WriteBot

Inspiration

Our inspiration for this project comes from the desire to create an interactive learning tool that bridges physical robotics and letter-based pattern recognition. By integrating directional control with letter-specific movement patterns, we aim to design a system that can mimic shapes and letters based on commands, offering both educational and functional applications. The use of Bluetooth control provides flexibility, while the letter recognition aspect introduces new possibilities for interactive learning and creative exploration.

What it does

1. Letter-based Movement Pattern: The robot can be programmed to "draw" specific letters by moving in patterns corresponding to each character. For example, if programmed to create an 'A', the robot will move in a way that traces the letter 'A' on the ground.

2. Bluetooth App Control: Using a mobile application, the user can send directional commands to guide the robot in real time.

How we built it

• Hardware:
  The car is equipped with a Arduino-nano 33 BLE, Motors, Motor driver, Breadboards/other supporting equipment (wheels, ball castor)

• Software:

  • For letter pattern recognition, we designed a series of pre-programmed movement patterns for each letter, which the car follows based on the command it receives.
  • The Bluetooth communication protocol was implemented to capture directional inputs from a mobile app.
  • Control logic for movement patterns and navigation was written in C and embedded into the Arduino for smooth execution.

Challenges we ran into

1. Movement Precision: Ensuring the robot traces letters accurately, especially when turning and adjusting speed.

2. Hardware Calibration: Aligning the motor speeds and sensor outputs to accurately reflect the intended movement patterns for each letter.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

• We are proud to have completed the project in time without using any external help from ChatGPT or the internet
• We are proud to work on Arduino for the first time.

What we learned

• How to create smooth movement patterns for complex letters and shapes.
• Troubleshooting real-world issues with sensor data and wireless communication.
• The importance of iterative design and fine-tuning to improve movement precision.

What's next for WriteBot

• Expanded Pattern Library:
  Implementing movement patterns for more complex shapes and multi-character tracing.

• Voice Command Integration:
  Adding voice control to enable users to speak out the letter they want to see traced.

• Autonomous Drawing:
  Introducing path planning to autonomously trace shapes without external commands.

Built With

• arduino
• c