This week, our team completed the interim demo, where we showcased the integration of the voice, camera, and motor subsystems, demonstrating that the system can respond to voice commands and trigger movement based on camera input. Since the ToF sensors were not yet mounted, we presented the obstacle detection functionality separately using an Arduino setup for better clarity. In addition to the demo, we ordered additional components including a UPS for the Raspberry Pi and camera mounts to securely attach the camera on top of the trash bin for improved stability.
As we move into the verification and validation phase, I will be focusing on the motor subsystem by testing basic motion commands (forward, backward, lateral movement, and rotation) to ensure correct response to control inputs, as well as evaluating consistency and responsiveness under repeated trials. For verification, I plan to measure latency from command to actuation and compare actual vs. expected movement (e.g., direction accuracy and speed consistency) to ensure the motor controller meets our design requirements. For validation, we will test the fully integrated system by evaluating whether the robot can reliably move toward a detected hand within the required time and accuracy constraints in realistic environments. There were no major changes to the system design, but integration and mounting remain potential risks, which we plan to address through early assembly and incremental testing.
Next week, we will focus on mounting all components onto the chassis and begin implementing the follow-human logic as the next key feature.