Movement Details

This task deals with robot movement and wandering behavior within the Engineering Building, room 2029. This module will enable the robot to randomly wander around EB 2029 while the object recognition module executes in the background. When an object (chair) is found, movement will halt and object recognition will take control.

Movement Research

In order to enable the robot to move, there are some basic API functions that will be used. We will spend a few days researching functions to make the robot move, along with looking on the web for additional example movement code.

Study Examples

Previously, we had researched and found some examples to study. Now we will test those examples and look at the code more in depth. By doing this, we should get a better understanding of how to go about developing our own movement module.

Learn Mapping Program

The ActivMedia website has a software package called "Basic Suite." In this package is a tool called "Mapper." This tool is used to create world files that define the robots surroundings. This subtask will familiarize us with this package, and determine to what extent we can rely on using this in our project.

Measure Room and Furniture

This subtask goes along with the "Mapper" program. Here we take all measurements of the room and static objects in order to create the world file. This world file will be used by the robot to navigate the room and determine where stationary objects (walls) are.

Draw Rough Map of EB 2029

This is simply taking our knowledge of the "Mapper" utility and our measurements of EB 2029 and putting them all to use in the creation of an EB 2029 world file. This map will contain the walls, desks, and all other static objects. The robot will then assume that these objects are located where they are assigned in the world file.

Write Simple Sample Code

We will begin to write some sample movement code of our own. We might start out with something similar to our RAFS square and test it out with our map. We will then gradually work in some more complex movements.

Develop Movement Module

We will develop our own wander behavior program in this stage, so that the robot will continuously roam about EB 2029.

Refinement of Module

This step will be for improving the module we already wrote. The other teammates will offer suggestions to improve the module. How this module is going to interact with the object recognition module should be addressed.