Building Autonomous Delivery Robots: A SmilingRobo Project Spotlight

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At SmilingRobo, we are excited to showcase one of the standout projects hosted on our platform. This project is focused on developing an autonomous robot aimed at document delivery within a closed environment like office buildings or educational campuses. Drawing inspiration from food and package delivery robots created by industry giants like FedEx, Amazon, and Starship, the team is building this robot for the MIT campus, Anna University.

Project Overview

The autonomous robot is designed to transport documents seamlessly between different locations on campus, providing a modern solution to enhance productivity and minimize human effort. A web application interface allows users to place delivery requests and track the robot in real time. Only authorized campus staff can use the robot after registering, ensuring that the system remains secure and streamlined for its intended environment.

Here are some key features of this project:

• Web Application: Staff can place delivery orders through a web app.
• Simultaneous Deliveries: The robot can manage multiple delivery tasks in sequence.
• Charging Stations: The bot returns to designated charging stations to ensure continuous operation.

The robot autonomously navigates from the sender’s location to the receiver’s destination using advanced obstacle avoidance and global path planning technologies. A built-in security system—using an electromagnet and relay—ensures that only registered users can access the robot’s storage compartments.

How It Works

The robot leverages a local obstacle avoidance algorithm powered by the Intel RealSense R200 camera, which captures depth information for precise navigation. The laserscan package processes this data, detecting obstacles in real-time to guide the robot through its surroundings safely. On the other hand, global path planning is managed by the robot’s GPS module and the Mapbox API, which calculates the most efficient routes between the sender and receiver locations.

Scalability and Future Use Cases

This project is currently designed for a campus environment, but the robot can be adapted for various other applications. In the future, it can be trained to operate in open environments for food or package delivery, or in indoor settings such as hospitals, where it could deliver medicines or other essentials.

System Requirements

This autonomous robot requires both hardware and software components to function efficiently. The robot runs on Ubuntu Server 20.04 and is built using ROS (Robot Operating System) - Noetic, an industry-standard middleware for robotics.

Hardware Components

• Raspberry Pi 4 model B
• MDD10A - Dual Channel 10A DC Motor Driver
• Intel RealSense R200 Camera
• NEO-M8N GPS module
• DC DC XL6009E1 Step-up boost converter module
• Johnson Geared Motor
• 5 V Relay
• MPU 9250
• Electromagnet (DC 24 V 300 mA 10 mm 6 N push-pull solenoid)
• PTron power bank
• Lithium-ion batteries
• Wheels
• SD Card

Software Components

• ROS Noetic
• Raspberry Pi Imager
• Git
• Wiring Pi

This combination of hardware and software ensures the robot is equipped with all necessary functionalities, from navigation to communication with users via the web application.

Conclusion

This autonomous document delivery robot is an exciting example of the practical and innovative projects that SmilingRobo is proud to host. With its potential to reduce time and human effort, it stands out as a promising solution for any environment where routine deliveries are necessary. The team’s vision extends beyond the confines of a campus, envisioning a future where the robot could serve in multiple industries—transporting items autonomously in both indoor and outdoor settings.

Want to learn more or explore other groundbreaking robotics projects? Check out SmilingRobo, where the future of robotics is being built, one open-source project at a time!