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A Cost Effective GPS Guided Autonomous Object Transporter Robot for Disaster
Management and Industrial Automation
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Abstract—This paper presents the design methodology and be used in industrial automation and as a helping hand for
implementation of a low cost autonomous robot prototype that physically challenged people in their everyday life.
can reach prescribed destination using Global Positioning System Hence, in this context, we have designed and implemented
(GPS). By calculating the heading angle from the current GPS
co-ordinate, the robot can adjust its direction using a digital an autonomous object transporter robot which can operate
compass reading. Our designed autonomous robot can carry independently using GPS data and carry any object with it.
and transport small objects perfectly to the target destination Our designed prototype can deliver small objects successfully
and after fulfilling its task the robot can return independently and automatically return to its starting point. GPS receiver
to its starting location. The functionality and accuracy of this module is used to capture the GPS signal by locking with
GPS guided transporter robot are tested in different locations
and accuracy rate is measured in terms of heading angle and satellites. However, limitations in satellite signal reception
average distance deviation from the target. Our robotic module limit the use of GPS systems for navigation [8], [9]. These
can be very effective as a surveillance robot in the management limitations can be overcome by utilizing differential GPS but
of a disaster such as earthquake. Apart from its scope of use at an additional expense [10]. A digital compass continuously
in industrial automation, our designed object transporter robot reads current heading angle of robot using magnetic earth pole.
can be a helping hand for the disabled people, therefore offering
them flexibility and comfort in day-to-day life. Our robot can set its moving direction using compass by taking
feedback form GPS receiver. This robot is controlled by an
Index Terms—Autonomous vehicle, GPS, digital compass, Arduino Mega 2560 micro-controller which provides PWM
NEMA string, surveillance, industrial automation. to DC motors. After moving each step, the controller checks
the error again between the actual GPS angle and heading
I. I NTRODUCTION angle. Depending on the error value, controller generates
In recent times, proper and efficient disaster management PWM signal. Thus it repeats the process again and again until
system and rescue operation in the event of a disaster have it arrives the destination. Using sonar sensor, it can detect an
been a matter of concern throughout the world, especially obstacle coming in front of it. By sensing obstacle, our robot
for developing countries like Bangladesh [1]. Disasters like can change its direction to avoid it. Additional features include
massive earthquakes, fire incidents and collapse of large build- live video feedback with a camera mounted on the robotic
ings due to poor infrastructures can endanger thousands of structure and auto-saving of the captured data or images via
lives [2], [3]. Moreover, during these disasters or accidents, an attached memory card. The functionality and accuracy of
rescuers face serious obstacles to reach the affected areas, this GPS guided robot have been tested in different locations.
locate the exact position of the victims as well as provide them Our robotic system shows reasonably good accuracy in terms
with instant reliefs such as dry food, water and medicines. of heading angle and a small average deviation from the target
Therefore, a robotic surveillance and rescue systems can be co-ordinates. Our designed autonomous path-traversing robot
very effective. In this context, various sub-systems guided with its multidimensional features and application prospects
by different fabrication techniques and algorithm approaches can ensure safety, flexibility and accuracy in performing sen-
have been proposed in the literature [4], [5]. On the other sitive and risky tasks in multiple aspects of day-to-day life.
hand, precise controlling of operations in sensitive areas like The paper is organized as follows: In Section II, construc-
nuclear reactors, research centers, chemical industries and tion and interfacing of different components are illustrated.
mines where radioactivity is dominant can impose safety threat Both the structural construction and software interfacing are
and challenges to human being. An autonomous robotic system elaborated in details in this section. The working principle and
based on GPS, which can navigate independently and perform flowchart are described in Section III. In Section IV, some
variety of tasks like object transport, data collection can be test results are shown and the causes of discrepancies in the
handy in this case as well [6], [7]. At the same time, it can results are discussed. Some practical applications and further
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Proc. of the 2017 IEEE Region 10 Conference (TENCON), Malaysia, November 5-8, 2017
3) Stand: We have used a high stand on the surface of the continuously loop through this set of instructions until the
robot. The stand is used for holding the digital compass. Since desired point is reached. After every 3 seconds, the rover
digital compass uses magnetic sensors, it is recommended to checks for the next GPS coordinates and reevaluates its target
place the compass far from all other magnetic inductions, e.g. angular position. The working principle is described below−
magnetic induction from the DC motors. • At first GPS module reads the current location. Then we
calculate the target angle according to the target location
D. Component Rating
by this algorithm−
For the purpose of our autonomous transporter robot to dlon = radians(target longitude − current longitude);
be electrically safe, a standard voltage and current rating lat1 = radians(current latitude);
was maintained for power supplies and tracking modules. lat2 = radians(target latitude);
Components used in our robot and their rating are shown in x = sin(dlon)×cos(lat2);
Table I. y = cos(lat1)×sin(lat2) − sin(lat1)×cos(lat2)×cos(dlon);
III. W ORKING A LGORITHM target angle = atan2(x,y)×(180/π);
if (target angle < 0)
The algorithm begins with finding the direction required target angle += 360◦
for the rover to move. This can be done by continuously • The compass also reads the current heading angle of the
calculating current angle of the rover from digital compass rover. Then it calculates the error angle between target
reading and target angle from the two sets (current and and current heading angle.
destination location) of GPS coordinate. Since GPS data needs • From P-controller, two motors will get pulse according
some time to become stable, the rover must wait some time to the error and will try to align to the target angular
initially to retrieve current GPS coordinate accurately. The position. Thus it will minimize the error.
destination coordinate is given initially. The coordinates are • After 3 seconds, we again calculate the current GPS
then passed to a function that calculates the target angular location and measure the target angle if there is any
position and the rover is rotated accordingly. The rover must disturbance occurred during the path.
• Then again by reading the compass angle, the rover will
align to the target direction.
• Sonar sensor emits burst signal after 2 seconds interval
to find the existence of any obstacle.
• Each time GPS module reads the current location and
calculates the difference with the target location. If the
difference is below a threshold value, we stop the motor
pulse as the rover has reached its destination approxi-
mately.
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Proc. of the 2017 IEEE Region 10 Conference (TENCON), Malaysia, November 5-8, 2017
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Proc. of the 2017 IEEE Region 10 Conference (TENCON), Malaysia, November 5-8, 2017
R EFERENCES
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VI. C ONCLUSION libraries/tinygpsplus
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The authors would like to thank the Dept. of EEE,
Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology
(BUET) for providing necessary facilities for carrying out this
work.