One of my favorite academic projects thus far has been building a prototype for an Autonomous Lunar Vehicle with my first-year engineering design team. In our group of four, I served as the programming lead while collaborating with students talented in mechanics and project management. Throughout the semester-long project, I was responsible for developing modular ROBOTC algorithms to help our robot autonomously traverse an uneven landscape while considering input from a digital map, a simulated GPS, and a Hall-Effect Sensor. The lunar vehicle was required to deliver antennae to predesignated coordinates while maintaining a standard of accuracy and stability. The project provided the interesting challenge of making the code account for physical deviations in the robot’s movement. My previous coding experience had mostly centered around mathematical modeling and visual user interfaces, so it was exciting to see the code come to life tangibly through our robot. Perhaps most importantly, this project taught me the value of “learning how to learn”: it is impossible to know every nuance of every programming language, so it is crucial to approach new trials with strategic tools to conquer the unknown.
| File Name | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Project3_POC_TaskX_Team09.c | Demonstrates isolated skillsets for each task in Presentation of Competency |
| TestMovement.c | Run individual movements, used to take friction calibration measurements |
| BasicMovement.h | Includes functions for basic maneuvering |
Purdue ENGR142 Project 3 Team 07