| The goal of this project is to develop a plant-robot hybrid system as a platform to enable and enhance the studies of plant-environment and plant-human interactions. To achieve this goal, an autonomous robot is designed, built, and integrated to the plant to achieve functions including sunlight searching, water source searching, and pet-like interaction with human. In order to realize the multi-functionality of this hybrid system, an autonomous vehicle based on omni-wheel and Arduino microprocessor is developed. The solar panel battery maintainer, and infrared receiver module are utilized as the light sensor and target sensor, respectively to achieve sunlight searching and water source seeking functionality. Moreover, the Pixy optical sensor has been integrated to graphical tracking function. The motion planning algorithms based on omni-wheel control and algorithms to coordinate the sensor signals with robotic motion control are developed and implemented to the robot platform. For the software part, functions including omni-wheel motion, obstacle avoidance, sunlight searching, infrared signal source searching and visual sensing have been developed. This plant-robot hybrid system provides a platform to study the plant-environment and plant-human interaction. Multiple plant-robot hybrid systems can be integrated together via wireless communication to form a network. Also, more sensing functions can be introduced into the system and opens to other applications, for example, applying gas sensors to acquire environment gas mapping. |
