devlog 001

date: july 5, 2026
project: car vault

what i did

today i worked on getting my stardance submission ready for car vault. the goal is to build an indoor robot car that can do slam, mapping, a* path planning, and pid motor control.

main setup

• raspberry pi 5 for slam, mapping, camera, and path planning
• esp32-s3 for encoders, pwm, pid motor control, safety stop, and telemetry
• usb camera for vision
• mpu6050 imu for orientation
• n20 encoder motors for movement
• drv8833 motor driver
• 3d printed chassis and front support
• raspberry pi 5 ups/battery power

big change

i switched the low-level controller from arduino uno to esp32-s3 because i want the first version to be closer to the final version. the esp32-s3 is faster, more modern, and better for this kind of robot.

i also added a logic-level shifter so the esp32-s3 does not get damaged if the encoder signals are 5v.

bom cleanup

i cleaned up the parts list and removed stuff i do not need, like the acrylic sheet and ball caster. i am 3d printing the chassis and front support instead.

i also added a cheaper raspberry pi 5 ups/battery setup so the robot can run without being plugged into the wall.

files finished

• readme.md
• bom.csv
• selected_parts.md
• submission_summary.md
• submission_validation.md
• power_subsystem.md
• budget_notes.md
• assets folder
• cad folder
• firmware folder
• software folder

what is done

the stardance folder is basically ready to upload to github and submit for funding.

what is not done yet

the robot is not built yet. i still need to test the motors, encoders, imu, camera, esp32-s3 wiring, pid control, slam, mapping, and a* path planning.

next steps

1. upload the folder to github
2. submit the stardance/outpost funding request
3. order parts after approval
4. 3d print the chassis
5. assemble the robot
6. test power, motors, encoders, imu, and camera
7. start pid driving
8. work toward slam and mapping

reflection

today was mostly cleaning up the design and making the submission look real. the project feels a lot more serious now because it has a real parts list, diagrams, power plan, cad plan, and submission folder.