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Team Status Report for 11.16

This week, our team made significant advancements in hardware construction, software development, and system testing. Below are our progress:

Hardware Progress

  1. Gantry System Development and Testing
    • Completed the hardware assembly and testing of the gantry system, focusing on the X and Y axes.
    • Addressed initial issues with belt vibrations caused by loose components. Adjustments, including tightening belts and securing nails, resulted in smooth and quiet movement.
    • Adjusted the motor configuration by reducing microsteps from 6400 to 3200 and increasing the voltage from 9V to 12V to overcome torque limitations. This configuration successfully drives the belt system.
  2. Manipulator and Z-Axis Preparation
    • 3D printed and assembled parts for the central manipulator to enable Z-axis movement. The manipulator will allow the charging pad to move up and down.
    • Testing of the Z-axis is planned for next week upon obtaining the remaining components.
  3. Charging Coil Verification
    • Tested 5W, 12W, and Apple’s original charging coils under 3mm and 5mm acrylic boards.
    • Verified successful charging with the 12W coil for phones without cases on both thicknesses and with cases on 3mm acrylic. For 5mm acrylic, precise alignment is needed to charge phones with cases.
    • Ensured charging safety by monitoring phone temperatures and confirming no overheating during operation.

Software System Progress

  1. Charging App Development
    • Completed the development of iOS and macOS apps for real-time monitoring of charging status.
    • Integrated Google Cloud Firebase for centralized data storage, enabling users to view and manage charging statuses across multiple devices.
    • Conducted software testing to ensure real-time updates with an average delay of less than 500 milliseconds and consistent synchronization across platforms.
  2. Computer Vision System Development
    • Finalized the object detection module, achieving 90% accuracy in phone detection.
    • Implemented a two-frame difference technique to identify significant changes and avoid unnecessary YOLO model usage, improving performance.
    • Enhanced the YOLO pipeline to detect phone locations and return their center coordinates with high precision.

System Validation

  1. Gantry System Testing
    • Conducted repeated forward and backward movements to ensure smooth, consistent motion on the X and Y axes without pauses or obstructions.
    • Confirmed that the gantry aligns with the intended design goals for X-Y movement, with full system requirements to be met after Z-axis integration.
  2. Charging Coil Testing
    • Verified that the charging coils meet design requirements for charging through acrylic boards without overheating.
    • Confirmed compatibility with different phone cases and thicknesses of acrylic, with further testing planned to gather time-to-charge data.
  3. Software Testing
    • Verified real-time status updates for multiple devices and confirmed data consistency between Firebase and app interfaces.
    • Tested object detection under various lighting conditions and orientations, achieving high accuracy and minimal false positives.

Since we have not complete our project yet, it is hard for our current implementation to validate all the user requirements and the design requirements specified in our documents. Currently, we only validate that our system can detect phone < 1 seconds, software app information update < 500 milliseconds, and vision detection system has accuracy > 90%.

We believe we are currently on track.

Next week’s plan:

  1. Gantry System
    • Assemble and test the Z-axis manipulator to enable full 3-DOF movement.
    • Combine the central manipulator with the existing gantry system for complete testing.
  2. Charging Coil and Pad
    • Redesign and 3D print the charging pad holder for the 5mm acrylic setup.
    • Conduct experiments to determine the time required to fully charge phones with the 12W charging module.
  3. System Integration
    • Begin integration of the computer vision system with the gantry system.
    • Test communication between the vision system and the gantry for seamless control of charging pad movement.
  4. Further Testing
    • Perform end-to-end testing to validate the entire workflow, including phone detection, pad movement, and real-time status updates on the apps.


Here are some pictures of our system:

Corners:

Software:

Charging:

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Harry’s Status Report for 11.16

First, the manipulator for the center part (moves up and down) is drawn and printed. Shown as below:

The third motor will allow the center part to move up and down. The motor will be connected to a shaft. We will obtain the shaft when the central manipulator is printed out.

This week we focus on the gantry system by combining all the printed parts. We went to the machine shop to cut the aluminum extrusion, the rail. We use zip ties to tighten the belt. we test x-axis and y-axis and the gantry can move very smoothly on both axis.

Large amount of time was put into gantry testing. The belt vibrated a lot at the beginning but we found out the problem was caused by nails and belts that are not tight enough. Many trails were implemented and now the gantry can move without restriction quietly.

Steven and I worked on the gantry system together this week and more details will be included in his report. Notice we made the whole gantry system together so there isn’t clear work division between us. Since the gantry system is quite complicated, two people are needed to complete it.

Next week, we will begin assemble the center part for z-axis movement testing. Charging pad holder will be redesigned ant printed. Camera will be introduced to combine with the existing gantry part.

Verification

  1. Gantry System: gantry system can move freely and smoothly on x and y axis. This situation is desired. We let the gantry move forward and backward a lot of times to view the movement. We intend to ensure the gantry is move straight back and forth without pause and stuck. The part we did aligns with our goal for gantry system design. However, because our gantry system can only operate on x and y axis, the system requirements is not fully met until the central manipulator is built and tested.
  2. Charging coil: We bought two types of charging coil and verified them  1) they can charge the phone when placed beneath the acrylic board. 2）The phone does not heat up to a very high temperature. As shown below when the blue light turns on, the phone is being charged. When the red light is on, the phone is not charged. For the 3mm acrylic board, phone can be charged with back cover or non precise alignment. For the 5,, acrylic board, phone can be charged without back cover. Relative precise alignment is needed.      5mm board:   3mm board:   This meets the design requirement of successful charging. Further data will be obtained regarding the time to fully charge the phone.
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Team Weekly Status Report 11.09

One of the highlights for our group this week was the development and completion of the mechanical hardware for the automated charging table. Utilizing aluminum extrusions, we built a robust and reliable platform that supports data acquisition and machine vision training while ensuring the necessary strength and durability.

Along with hardware advances, substantial progress has been made in the gantry system, particularly in the integration and control of stepper motors. By integrating the motor drivers with the Jetson Orin Nano, the motor control code has been enhanced to greatly increase the functionality of the system. A prototype of the gantry system has been produced and the conversion between the step length of the stepper motor and the corresponding conveyor travel distance was successfully realized. In addition, the PID control algorithm was fine-tuned to improve the motor accuracy, reducing the margin of error to within 5 millimeters over a distance of 30 centimeters. While this level of accuracy meets our basic control requirements, we plan to make further adjustments to achieve even higher accuracy for more demanding tasks.

On the software side, we completed the design of the iPhone app, which now allows users to monitor the current state of charge, the estimated time to full charge, and the thermal state of the device. Future work will focus on integrating the app with web browsers and the macOS platform, allowing users to access device information while charging on their computers.

Looking ahead to next week, the plan is to mount the prototype gantry system to the main frame, using 3D printed parts to securely fasten components such as motors and belt gears. This step is critical to minimize vibration and ensure proper alignment during operation. Comprehensive performance tests will be performed on the assembled frame to assess the stability, accuracy and reliability of the system under real-world conditions. These tests will provide valuable insight into identifying sources of error and areas for improvement in the motor control algorithms and mechanics.

All in all, progress was made this week on both the mechanical and software portions of our project. The completion of the mechanical construction and enhancements to the gantry system’s motor controls have prepared us for the upcoming integration and testing phases. In the coming week, we plan to complete the overall construction of the system to ensure that the subsystems we designed in the mid-term demo are ready for basic functionality.

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Steven’s Weekly Status Report 11.09

This week, my primary focus was assisting Harry in developing the overall framework of our project. Together, we dedicated a substantial amount of time to completing the mechanical hardware build for our automatic charging table. By utilizing aluminum extrusions, we were able to construct a sturdy and reliable platform that not only supports data acquisition an

 

d machine vision training but also maintains the necessary strength and durability required for our operations. The modular design facilitated by the aluminum extrusions allows for easy adjustments and future scalability, ensuring that our framework can adapt to evolving project needs.

In addition to the mechanical advancements, I made significant progress on the gantry system, particularly concerning the stepper motors. I enhanced the motor control code by integrating motor drivers with a Jetson Orin Nano, which improved the overall functionality of the system. A key achievement this week was the successful conversion between the step size of the stepper motors and the corresponding belt travel distanc

 

e. This was accomplished by constructing a simple prototype of the gantry system, which served as a proof of concept for our control mechanisms. Furthermore, I tuned a set of Proportional-Integral-Derivative (PID) controllers to achieve more precise motor control. As a result, the motors now operate with increased accuracy, maintaining an error

margin within 5 millimeters over a 30-centimeter distance. While this level of precision meets our basic control requirements, it highlights the need for further adjustments to the control program to achieve higher precision for more demanding tasks.

Looking ahead to next week, our plan involves mounting the gantry system prototype onto the main frame. This will require the use of 3D-printed parts to securely fix components such as the motors and belt gears. Ensuring that these components are firmly attached and properly aligned is crucial for minimizing vibrations and misalignments during operation. Once the prototype is mounted, we will conduct comprehensive performance tests on the actual frame to assess the system’s stability, accuracy, and reliability under real-world conditions. These tests will provide valuable data for identifying any sources of error and areas that need improvement in both the motor control algorithms and the mechanical setup.

Simultaneously, I will continue refining the motor control program to enhance precision further. This includes fine-tuning the PID parameters and exploring advanced control algorithms that can reduce the existing error margin. Additionally, integrating more sensors or feedback mechanisms may offer real-time data, allowing for more accurate adjustments and control. Maintaining effective communication with team members remains a priority to ensure cohesive progress across all project aspects. Efficient resource management, including the allocation of materials for the mechanical build and computational resources for code development, has been instrumental in our advancements this week.

In summary, this week has seen substantial progress in both the mechanical and software components of our project. The completion of the automatic charging table’s mechanical build and the advancements in the gantry system’s motor control have established a solid foundation for the upcoming integration and testing phases. Addressing the current precision challenges and continuing to refine the control algorithms will be essential in enhancing the overall performance and reliability of our system in the weeks to come.

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Bruce’s Status Report for 11.09

This week, my main focus was on finalizing the phone app. So currently, I have finalized our design of the app on iPhone, and right now it allows users to see the current changing status, the estimate time to full, and the thermal state of the phone.

App UI when it is charging

App UI when it is not charging

App Icon in phone

So right now the app looks better and contains animation, it also contains an app icon. However, One problem is that for IOS system, in order to provide the privacy, their public API to get the battery percentage only have accuracy of 5%. I also checked the existing app in App Store, and the existing app that can show battery percentage also have this problem.

I am currently on track.

Next week I would mainly focus on integrating this with the web browser and the macOS app, so that user can see their device info when they are charging on their computer. I would also help building the gantry system to make it mostly finished next week.

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Harry’s Status Report for 11.9

This week I primarily work on the gantry system of the charging table, details are demonstrated as below.

Gantry Overview:

Front Corners (they are the same) are compose of 3 pieces:

Bottom:

Top:

Corner Tensioner:

These three pieces already submitted for 3D printing.

Rail Slider – Magnetic system Connector:

Block that fix the left and right end of the magnetic system rail:

Motor Side Corner:  (bottom layout, cap, and tensioner) the other side is symmetric to the side displayed as below:

Magnetic System will be further developed next week.

Overall progress on track.

Plan to finish most parts of the gantry system before next demo.

 

 

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Team Status Report for 11.02

This past week, our team focused on advancing the structural, motor, and charging systems of the table. With the final structural components arriving early in the week, we examined the aluminum extrusions and connectors for the table frame, ensuring they fit within our design specifications. We created detailed 3D models using Fusion 360 and submitted critical parts, like the table corners and charging pad holders, for 3D printing. These components will provide support for the transparent layers and integrate with the gantry system, allowing precise positioning of the charging pad.

For the motor system, we configured the motors on the Raspberry Pi, establishing essential commands like turning and stopping. Leveraging compatibility with the Nvidia Jetson Orin Nano, we extended this motor functionality to the Jetson platform, which will allow us to translate coordinate data from the vision system into precise motor commands.

On the charging module side, we successfully integrated the charging pad with the Jetson Nano, establishing reliable communication between the two. Initial tests show that our setup can charge an iPhone 13 Pro in approximately 45 minutes. However, we identified stability issues with the charging pad, where it occasionally stops charging unexpectedly. We also experimented with materials and configurations to minimize interference from the gantry’s magnetic components, adjusting the design to ensure reliable charging without compromising the table’s layout.

We are currently on schedule.

Our primary objectives for the upcoming week are as follows:

  1. We will continue assembling and testing the structural and mechanical components, including verifying the 3D-printed parts for stability and functionality.
  2. We aim to complete the gantry system’s mechanical assembly and begin functional testing, focusing on motor control and precise movement based on coordinate inputs from the vision system.
  3. Enhancing the charging module’s stability will be a top priority to prevent disruptions in charging. We will conduct further tests to identify the root cause of the charging interruptions and make the necessary adjustments to achieve consistent charging performance.
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Bruce’s Status Report for 11.2

This week, my main focus was the development of the charging module. I worked on the integration of the charging pad with the Jetson Nano, our project’s central processing unit. By the end of the week, I successfully incorporated the charging pad with the Jetson Nano.

One of the key metrics I measured this week was the charging efficiency of the system. With the current setup, it takes approximately 45 minutes to fully charge an iPhone 13 Pro.  Currently, the charging pad is not stable enough, which means that sometimes it just suddenly stop charging the devices. I haven’t figure out the reason yet, so I am going to focus on solve this next week.

One big consideration was the unique structural layout of the table. The design must accommodate both the moving parts of the gantry and the magnetic properties of the charging pad without interference. Through testing, I discovered that certain materials and structural arrangements could impact the strength and stability of the magnetic field around the pad. I adjusted the layout and experimented with different materials to mitigate this issue, but further refinement will be necessary as we move toward finalizing the design.

I am currently on schedule.

In the upcoming week, the primary objective will be to improve the stability of the charging pad during the charging process.  I will also begin to build the gantry system to make sure we have enough time to finalize the project.

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Steven’s Status Report 11.02

This week, my main focus was motor development. I successfully configured the motors on the Raspberry Pi using an external power supply to be able to perform basic commands such as turn and stop. Given that the Nvidia Jetson Orin Nano utilizes the same GPIO libraries as the Raspberry Pi, we were able to extend the motor control functionality to the Jetson platform, facilitating seamless integration with the motor driver. This compatibility provides a streamlined path for us to continue development on Jetson.

Despite these advances, I still need to accelerate the completion of the gantry system. It is important that we complete this work as soon as possible because it will allow us to translate coordinate positions directly into motor commands. This capability is critical to achieving the precise motion control we need for our application.

On the assembly side, Harry and I collaborated on the 3D-printed parts of the gantry and have made significant progress in building the structure. Next week, we plan to complete the assembly of the gantry system for functional testing. This phase will involve validating and assembling the mechanical design and ensuring consistency with the motor control logic. It is important that we complete the build and commissioning of this system as soon as possible, as we have created a partial gap between our process and our plan.

In addition, since the motor is the only component in our system that requires a high voltage range of 15V to 45V, we must determine the best way to fully power it. Our main challenge was to find a power solution that could be centrally managed to ensure operational safety. This required selecting a power supply or battery management system that could interface with our controllers, allowing us to safely monitor and control the power supply to the motors.

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Harry’s Status Report for 11.02

This week I primarily work on the structures of our charging table. On Monday and Wednesday, the last few parts we ordered arrive so we could have a clear view regarding the components we purchased.  I examined the aluminum extrusions that will be used to form the frame of the table then studied on parts that could connect them. I used Fusion 360 to draw out some important parts as described below.

  1. Table upper corner: this part is used to hold the two transparent thin layers(either  acrylic or glass)   This component had already been submitted for printing at TechSpark on Thursday. We will gather the four pieces on Monday for further testing.
  2. Transparent layers side holder (further support two layers)
  3. Charging pad holder (will place the coils inside the groove and on the bottom of the charging pad holder will have magnets that allows connections with gantry system) 

3. Bottom corner

 

Overall, our progress is on time. Next week we will continue to perform on testing on difficult mechanical parts and consider parts that may not be good to be printed. We will then purchase them online. We will build the structure as fast as we can. Electronic parts testing will also go on.