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SALTINE / DIODE |
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Idea Name:
SALTINE / DIODE
Overview:
These are line trackers with the ability to
identify line intersections and make decisions about which direction to move.
Concepts/Skills:
In the most basic format, SALTINE would need nothing more than
the simple linefollowing skills that Sandwich needed. The hard part would be designing the intersection-recognition hardware/software.
If the LCD module is used, then the skills for LCD would be needed.
Description:
Silly Advanced Line Tracker, Intelligent Electronic Navigator (SALTINE): This guy is a line follower but with some extras thrown in.
The first thing he has over a run-of-the-mill line follower like Sandwich is that he can detect carefully crafted branches in the line.
He could be built to recognize specific patterns in the line that are used to encode information such as "There's a branch right here". I don't know how hard it'll
be to have him recognize a pattern, but since following a solid line is so easy, I think that with an array of sensors (rather than just two or four looking for a single line)
he could detect some patterns by comparing sensor values to a look-up table of expected values to match the pattern. Once he locks onto the pattern, then he'll decide
what direction to go and then have a brief period of time where he tries to lock onto the line in the new direction. Once locked on, he'll do normal line following
until he finds the indicator pattern again. I think he could then be turned into "Delivery of Inter-Office Documents, non-Electronic" (DIODE). DIODE would have a map
of expected intersections in Flash memory. Then you put tape along the floor around the office with appropriately-patterened intersections. As he drives around, he'll be
able to compare each intersection to the map. You could do stuff like put an envelope into his holder, then press the button for "Co-Worker: B" and DIODE would calculate
the turns he'd have to make to find "Co-Worker: B" cubicle. You could add on an LCD display and some buttons to make choosing destinations more friendly. And how funny would
it be if he lost track of the line and then you showed up to a meeting without the proper document while he was frying his motors and batteries because he stalled when he
smacked the wall. I can just picture the corporate-wide policy they'd have to circulate dictating the proper usages of DIODE, they'd put him into the employee handbook and
have strict HR policy. For even more fun, you could slap a bar-code scanner onto the bottom of him and have bar-codes printed on the pattern to help him when he gets lost.
Also for more fun, build a web GUI that can be used to track his progress. Also could use PC-based software for laying out and downloading new maps of intersections.
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