Bomb Disarming Robot (BDR)

RFP*: Bomb Disarming Robot (BDR)

*RFP is an acronym for Request For Proposal. Internationally, RFPs are called ITTs, an acronym for Invitation To Tender. Companies and governmental agencies use RFPs to solicit new business.

Introduction and Overview

The United States Department of Homeland Security, was established in 2002 by an executive order issued by President George W. Bush. The department is an amalgamation of 22 federal agencies all dedicated in various ways to the protection of our country. The Department has three primary missions:

1. To prevent terrorist attacks within the United States,
2. To reduce America's vulnerability to terrorism, and
3. To minimize the damage from potential attacks and natural disasters.

Among its many directives, the Department considers it a top priority to reduce the threat imposed by explosive devices to both our citizens and our first responders. As recent events have made clear, the potential danger to innocents is real and is one we must contend with. A strategic component of the Department's 10-point plan to deal with explosives that threaten the citizenry is a fully autonomous robot designed to navigate to an explosive device and disarm it. Such a machine would not only reduce the threat to bystanders, but would protect the brave men and women who have dedicated their lives to our safety.

This bomb disarming robot, code-named BDR, should be nimble and effective. Your design must be reliable and cost-effective, as the Department envisions the deployment of a large number of BDRs throughout the country. The winning proposal must demonstrate the dependability of your design. Innovation in your approach to the problem will be rewarded.

Specifications

Design a robot using MLCad as your primary design tool. Your team must build a model of your design using the materials provided. A Mindstorms program that will direct the robot's movements must be created. A cost estimate of the robot's components must be provided. All revisions to the original design must be recorded and explained. This includes technical design drawings, as well as cost estimates. All revisions to the Mindstorms program must be recorded and explained.

The BDR must be able to move autonomously over a pre-selected route, disarm a bomb, avoiding any decoy bombs, and, for extra credit, disable and retrieve triangulation devices, returning them to the start point. The BDR must not touch the decoy bombs even after they disarm the bomb. The robot must fit in a start area that is 25cm by 25cm by 20cm high (see Figure 1). These specifications must be met for final commissioning.

The robot program may not be altered or switched during any part of the mission. Likewise, the robot must be fully autonomous, and therefore cannot be touched by any person during testing. Please refer to the course syllabus for all due dates.

Route Choices

Figure 1: BDR navigation field
Note: The picture above contains one representation of this project description.
Actual course may be different from the one pictured above, but similar in objective.

Figure 2: Alternate view of BDR navigation field
Note: The picture above contains one representation of this project description.
Actual course may be different from the one pictured above, but similar in objective.

Route 1: The robot must follow the black line, traverse the black tunnel, disarm the bomb, and return to the start area (see Figures 1 and 2).

Route 2: The robot must navigate the perimeter of the course, proceed to the bomb's location, disarm it, and return to the start area (see Figures 1 and 2).

Figure 3: Your robot must press this disarm switch

Figure 4: Your robot must avoid these decoy bombs

Please Note: Projectile (catapult, slingshot) designs are not allowed; your robot must travel to the bomb in order to disarm it.

There are two versions of the BDR course. Your Professor or TA will assign to you either BDR Day (white) or BDR Night (black). BDR Day and BDR Night are similar, but not exactly the same.

For extra credit, the robot can disable the triangulation system by disabling at least two devices (knocking ping pong balls off of their tubes). The devices are located on the roof of the complex. One of these triangulation devices may be retrieved and returned to the start area for additional extra credit. A picture showing the placement of the devices is shown below in Figure 5:

Figure 5: BDR bomb placement
Note: The picture above contains one representation of this project description.
Actual course may be different from the one pictured above, but similar in objective.

If you would like to design your own route, you may ask your instructor for permission.

Creativity and innovation are always rewarded. Original designs will receive extra credit.

Microsoft Project

A project schedule must be created in Microsoft Project. Learn to use Microsoft Project by accessing the Microsoft Project Student Guide. This schedule must include all tasks related to the project from the start of the project to Early or Final submission. Click here to access the guide on how to transfer a file. The Microsoft Project schedule should include:

• Minimum of 20 tasks, excluding Milestones
• Milestones should be clearly indicated on the project plan (duration of zero days)
• Each task must include the person responsible for completing the task (resource names)
• Use the "Copy Picture" function to include the schedule in the presentations. Do not take a screenshot
• Gantt chart must be displayed alongside the tasks list (fit onto one slide)
• Gantt chart must show a progress line
• Clearly state during the presentations whether the project is on-time, behind schedule, or ahead of schedule

For help planning the project, review the manual page Planning Project Scheduling & Costs.

Drawings

All drawings and sketches should be made using LEGO Digital Designer (LDD). LDD can be installed for free from the LEGO website.

Using LDD, create four drawings of the robot: front, top, most detailed side, and a drawing of the gear train(s). Sensors, motors, and gears must be included in each drawing. If the robot does not use any gears, make sure to explicitly state that in your presentations.

Each revision of the design must be documented and all changes must be presented during Milestone presentations.

Model

You must build a scale model (1:1) of your design. The following materials will be provided:

1. Mindstorms kit
2. One NXT/EV3
3. Sensors
4. Motors

The finished BDR must fit inside a 25cm × 25cm × 20cm high. Any other components that the BDR uses must also fit in the same box.

Additional materials can be supplied by your TA.

Figure 7: Photographs of some past robot models constructed from provided materials

Cost Estimate

Once a robot design is complete, a cost estimate must be generated that specifies the cost of all the materials and labor required for the construction of the design. Tabulate this cost information clearly in an Excel spreadsheet, using the materials cost list provided. Help in calculating the cost is available by reviewing how to plan the schedule and calculate costs for a project. The costs for the parts can be found on the price list for LEGO parts for robot projects.

Note: You should only use the materials contained in the price list for LEGO parts for robot projects. If you want to use other parts, get permission from your faculty member to do so, and also to determine the cost of the parts you want to use that are not in this price list.

The cost estimate should include the following:

• Labor cost breakdown with hours and rates
• Consolidate low-cost pieces: axles, beams, bricks, bushings, connectors, gears, plates
• Itemize high-cost pieces: controllers (EV3 brick), sensors, motors
• No decimal places; this is an estimate after all. Round appropriately
• Total cost must be shown in the bottom right corner

Notebook/Project Journal

While working on your project, you are expected to keep a record of all work done, as well as future plans and goals. In order to complete a Benchmark assessment, you must submit your notebook in .pdf format to the EG1004 website, as well as show your notebook to the Open Lab TA completing your assessment. A guide to writing the notebook, as well as a basic overview of its expectations, can be found here.

Milestone 1

Prepare a preliminary sketch of your design, a cost estimate, and an MS Project plan. Also, indicate which route you plan to follow from the start line to the bomb.

Look Ahead: What tasks do you plan between now and Milestone 2?

Milestone 1 Deliverables: A presentation. Include the preliminary sketch, cost estimate, and MS Project plan. Include a brief description of the robot, the route to be followed, and any special features and benefits of your design.

Note: Whenever you revise your drawing(s), your cost estimate, or your MS Project plan, you must include the initial drawing, the initial cost estimate, or the initial MS Project plan, in addition to the revision.

Milestone 2

Using MLCad, prepare four views of your latest design: front, top, most detailed side, and an isometric drawing. Create an MLCad drawing of your gear trains. Complete your latest Mindstorms program and your latest MS Project plan reflecting any schedule changes. Finally, calculate a revised cost estimate. A Benchmark Assessment A Form must be electronically signed by a TA on eg.poly.edu.

Look Ahead: What tasks do you plan between now and Milestone 3?

Milestone 2 Deliverables: A copy of your presentation slides that includes four views of your design using MLCad: front, top, most detailed side, and an isometric drawing; an MLCad drawing of your gear trains; your Mindstorms program; a revised cost estimate; your revised MS Project plan; and your Benchmark Assessment A Form electronically signed by a TA on eg.poly.edu. Note: Whenever you revise your drawing(s), your cost estimate, or your MS Project plan, you must include the initial drawing, the initial cost estimate, or the initial MS Project plan, in addition to the revision.

Milestone 3

Using MLCad, prepare four views of your latest design: front, top, most detailed side, and an isometric drawing. Create an MLCad drawing of your gear trains. Complete your latest Mindstorms program and your latest MS Project plan reflecting any schedule changes. Finally, calculate a revised cost estimate. A Benchmark Assessment B Form must be electronically signed by a TA on eg.poly.edu.

Look ahead: What tasks do you plan between now and the completion of the project?

Milestone 3 Deliverables: A copy of your presentation slides that includes four views of your design using MLCad: front, top, most detailed side, and an isometric drawing; an MLCad drawing of your gear trains; your Mindstorms program; a revised cost estimate; your revised MS Project plan; and your Benchmark Assessment B Form electronically signed by a TA on eg.poly.edu.

Note: Whenever you revise your drawing(s), your cost estimate, or your MS Project plan, you must include the initial drawing, the initial cost estimate, or the initial MS Project plan, in addition to the revision.

Final Presentation

The exact specifications for your final presentation will be provided by your instructor. Some of these requirements will be: the features and benefits of your design, project specifications, all drawings, Mindstorms programs, cost estimates, and your completed MS Project. Ideally, commissioning should take place before the Final Presentation. If, for some reason, you were not commissioned, then you may do so after the presentation. A Commissioning Statement must be electronically signed by a TA on eg.poly.edu before you submit your final presentation materials.

Submission

Your project should be submitted as a folder containing the following deliverables:

• Benchmark Assessment A statement on eg.poly.edu
• Benchmark Assessment B statement on eg.poly.edu
• Commissioning statement on eg.poly.edu
• Hardcopy and CD containing:
  • Final presentation
  • Cover page and table of appendices.
  • Final Mindstorms program
  • Initial sketch
  • All the drawings of your final design
  • Video
  • Final MS Project Schedule
  • Final Cost estimate
  • Resume(s)

Early Acceptance

If you complete your project one week early, you are eligible for a bonus that will be added to your final semester-long project grade. You must submit all deliverables by 5PM one week before your section is scheduled to present (see syllabus for exact date). To submit early, all required information on the form titled Project Submission Form, found on the EG web site, must be approved, accepted, and signed by a TA. The deliverables received early are the ones you will use in your presentation. No adjustments to the deliverables submitted will be accepted.

Late Delivery

If you do not complete all your deliverables and do not commission by the day of your Final Presentation, you will incur liquidated damages as defined in the grading policy.