Welcome to the SNORRT Homepage

WELCOME TO THE

Second Network Operated Robotics Research Team

Senior Project Webpage

Introduction

	The robotics presence in the School of Engineering began with a new building, a professor with an idea, and a Dean wanting a way to promote the school in a positive light. A set of three robots were purchased for use by students for classes and projects.
	One of those robots is a PeopleBot. This four foot tall monster features differential steering, an onboard Linux PC, a wide range of sensors, and video and audio equipment. It has a gripper to grasp small objects and children. It has been chosen to be the lucky robot for our project. A past senior project team has already spent time working with this robot. NORRT's project included an informational website, a live camera feed, and the ability for the robotics site visitors to control the robot and watch what it is doing.
	During Stage 1, we will create an application which handles the startup and shutdown of the robot. This application will reside on a computer in the robot lab. REAR (Restricted Enabler Application for the Robot) will go through and start the processes needed to operate the robot in NORRT's WORM mode, as a tour guide, or just provide a camera feed to the robotics site. The program must be easy enough to use that no prior robotics experience is needed.
	In Stage 2, we will give the robot the ability to give basic tours of points of interest located on the first floor of the EB. Upon arrival at each destination, a pre-recorded message will be played for those standing near the robot. The robot will also be able to find alternate routes to a given location if a path is blocked by an obstacle by using path planning and replanning modules developed by the team.
	Our third, final, and optional (implementation is time dependent) stage involves the creation of a program for making tours for the robot. This program will be available to professors and faculty of the SOE. Users will be able to create a tour from selected tour points as well as associate sounds for those points.