Enhancing Micromouse Capabilities with a Radar System
To upgrade my micromouse’s navigation and obstacle detection, I decided to construct a radar system using an ultrasonic sensor mounted on a servo motor. This system would allow the micromouse to scan its surroundings with a 360-degree view, greatly improving its awareness and performance in obstacle detecting.
My initial step involved researching ultrasonic sensors and servo motors to determine the best models for integration and how they could be synchronized. The servo would rotate the ultrasonic sensor, enabling it to map out an area by sending out sound waves and measuring their return time, thus calculating distances to obstacles. After selecting the appropriate components, I integrated them with the existing micromouse framework. The mounting involved a simple setup where the servo was fixed onto the chassis, and the ultrasonic sensor was attached on top of the servo.
The next phase was programming the servo to sweep the sensor across a range of angles. Using Arduino IDE, I wrote the code to control the servo’s motion and to process the distance data collected by the ultrasonic sensor. The testing phase was crucial; I conducted multiple trials to fine-tune the sensor’s responsiveness and the accuracy of its readings. This radar system has significantly boosted the micromouse’s ability to detect and navigate around obstacles, making it smarter and more competitive in obstacle avoidance.