Control boxes

To ensure customizability in design we are looking for a way to create a universal central control box, mountable clamps for full control over placement of devices on the skeleton.

Mountable attachments
Control Box
Motors
ballast boxes

Diagrams soon to follow.

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To Do

To Do: Oct 21-28 (Materials to gather)
Find Skeleton materials(pipes)
Find new Motors
Clamp System for components
Test Box for component layout
Waterproof Plugs

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Initial software design ideas

Basic Program layout





















Slightly more structured program flow (Grouped by control system and responsibilities)

Breakdown To-do

Website
 Wireframes
 Forums
 Pilot Page
  Java Interface
  Webcam Feed
 Evolution Page
 Project Page
 Products Page 
 
ROV
 Research & Components
  PVC Pipes
  Bilge Pump Motors
  Floats
  Weights
  Control Board (Onboard Computer)
  Wiring
  Onboard Circuit Breaker
  Watertight Tubing (Tether)
  Cameras
  Lights
  Waterproof Enclosure
  Sealants
 Purchase Components
 Design ROV Kit
 Design Onboard Electronic Interface
  Autonomous Movement
 Tank Work

In the process of working with Greg to create a production schedule for these needs.

Potential new controllor board...

This puppy comes with an ARM9 200Mhz, 32 MB flash memory, and Linux already installed :) This will allow for me to run a standard control program on the OS itself for the ROV. More research still necessary obviously, but I've ordered one and I should have it in a week.

Here is the Manual for Linux for ARM

Cooking sites...

So, in an effort to possibly make OpenSource cooking in conjunction to ROVLabs I have been looking for sites that fall somewhat in the range of what i want to make...

Here is a list:

http://allrecipes.com/
Has Reviews
Voting system
Pantry system (saves what you have in your kitchen)
Shopping List creator (Though not the generator I had in mind)
Community forum
Comment system for custom recipes

http://www.recipeinsider.com/
Has Voting System

http://www.recipezaar.com/
Has search feature for recipes
Organized by ingredients, meal, categories...
Featured "Chefs" section for contributing members
Ability to upload pictures of meals. (Example, Banana Bread had 7 pictures from 7 different people so you can see how results vary)

Two features in all of these that I find different from what I had in mind:
Automatic Shopping list generator: Made to refill the normal stuff you buy or based on recipes you have marked for meals. This has the potential to get sponsorship from grocery stores so that store's advertisements can be listed and their sale prices for items.

Recipe creator/community builder: I want to create an interactive application to put in recipes that others can edit. The author can set these recipes to "complete" or "make suggestions" and in a wiki style of community energy individuals can alter the recipes to make something that tastes a little better with a comment.

I'm tempted to work on those components as it stands, but I'll continue to look for other sites.

Resources!

I've acquired the following items:
HC11 processor board - Testing board for controls and electrons
PIC robots guide - PIC is a programmable microcontroller so it is possible to create firmware for onboard controls and operation. It will also control the onboard interface back to the main computer.
Digital Logic text - Academic guide to designing circuitry for specific functions.

I will be researching where to order a PIC chip. Supplies for a breadboard and wiring components are available either through the ECE department or at Radioshack.

I am currently researching common programming languages for robotics interaction. Potentially I will be creating a C++ CGI in order to have access to certain low-level programming functions.

Questions pondered...

- Cost to participate may be too high
The cost to enter this program is he participation of a school program in the training program AT the aquarium in Boothbay harbor, OR an internet connection in the classroom where someone can browse the ROVLabs site, look at the information and pilot the onlineROV.

Allow for both registered and anonymous accounts to pilot and participate with the device, but have a forums available for discussion and postings of potential changes for the next iteration. I think a real strength of this interaction and group learning is there are multiple sources. Class at the Aquarium participating in the full program, class in the classroom participating just in the online tutorial and interaction, and the online discussion about the ROV itself and the technical aspects of the exploration.

- Consider higher levels of automation
Automation can be achieved in the online ROV by creating a program that moves the vehicle around the tank in a predetermined path, taking predetermined actions. Going up/down/left/right hovering and such. This would allow a viewer's alternative to something just sitting there so they can SEE the ROV in action without having to interact directly (if they dno't want to) and it makes it more interesting to see when someone isn't piloting it in real-time.

- Consider the result of cross-age group participation and the effects on the project
The real point of the Aquarium and this program is to educate as many people as possible. It's by coincidence that the age groups participating in this program have been around middle school age. Since the entire project takes a short amount of time, and requires critical thinking, it is applicable for all learning ages. Individuals who come across the site can offer their expertise, if they have any, are welcome because they too can help answer questions students could have.

- Consider how to really get 12 year olds interested in this. What is motivating them?
This whole project is a learning environment, especially as a classroom structure, but the online interaction with the ROV and the exploration of the site/forums will peak the interest of those interested, and even those who want to play. The intent is to grab attention of those kids who have never even considered marine science, having them interacting with others and learning as a group. The benefit of this online application is that this message and group learning atmosphere is extended to anyone who can get to the website.

Education for educations sake...

After presenting both OpenSourceCooking and the ROVLabs to the capstone course I have some feedback to chew on. Little was said about the recipe site except that it "had some elements that were good", and Pattie provided me with a link to a similar cooking site that has much of the same components, but not necessarily in the way I would implement them. The general impression from Jon, since only he and one other reacted to the project idea was mixed. Here are a list of concerns that I was able to grasp from class.

- Cost to participate may be too high
- Consider higher levels of automation
- Consider the result of cross-age group participation and the effects on the project
- Consider how to really get 12 year olds interested in this. What is motivating them?

I am also waiting for feedback in the pool, but these are the points I will be thinking about, and posting about over the next week. The recipe site I might just do for fun anyway.

Recipe for New Media...

...or at least for some fine food.

Another idea for capstone that I wanted to present would be to create a cooking site, OpenSourceCooking.

This would be a fully functional locale for interested individuals to come and store, search, and find recipes that coincide with their tastes, and their pantry. There will also be a recipe engine and forum for visitors to discuss, create and review their own creations. People can be connected via the forums, via their own initiative, but also by the recipes they are using so the site can recommend other delicacies.