scholarly journals Generic and Flexible Unmanned Sailboat for Innovative Education and World Robotic Sailing Championship

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shaolong Yang ◽  
Chuan Liu ◽  
Ya Liu ◽  
Jinxin An ◽  
Xianbo Xiang
Keyword(s):  
Software Architecture ◽  
Open Source ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Field Tests ◽  
Easy Access ◽  
Line Of Sight ◽  
Robot Operating System ◽  
The Past ◽  
Open Source Hardware ◽  
Wind Vane

Over the past two decades, scholars developed various unmanned sailboat platforms, but most of them have specialized designs and controllers. Whereas these robotic sailboats have good performance with open-source designs, it is actually hard for interested researchers or fans to follow and make their own sailboats with these open-source designs. Thus, in this paper, a generic and flexible unmanned sailboat platform with easy access to the hardware and software architectures is designed and tested. The commonly used 1-m class RC racing sailboat was employed to install Pixhawk V2.4.8, Arduino Mega 2,560, GPS module M8N, custom-designed wind direction sensor, and wireless 433 Mhz telegram. The widely used open-source hardware modules were selected to keep reliable and low-cost hardware setup to emphasize the generality and feasibility of the unmanned sailboat platform. In software architecture, the Pixhawk V2.4.8 provided reliable states’ feedback. The Arduino Mega 2,560 received estimated states from Pixhawk V2.4.8 and the wind vane sensor, and then controlled servo actuators of rudder and sail using simplified algorithms. Due to the complexity of introducing robot operating system and its packages, we designed a generic but real-time software architecture just using Arduino Mega 2,560. A suitable line-of-sight guidance strategy and PID-based controllers were used to let the autonomous sailboat sail at user-defined waypoints. Field tests validated the sailing performance in facing WRSC challenges. Results of fleet race, station keeping, and area scanning proved that our design and algorithms could control the 1-m class RC sailboat with acceptable accuracy. The proposed design and algorithms contributed to developing educational, low-cost, micro class autonomous sailboats with accessible, generic, and flexible hardware and software. Besides, our sailboat platform also facilitates readers to develop similar sailboats with more focus on their missions.

scholarly journals Computer Numerically Controlled Drawing Robot Based on Computer-Aided Design

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antor Mahamudul Hashan ◽  
Abdullah Haidari ◽  
Srishti Saha ◽  
Titas Paul
Keyword(s):  
Open Source ◽  
Computer Aided Design ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Rapid Development ◽  
Main Idea ◽  
Numerical Control ◽  
Computer Aided ◽  
Complex Circuits ◽  
Open Source Hardware ◽  
Aided Design

Due to the rapid development of technology, the use of numerically controlled machines in the industry is increasing. The main idea behind this paper is computer-aided design (CAD) based low-cost computer numerical control 2D drawing robot that can accurately draw complex circuits, diagrams, logos, etc. The system is created using open-source hardware and software, which makes it available at a low cost. The open-source LibreCAD application has been used for computer-aided design. Geometric data of a CAD model is converted to coordinate points using the python-based F-Engrave application. This system uses the Arduino UNO board as a signal generator of the universal g-code sender without compromising the performance. The proposed drawing robot is designed as a low-cost robot for educational purposes and aims to increase the student's interest in robotics and computer-aided design (CAD) skills to the next level. The drawing robot structure has been developed, and it meets the requirements of low cost with satisfactory experimental results.

Open source hardware for counting and measuring raindrops

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nick van de Giesen ◽  
Rolf Hut ◽  
Dirk van der Lubbe - Sanjuan
Keyword(s):  
Signal Processing ◽  
Open Source ◽  
Operational Amplifier ◽  
Digital Converter ◽  
The Core ◽  
The Past ◽  
Piezoelectric Elements ◽  
Analogue To Digital ◽  
Open Source Hardware

<p>Over the past years, simple acoustic drop detectors have been developed for different objectives. The core of these detectors were standard piezoelectric elements. For some applications, such as simply counting drops, not much signal processing is needed. For other applications, however, such as measurement of drop energy, which would allow for estimation of drop sizes as well, careful signal processing is needed. For this purpose, we have developed a shield, or “Wing” that can be plugged into an Adafruit Feather (https://www.adafruit.com/feather), which we call DisdroWing. This board includes a high-end operational amplifier and a fast analogue to digital converter. With this board, the user can experiment and implement specific applications, such as rain/no rain detection, hail detection, or drop energy. The design of the DisdroWing is publicly available and can also be purchased fully assembled.</p>

scholarly journals micrIO: an open-source autosampler and fraction collector for automated microfluidic input–output

Lab on a Chip ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 93-106 ◽  
Author(s):  
Scott A. Longwell ◽  
Polly M. Fordyce
Keyword(s):  
Open Source ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Microfluidic Devices ◽  
Input Output ◽  
Fraction Collector ◽  
Open Source Hardware ◽  
Multiwell Plates

MicrIO is a low-cost, open-source hardware and software solution for automated sample input/output, bridging the gap between microfluidic devices and standard multiwell plates.

scholarly journals A LOW-COST OPEN SOURCE HARDWARE IN CONTROL EDUCATION. CASE STUDY: ARDUINO-FEEDBACK MS-150

2015 ◽  
Vol 48 (29) ◽  
pp. 117-122 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Reguera ◽  
D. García ◽  
M. Domínguez ◽  
M.A. Prada ◽  
S. Alonso
Keyword(s):  
Open Source ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Control Education ◽  
Open Source Hardware

scholarly journals Democratising “Microscopi”: a 3D printed automated XYZT fluorescence imaging system for teaching, outreach and fieldwork

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew Wincott ◽  
Andrew Jefferson ◽  
Ian M. Dobbie ◽  
Martin J. Booth ◽  
Ilan Davis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Open Source ◽  
Fluorescence Imaging ◽  
Imaging System ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Dark Field ◽  
List Type ◽  
Image Capture ◽  
Fluorescence Imaging System ◽  
3D Printed ◽  
Open Source Hardware

ABSTRACTCommercial fluorescence microscope stands and fully automated XYZt fluorescence imaging systems are generally beyond the limited budgets available for teaching and outreach. We have addressed this problem by developing “Microscopi”, an accessible, affordable, DIY automated imaging system that is built from 3D printed and commodity off-the-shelf hardware, including electro-mechanical, computer and optical components. Our design features automated sample navigation and image capture with a simple web-based graphical user interface, accessible with a tablet or other mobile device. The light path can easily be switched between different imaging modalities. The open source Python-based control software allows the hardware to be driven as an integrated imaging system. Furthermore, the microscope is fully customisable, which also enhances its value as a learning tool. Here, we describe the basic design and demonstrate imaging performance for a range of easily sourced specimens.HighlightsPortable, low cost, self-build from 3D printed and commodity componentsMultimodal imaging: bright field, dark field, pseudo-phase and fluorescenceAutomated XYZt imaging from a tablet or smartphone via a simple GUIWide ranging applications in teaching, outreach and fieldworkOpen source hardware and software design, allowing user modification

scholarly journals LOW COST SEISMIC DATA ACQUISITION SYSTEM BASED ON OPEN SOURCE HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE TOOLS

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arvid Ramdeane ◽  
Lloyd Lynch
Keyword(s):  
Data Acquisition ◽  
Open Source ◽  
Seismic Data ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Data Acquisition System ◽  
Software Tools ◽  
Acquisition System ◽  
Seismic Data Acquisition ◽  
Private Network ◽  
Open Source Hardware

The University of the West Indies Seismic Research Centre, Trinidad and Tobago, operates a network of over 50 stations for earthquake and volcanic monitoring in the Eastern Caribbean islands. These stations form a seismic network consisting of various types of instrumentation, and communication systems. Over a period of 11 years, the Centre has embarked on an initiative of upgrading and expanding the current network with combinations of broadband and/or strong motion sensors, high dynamic range digitizers and networking equipment to link each station to centralized observatories via high speed digital data transmission medium. To realize such an upgrade and expansion, the Centre has developed a seismic data acquisition system prototype built using open-source hardware and software tools. The prototype is intended to be low-cost using off the shelf hardware components and open-source seismic related software handling data acquisition and data processing in two separate modules. The prototype uses a three-channel accelerometer sensor and can process data into standard MiniSEED format for easy data archiving and seismic data analysis. A global position module provides network time protocol time synchronization within 1 millisecond for accurate timestamping of data. Data can be stored locally on the prototype in twenty-minute data files or securely transferred to a central location via internet with the use of virtual private network capabilities. The prototype is modular in design allowing for components to be replaced easily and the system software can be updated remotely thus reducing maintenance cost.

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