Autonomization of a Remote Controlled Car
The purpose of this project was to convert a remote controlled car to an autonomous vehicle with the use of ultrasonic sensors. It was hypothesized that with proper coding that the car could successfully navigate an ovular course without crashing or veering off course. Autonomous cars have been in development across many different companies and are thought to be the future of transportation. They are a safer and more convenient alternative to human drivers. More insight on improving their design is needed before these cars can hit the market, however. This project focused on ultrasonic sensors, which use high frequency sound waves and their echoes to calculate distances. The ultrasonic sensor used in this project was positioned at a 45° angle from the front of the car. This allowed the car to detect the wall at its future position. The distance found by the ultrasonic sensor was compared to a target distance, and if there was a difference, the car adjusted its steering accordingly. A PI code was used, allowing the car to adjust its steering based on its current position and its trajectory. The car completed thirty revolutions around the track and was rated on a scale of 0 to 3 based on the deviation in its distance from the wall, with 0 being poor and 3 being good. The average rating given to the car was a 2.95, meaning the car completed the course with very little deviation. This result confirmed the hypothesis that the car could successfully navigate the course.
Research Conducted By:
Kishwar Basith
Center Line High School
James Van Wangne
Center Line High School
Warren Consolidated Schools