ] [ ] (7)
2
1/ 1/ 1/ 3
3.0 CONCLUSION, LIMITATION AND RECOMMENDATION
The limitation of the MR1 is mainly due to the force of the solenoid which depends
on the length of the solenoid and the air pressure that is stored in the bottle. This can be
prevented by giving the MR1 a bigger bottle (air-tank) to store the air pressure and a bigger
solenoid for extra power. The other limitation of the MR1 comes from the triangle base
shape structure. The upper design must be balanced equally for the MR1 to move faster.
Another way is to change the base structure design for the MR1. The MR2 robot cannot
move fast because of the limited torque of the motor servo. The torque is only enough to
support the weight of the body. The MR2 also cannot make a big step because it will lose
its stability and tends to fall on three legs. To prevent this from occurring, the MR2 can only
make small steps. In conclusion, the MR1 and the MR2 need more upgrades and
improvements for the robots to be more reliable.
4.0 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
We would like to express our deep gratitude to Associate Prof. Dr. Engku Fadzli
Hasan Bin Syed Abdullah and Dr Azrul Amri Bin Jamal, our project supervisors, for their
patience, guidance, encouragement and useful critiques to make this project a success. We
also would like to thank Mr Weng Kit, for his advice and assistance in keeping our progress
on schedule. We are also grateful to Mr Amir Fadzli Bin Abd Ghani, Mr. Mohd Hosni Bin
Rifin, Mr Zarkashim Bin Mad Zali and team FRIT for their assistance in designing the robot
and advising us on the robot structure.
242
References
[1] Ghanbari, Ahmad, and S. M. R. S. Noorani, 2019, Optimal trajectory planning for
design of a crawling gait in a robot using genetic algorithm. International Journal of
Advanced Robotic Systems, Vol. 8, No. 1: 6.
[2] Suzuki, Y., & Geyer, H., 2018, A simple bipedal model for studying control of gait
termination. Bioinspiration & biomimetics, 13(3).
[3] Diegel, Olaf, et al., 2002, Improved mecanum wheel design for omni-directional
robots. Proc. 2002 Australasian Conference on Robotics and Automation, Auckland.
[4] Victor Tangerman, 2019.
243
KOGAS from Pusat Latihan Teknologi Tinggi Kulim
TEAM SUPERVISOR: Mohd Ariff Azami Bin Abd Muin
TEAM MEMBERS: Muhammad Nabil Ikhwan Bin Mohd Niza
Muhammad Hafiz Bin Zulkifli
Mohammad Nur’Zahid Bin Md Zainudin
Muhammad Firdaus Akhmal Bin Abdul Rahim
Linggendran A/L Ravindran
Muhammad Irman Mirza Bin Mohd Pauzi
ABSTRACT
This report aims to briefly elaborate KOGAS team robotic design and development stages
for the ROBOCON Malaysia 2019 competition with the theme - Satu Langkah, Seribu
Lonjakan. KOGAS Team has used the Computer Aided Engineering approach in designing
the robot components to shorten the development time and reduce the factors of mechanism
failure and at the same time complying to specifications given by the organiser. Design,
drafting and analysis were carried out through simulation using Computer Aided Drafting -
Computer Aided Engineering (CAD-CAE) to validate the mechanism design and its
assembly. Based on the analysis of the simulation, the cause of the failure will be identified.
The results of subsequent studies were used to improve the design by taking care of factors
that caused the failure. The discussion section will explain more on the results and finally
ends with a conclusion of what has been done, followed by recommendations for future
studies.
1.0 INTRODUCTION
The Robot Contest competition (ROBOCON) Malaysia 2019, is one of the most
prestigious robotic competitions in Malaysia and an open competition. The competition is
held every year to find Malaysia's representative to the ROBOCON Asia Pacific
Broadcasting Union (ABU). This year, ABU ROBOCON 2019 will be held in Ulaanbaatar,
Mongolia [1].
Each year the competition has a different theme, but generally two or more robots are
used to complete the task. One robot will be created with manual control while the other is
automatic. The best robots are usually weighing no more than 10 kg and a wide opening
244
within one meter square. To build these robots, participants (limited to the students of higher
learning institutions) must have good knowledge in programming, mechanical design and
electronic circuit design [2].
Each game is between two teams, often called the Red team and the Blue team. The play
ground is symmetric and the robots from both teams start in the same position on each side
of the game field (except for ROBOCON 2015 which uses a turn-based based on badminton)
[2].
A typical game (except for ROBOCON 2015) lasted for three minutes, but can end up
faster if one team reaches the K.O. win that quickly completes the game. If no team reaches
the K.O win, the team with a higher score after three minutes will be declared as the winner
[2].
Earlier editions of ROBOCON tend to emphasize on the competitiveness of the game
i.e. the winner achieved victory by using a strategic approach using their robots and
hindering their opponents from achieving the goals. For example, these strategies were
utilised by Vietnam’s and China’s ROBOCON’s to win in 2004 and 2006 and in 2008
respectively. To minimise the problem of provocation, later editions reduced combat nature
theme and emphasize more on technology. The robots have to complete the tasks and to
manoeuvre through complex path, requiring the team to be more creative in robotic design
and tactics [2].
This competition is seen to help to improve the level of world-class human resource
skills in Malaysia. In addition, it provides awareness and understanding to the public on the
importance of skills in nation building.
1.1 PROBLEM STATEMENT
The mission of the contest is to deliver information by using a relay messenger
system. Each team has to develop two types of robot which are remote-controlled mobile
robot as Messenger Robot 1 (MR1) and a four-legged robot as the Messenger Robot 2
(MR2). The MR1 carries the Gerege from Khangai Urtuu, goes through the zig-zag Forest,
crosses the Bridge before reaching Gobi Urtuu. After the MR1 reaches Gobi Urtuu, it will
pass the Gerege to the MR2. The MR2 will start walking along the Gobi Area. It will then
go through two sharp bends, step over 100 mm height obstacle and crossing two ropes to
reach Mountain Urtuu. A top view of the game field is shown in Figure 1.
245
Figure 1: ROBOCON 2019 Game Field.
2.0 DETAILED DESIGN
To overcome the challenges given by ABU ROBOCON 2019, KOGAS team came
out with a concept of solution to developed two types of robots which are; 1) a remote-
controlled mobile robot as the MR1 and 2) a four-legged walking robot as the MR2. The
MR1 carries a Gerege from Khangai Urtuu, goes along the zig-zag Forest, crosses the
Bridge before reaching Gobi Urtuu. This robot is equipped with four trans wheels installed
with certain formation to make the robot easier to move at multi-orientation. The robot is
controlled by using a PS3 joystick with Bluetooth communication. The Bluetooth
communication can also be changed to wired communication in case of emergency.
After the MR1 reaches Gobi Urtuu, it will pass the Gerege to the MR2 robot by
using RC Servo mechanism. When the proximity sensor placed at the MR2 robot detects
the signal of the Gerege, it will start walking into the Gobi Area. The MR2 will have to pass
two sharp bends, steps over a 100 mm height obstacle and crossing two ropes to reach
Mountain Urtuu. The four-legged robot was designed with two legs placed close to the body
and another two legs at the outer body. The inner and outer legs will move alternately where
the two legs alternately make steps while the other two legs support the weight of the body.
246
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