0 - Design

This weekend I began working on the design for my robot swarm. I created a schematic, and a CAD proof-of-concept for what each robot will look like.

The Idea

The robots use 3 methods of communication, infrared (IR) for direction, Ultra-Wideband (UWB) for distance, and WiFi for general communication.

Each robot has a ring of IR receivers on their perimeter, as well as a ring of IR LEDs on top. By comparing the signal strength across the ring, they can estimate the direction of another robot. They also communicate 1-on-1 with UWB, measuring the time it takes for a signal to go between two robots to estimate the distance. The built in WiFi of the ESP32 is used for more complex communication.

The Schematic

This was my first time using KiCad, and it was a pretty fun experience. It was a lot harder than I expected, especially having to look through a bunch of data sheets to figure out how to use stuff (I still don’t know what a decoupling capacitor does) but seeing it all come together at the end made it worth it. Also, I now have a much better understanding of my project which is nice

The Model

The CAD is very simple right now, just motor sockets, holes for the LEDs and receivers, and a shelf to hold the PCB. I might have to make it bigger for the prototype that I’ll be making on perfboard, but I think it’s ok for now

Click here to see the simulation!