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Proposal for:
Autonomous Lawnmower
Team: F11-76-MOWR
Team Members:
Brittany Murphy (PM, ECE)
Dylan Hartman (ME)
Rachel Parth (ME)
Nathaniel Sparks (ME)
Zachary Tennessen (ME)
Christopher Tyra (CpE)
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November 8, 2011
November 8th, 2011
Saluki Engineering Company
Southern Illinois University Carbondale
College of Engineering – Mailcode 6603
Carbondale, IL 62901-6604
brimurph@siu.edu
Kay Purcell
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Southern Illinois University Carbondale
Carbondale, IL, 62901-6603
(618) 453-7025
Dear Dr. K. Purcell,
On September 9, 2011 our team received your proposal request to design an autonomous lawnmower for the
ION competition. We have compiled a proposal, attached to this letter, in order to bid on this project.
Once this project is completed, the autonomous lawnmower will be able to navigate and mow a field of grass
approximately 10 meters by 15 meters in 20 minutes. This will be achieved by incorporating robotics and a
GPS system into a regular lawnmower. Sensors will be used, and with these sensors as well GPS coordinates
feeding into microcontroller the lawnmower will be aware of what is around it. Due to these sensors, the
lawnmower will be able to prevent itself from running into or over things. In addition, the lawnmower will be
capable of both a manual and wireless emergency stop.
We thank you for considering our bid on this project. We look forward to working with you and your
organization on this wonderful project and hope to surpass your expectations for the competition. If you need
any further information please contact me at the given e-mail address above.
Sincerely,
Brittany Murphy
Project Manager, Autonomous Lawnmower
Saluki Engineering Company
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____________________________________________________________________
TABLE OF CONTENTS
____________________________________________________________________
Executive Summary [BM] ...................................................................................................................................................... 7
Non-Disclosure Statement [BM] ............................................................................................................................................ 8
Validity Statement [BM]......................................................................................................................................................... 8
Introduction [CT] .................................................................................................................................................................... 9
Literature Review.................................................................................................................................................................. 10
Introduction [BM] .................................................................................................................................................... 10
Previous Design Review [NS] ................................................................................................................................. 10
Battery [DH] ............................................................................................................................................................ 13
Robotics [BM] ......................................................................................................................................................... 14
Platform ...................................................................................................................................................... 14
Actuator ...................................................................................................................................................... 15
Microcontrollers.......................................................................................................................................... 15
Motor Controllers ....................................................................................................................................... 16
Sensors ........................................................................................................................................................ 17
GPS [CT] ................................................................................................................................................................. 18
Languages [CT] ....................................................................................................................................................... 19
Lawnmower [ZT] ..................................................................................................................................................... 19
Motors [ZT] ............................................................................................................................................................. 19
Wheels [RP] ............................................................................................................................................................. 20
Project Description [BM] ...................................................................................................................................................... 22
Block Diagram ..................................................................................................................................................................... 23
Basis of Design ..................................................................................................................................................................... 24
Subsystem Descriptions ........................................................................................................................................................ 25
Frame Subsystem [NS] ............................................................................................................................................ 25
Battery/Power Subsystem [DH] ............................................................................................................................... 25
Robotics Subsystem [BM] ....................................................................................................................................... 26
GPS Subsystem [CT] ............................................................................................................................................... 27
Computer Subsystem [CT] ...................................................................................................................................... 27
Mower Subsystem [ZT] ........................................................................................................................................... 28
Wheels Subsystem [NS] .......................................................................................................................................... 29
Project Organization Chart [BM].......................................................................................................................................... 30
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Action Item List (AIL) .......................................................................................................................................................... 31
Team Timeline ...................................................................................................................................................................... 32
Resources Required .............................................................................................................................................................. 34
Activities to be Performed .................................................................................................................................................... 35
Conclusion [BM] .................................................................................................................................................................. 36
References ............................................................................................................................................................................. 37
Appendix ...................................................................................................................................................................................
A: Resumes ...................................................................................................................................................................... 38
Dylan Hartman ......................................................................................................................................................... 39
Brittany Murphy....................................................................................................................................................... 42
Rachel Parth ............................................................................................................................................................. 43
Nathaniel Sparks ...................................................................................................................................................... 45
Zachary Tennessen................................................................................................................................................... 46
Christopher Tyra ...................................................................................................................................................... 47
B: Communications [RP] ................................................................................................................................................. 48
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____________________________________________________________________
FIGURES AND TABLES
____________________________________________________________________
Figure 1: Team 94 Frame Design ........................................................................................................................................ 12
Figure 2: Team 94 Block Diagram ....................................................................................................................................... 12
Figure 3: CWRU First Place winner 2010 ............................................................................................................................ 13
Figure 4: Tracked Robot ....................................................................................................................................................... 15
Figure 5: Wheeled Robot ...................................................................................................................................................... 15
Figure 6: Cytron Gear Motor with Encoder .......................................................................................................................... 15
Figure 7: Parallax BASIC Stamp 2p 40-pin Microcontroller ............................................................................................... 16
Figure 8: Pololu DC Motor Driver ........................................................................................................................................ 17
Figure 9: Vex Bumper Switch .............................................................................................................................................. 17
Figure 10: Cytron Incremental Rotary Encoder .................................................................................................................... 18
Figure 11: Ultrasonic Range Finder ...................................................................................................................................... 18
Figure 12: Yardworks 18” 12A Electric Lawnmower .......................................................................................................... 19
Figure 13: Marathon Electric Brake Motor ........................................................................................................................... 20
Figure 14: Acquired Spindle Wheel...................................................................................................................................... 20
Figure 15: Motorized Wheels ............................................................................................................................................... 21
Figure 16: Battery Hookup (top) ........................................................................................................................................... 21
Figure 17: Control Box Hookup (bottom) ............................................................................................................................ 21
Figure 18: Block Diagram..................................................................................................................................................... 23
Figure 19: Project Organization Chart ................................................................................................................................. 30
Table 1: CWRU Material List .............................................................................................................................................. 10
Table 2: Team 94 Material List............................................................................................................................................. 11
Table 3: Comparison between Team 94 and CWRU ............................................................................................................ 11
Table 4: Battery Specifications ............................................................................................................................................. 14
Table 5: Actuator Comparison .............................................................................................................................................. 15
Table 6: Microcontroller Comparison................................................................................................................................... 16
Table 7: Motor Controller Comparison ................................................................................................................................ 16
Table 8: GPS Comparison..................................................................................................................................................... 18
Table 9: Language Comparison ............................................................................................................................................ 19
Table 10: Wheels Specifications ........................................................................................................................................... 20
Table 11: Basis of Design ..................................................................................................................................................... 24
Table 12: Action Item List (AIL) .......................................................................................................................................... 31
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Table 13: Team Timeline ...................................................................................................................................................... 33
Table 14: Resources Required .............................................................................................................................................. 34
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___________________________________________________________________________
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
____________________________________________________________________
The Saluki Engineering Company Group #F11-76-MOWR proposes to construct a fully autonomous
lawnmower for the Institute of Navigation’s (ION) 9th competition held in June 2012. The client specifies that
the robotic lawnmower must be completely unmanned and able to accurately mow a lawn using navigation. It
should be able to follow a path that is “taught” to it by the client and/or team member.
In regards to safety, the lawnmower should also have an emergency stop, both manual and wireless. The
manual emergency stop button will be at least 40 mm in diameter and red in color. The wireless emergency
stop will have an effective area of the lawn plus 10 meters in each direction. Once the emergency stop is
engaged, the lawnmower should cease to move within three seconds and within 2 meters from the spot where
the emergency stop was activated. The lawnmower will also have a maximum speed of 10 km/hr.
The lawnmower will be composed of 7 subsystems. The following proposal will explain in greater detail each
subsystem and how they will interact with the other subsystems. The subsystems are the Mower, the
Power/Battery, the Frame, the Wheels, the GPS, the Computer, and Robotics. The Mower subsystem will mow
the lawn as directed by three other subsystems – GPS, Computer and Robotics. The Wheels subsystems will
propel the mower in the correct direction and the Frame will hold everything together. Finally the
Power/Battery subsystem will provide the necessary power needed for all the systems included in the
lawnmower.
The initial cost analysis estimated the total cost of the components of the lawnmower at (cost). This estimate is
likely to vary based on availability of equipment needed to install components of the lawnmower. Design
changes or changes in parts needed may also change the cost of the lawnmower.
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____________________________________________________________________
NON-DISCLOSURE STATEMENT
____________________________________________________________________
RESTRICTION ON DISCLOSURE OF INFORMATION
The information provided in or for this proposal is the confidential, proprietary property of the Saluki
Engineering Company of Carbondale, Illinois, USA. Such information may be used solely by the party to
whom this proposal has been submitted by Saluki Engineering Company and solely for the purpose of
evaluating this proposal. The submittal of this proposal confers no right in, or license to use, or right to disclose
to others for any purpose, the subject matter, or such information and data, nor confers the right to reproduce, or
offer such information for sale. All drawings, specifications, and other writings supplied with this proposal are
to be returned to Saluki Engineering Company promptly upon request. The use of this information, other than
for the purpose of evaluating this proposal, is subject to the terms of an agreement under which services are to
be performed pursuant to this proposal.
____________________________________________________________________
VALIDITY STATEMENT
____________________________________________________________________
This proposal is valid for a period of 30 days from the date of the proposal. After this time, Saluki Engineering
Company reserves the right to review it and determine if any modification is needed.
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____________________________________________________________________
INTRODUCTION
____________________________________________________________________
With todays on the go lifestyle, it becomes more and more difficult to make time for every little thing
that needs to be done. For instance mowing the grass is a time consuming job that needs to be done every two
weeks if not every week. The solution to that is an autonomous lawnmower. The autonomous lawnmower
would save time and energy of the person who owns it.
The main purpose of build the autonomous lawn mower is to have the lawnmower cut a certain
dimension of grass without having to have a person be with it all times. The autonomous lawn mower is
suppose to cut the grass and avoid moving and nonmoving objects, such as trees, flower beds, dogs, people, etc.
It must to be able to cut the grass with efficiency with respect to time and boundaries. Guidelines were given to
the project by the ION Robotic Lawnmower Competition which is the basic outline for Team 76’s lawnmower.
Team 76 has chosen this project because we believe that we can design and implement a lawnmower
design that can exceed the ION Robotic Lawnmower Competitions expectations and win the competition. With
this team having the support of supplies from the school and the teachers help we believe we can create a new
type of autonomous lawnmower.
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____________________________________________________________________
LITERATURE REVIEW
____________________________________________________________________
Autonomous objects are created to make tasks simpler. One task that can be tedious is mowing the lawn. The
Institute of Navigation is holding a competition to see who can build the best autonomous lawnmower. Team
76 will be entering this competition. This lawnmower will consist of seven subsystems:







Frame Subsystem
Battery/Power Subsystem
Robotics Subsystem
GPS Subsystem
Computer Subsystem
Mower Subsystem
Wheels Subsystem
Each of these subsystems will require a different kind of technology to function and communicate with each
other in order to perform tasks required of the finished lawnmower, such as moving in different directions and
avoiding obstacles. Each of these subsystems have individual components that have been researched and
analyzed so that it can be determined what the most efficient way to implement them may be.
Previous Design Review
Case Western Reserve University CWRU Cutter C Design:
Case Western Reserve University was the 1st place winners of the 2010 ION Robotic Lawn Mower Completion.
Their design also distinguished itself as the only mower to cut over 50% of the required field for the full cash
prize.
Table 1: CWRU Material List
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Team 94-GPS Lawnmower-Design
The previous time that SIUC had a senior design project based around the Autonomous Lawnmower
Completion was during the Fall 2009 semester. There was no final working product.
Table 2: Team 94 Material List
Team 94 Product
Cost
CWRU Product
Cost
Cost Difference
CTM HS-2800
Wheelchair &
swivel wheels
$2,756.00
Invacare
Wheelchair
$2,400.00
$356.00
Wheelchair
Controller
$688.60
Roboteq AX2250
Motor Controller
$495.00
$193.60
Batteries
$310.20
Batteries
$310.00
$0.20
Chassis Materials
$152.95
Chassis Materials
$300.00
$147.05
Table 3: Comparison between CWRU and Team 94
Comparing the similar materials of the two designs, the CWRU used the front wheels from their wheel chair
saving money versus Team 94 purchasing two new swivels wheels. Team 94 used a standard Wheelchair motor
controller while the CWRU used a new motor controller that ended up costing less and was far more compatible
with the custom designing.
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Figure 1: Team 94 Frame Design
Figure 2: Team 94 Block Diagram
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Figure 3: CWRU First Place Winner in 2010
Batteries
In order to run the autonomous lawn mower, the team had to figure out a way to make a corded push
mower that runs off of AC run off of batteries which supply a DC. The team must first calculate out how much
power is needed in order to run the push mower. The mower is 120v and uses 12Amps, so to calculate out how
much power is needed to run it for one hour, the team can use the following equations.
𝑃𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑟(𝑊𝑎𝑡𝑡 𝐻𝑜𝑢𝑟𝑠) = 𝑉𝑜𝑙𝑡𝑠 ∗ 𝐶𝑢𝑟𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑡(𝐴𝑚𝑝 𝐻𝑜𝑢𝑟𝑠) → 𝑃𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑟 = 120𝑉 ∗ 12Ah
𝐴𝑚𝑝 𝐻𝑜𝑢𝑟𝑠 = 𝐴𝑚𝑝𝑠 ∗ 𝐻𝑜𝑢𝑟𝑠 𝑟𝑎𝑛
Using this, the team calculated out that 1440 watts of power is needed to run the mower for 1 hour. This tells us
that the team is going to need some serious power and that more than one battery may be needed. So now the
team started looking into which type of battery is best suited for the power needs.
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Type
Purpose
Plate Type
Starting
(SLI)
Large amount
of
instantaneous
power to start
object
Small/medium
amounts of
continuously
available
power to draw
upon
Thinner,
porous plates
made to
increase
surface area
Thicker, solid
plates made
to allow
longer current
draws
Deep Cell
(Deep
Cycle)
Power output
Needed
Recommended
for vehicle
starting
Larger than
needed power
output
recommended
Table 4: Battery Specifications
The team will have a DC brushless motor for the mower and a few other power consuming devices. Due
to the energy needs, the best choice of battery would be one or two Deep cell batteries that can provide the
amount of energy the team needs for the amount of time needed. The project will need to be able to run off of
the battery for no less than 20 minutes. That is the maximum amount of time allotted to a team to mow the
given yard. So the team needs to find a Deep cell battery or batteries that will be able to give us the power
needed without over loading the power abilities of the motors.
Robotics
In order to create an automated lawn motor, it is necessary to create a version of an artificial intelligent lawn
motor. This requires a version of a robot lawn motor to be built, and that in turn involves many different
components. Parts of a robot consist of:





Platform
Actuator
Microcontroller
Motor controller
Sensors
Team 76 will illustrate briefly what each part does in the overall system of a robot and offer possible choices for
each part including specifications and cost of each component.
Platform:
Platforms are the type of robots that will be built. They range from land (wheeled, legged or tracked), to aerial
to aquatic and finally to stationary robots.
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Figure 4: Wheeled Robot
Figure 5: Tracked Robot
Actuator:
An actuator is a device that will change energy to physical motion. For robots, it is to change electrical energy
into physical motion. Physical motion can contain of rotational or linear motion. This will allow the robot to
move in any direction on the ground. The actuator is also known as a motor. There are several kinds of
actuators; rotational actuators are AC, DC, geared DC, R/C servo, industrial servo and stepper motors. Linear
actuators are DC linear, solenoids, muscle wire, pneumatic, and hydraulic.
Name
Cytron 12V,
1140rpm,
6.37oz-in
Gear Motor
with Encoder
Tamiya
Worm Gear
Box
Gear Ratio
Voltage
Torque
Speed
Current
Price/unit
5:1
12 V
45mN.m
1140 rpm
0.9 A
$50.00
216:1,
336:1
3V
70 g-cm
9400 rpm
2.7 A
$13.97
Table 5: Actuator Comparison
Figure 3: Cytron Gear Motor with Encoder
Microcontroller:
The microcontroller may be the most important part of the robot; it is in many cases considered the ‘brain’ of
the robots. The microcontroller is the device that will execute a program in order to make the robot perform its
task. This is also the device where outputs from various sensors used by the robot will feed into, to complete
different requirements as stated in the program.
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Name
Parallax BASIC Stamp 1
Microcontroller Module
Processor Speed
# of I/O pins
Price/unit
4 MHz turbo
8
$29.00
NanoCore12MAXC128
Module
Parallax BASIC Stamp 2p
40- Pin Microcontroller
Module
8 MHz
40
$35.70
20 MHz turbo
32 and 2 dedicated
serial
$89.00
Table 6:Microcontroller Comparison
Figure 4: Parallax BASIC Stamp 2p 40-pin Microcontroller
Motor controller:
The motor controller assists in controlling the motor. The microcontroller has the program in its memory, and
is capable of directing the robot where to go and how fast to travel in that direction; however it usually does not
have enough power to power itself as well drive the motor. Thus the microcontroller and the motor controller
work in tandem – with the microcontroller reading its program and the inputs from the sensor and directing the
motor control to power the motor with ‘x’ amount of power. There are different types of motor controllers;
some of these types are DC motor control, servo motor control, stepper motor control, and linear actuator
control.
Name
2A 5V-16V Dual
Serial Motor
Controller
Pololu DC Motor
Driver 3A, 5V28V- MC33926
Current
Operating
Voltage
Price/unit
2 A per motor,
total of 4 A
5V-16V
$19.95
3A
5V-28V
$23.95
Table 7: Motor Controller Comparison
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Figure 8: Pololu DC Motor Driver
Sensors:
Sensors will allow the robot to explore and understand the environment it is in. There are many different types
of sensors out there, and they can be used alone or in combinations with others. The outputs of these sensors
will feed into the microcontroller, as before stated, to complete various parameters that may be needed in the
program. The different categories of sensors that are being considered are:

Contact: An example of a contact sensor would be Vex Bumper Switch. This costs $12.99/unit. It
requires 5.06 ounces to trigger.
Figure 9: Vex Bumper Switch

Distance: An example of this would be an encoder such as the Cytron Incremental Rotary Encoder. This
costs $135.48/unit, requires an input of 5 V – 24 V and consumes approximately 120mA. This sensor
also fulfills the requirement for postioning.
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Figure 10: Cytron Incremental Rotary Encoder

Positioning: An example of this would be an ultrasonic sensor such as the Maxbotix LV-MaxSonarWR1 Weather Resistant Ultrasonic Range Finder. This costs $99.95/unit, dectection ranges from 12” to
254” and has a 42KHz ultrasonic ping.
Figure 11: Ultrasonic Range Finder
GPS
The GPS lawn mower has a lot of different types of GPS to choose from, but the main choice of GPS
chips are from the company Parallax. GPS stands for Global Positioning System. The global positioning
system use satellites orbiting Earth to receive a signal from the GPS chip and use it to pinpoint your location. It
records the time the signal was sent and received by the satellite and sends information to other satellites to get
their information. The more satellites being used, the more accurate your location will be. A minimum of three
satellites must be used to calculate your two (2) dimensional location for most GPS. More satellites must be
used to be able to calculate your three (3) dimensional location. The GPS chips in order to be effective must
have wide area augmented system (WAAS) because the WAAS makes the GPS chip more accurate. Another
important part of the GPS chip is the NMEAD0183 which is the language the chip produces the coordinates.
Finally, the last qualification for the GPS chip is the accuracy of it, because the more accurate the GPS is the
more accurate the grass can be cut.
Chip Name
RXM-SG GPS
Module
GPS Receiver
Module
PBM 648
SiRF
Number of Voltage
Satellites
20
5V
Accuracy
NMEAD0183 WAAS
Price
20 yards
Version 1
Yes
$79.99
12
5V
5 meters
Version 1
Yes
$79.99
20
3.3 – 5V
5 meters
Version 2.2
Yes
$34.99
Table 8: GPS Chip Comparison
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Languages
In order to properly integrate everything together and to get everything be automated there will have to
be a program to make it move, run the GPS chip, run the mower deck, etc. Some possible programming
languages that might be used are C, C++, Java, and Basic.
Programming
Language
C
C++
Java
Basic
Developer
Microsoft
Microsoft
Sun
John George Kemeny and Thomas
Eugene Kurtz
Programming
Difficulty
5
2
2
5
Operating
System
Windows
Windows
Windows/Sun
Any
Table 97: Language Comparison
Lawnmower
The lawnmower is one of the most important components to our autonomous lawnmower project. Not
only does it provide a basic framework for our computer components and electric motors to be placed on but it
also provides parts that would normally not be available on their own.
There are two different types of lawnmowers: electric and gas-powered. Among those types of
lawnmowers are push mowers, reel mowers, and riding mowers. The most common are push mowers.
The electric push mowers come in two varieties: corded and cordless. Each of these varieties have one
main electric motor to power the blades and sometimes two smaller motors to power the front two drive wheels.
Corded push mowers are provided electricity from an electric cord of a fixed length. These mowers are limited
in range and because of this, are usually only found in the smallest of lawns. Cordless are found in larger lawns
and benefit from a battery to power their electric motors. However, their battery is one of their drawbacks. The
batteries constantly need recharging and usually only provide enough charge for about 2 hours of constant use.
Figure 12: Yardworks 18” 12A electric lawnmower
Motors
The lawnmower isn’t the only important aspect of this project. The motor powering the blades under the
mower deck is just as crucial. Like the lawnmower there is a choice between two types of motors: internal
combustion and electric. The internal combustion engine is the most common but electric motors are slowly
gaining popularity. The electric motors for lawnmowers are typically 12V brushless motors weighing about 1520 lbs. The benefits of the electric motors are that they run very quietly and they don’t take up too much space
on the mower chassis. The one drawback to electric motors is the power. Usually the more power needed out
P a g e | 20
of the motor the larger and heavier it gets. Luckily the power needed to turn the blades on a mower doesn’t
require too much power. Using a brushless motor also adds to the safety of the motor. The brushless doesn’t
create sparks like the brushed motors do. The motor can also be precisely controlled.
Figure 13: Marathon Electric Brake Motor
Wheels
The wheels and motors that our team has acquired for our autonomous lawn mower are from the
company Sunrise Medical. These were given to Southern Illinois University Carbondale by Adam Sims’ senior
design team, our predecessors. Below is a table of the wheel specifications for the acquired wheels. All
technical information in this section was aquired from an interview with Tom Purdie, a wheel chair specialist at
Advanced Mobility in Carterville, IL.
Wheel type
Motor
Diameter
Width
Control box
Volts
RPM
Spindle
None
8 inches
2 inches
None
None
Unknown
Electric wheel
Fracmo,
brushed motor
12.5
inches
2.5
inches
VSI joystick Discontinued
22.5 min. or
24 max.
114
Table 10: Wheel specifications
There are two spindle, or free moving, wheels that are going to be used for the front of our design. The
spindle wheels will be attached to the front of the lawn mower frame by using a three hundred and sixty degree
spinning attachment that came attached to the wheels. A type of suspension system might be used in the final
design to compensate for the irregularities of the ground.
Figure 14: Acquired Spindle Wheel
At the end of the project, the electric powered wheels will be the drive system for the machine. The
same process as a zero turn riding lawn mower will be applied to make the turning radius of the machine as
minimal as possible. They will be attached to the rear of the lawn mowers’ frame to get the full effect of the
zero turn process. The zero turn lawn mower spins the wheels in opposite directions to turn effectively left or
P a g e | 21
right. These wheels will be attached securely to the frame to insure that they do not come off in the process of
turning or moving. Due to the specifications in the table above, our team will need to have two 12 Volt batteries
attached in series for a single motor to run.
Figure 15: Motorized Wheels
The motor should be wired to a control box that connects to a VSI joystick. The joystick is the steering
mechanism that would allow the lawn mower to turn in a circle or away from an obstacle. The VSI joystick that
is needed is no longer available to the general public. Also, it cannot be tampered with or worked on due to
magnetic sensitive components. The VSI joystick was the only item that our team could not find in the machine
shop on campus. Since the VSI joystick cannot be found or replaced in the foreseeable future, two options are
available: get a new set of electric motors and wheels, or splice the wires that would go to a control box and try
to manipulate the motors by changing the polarity of the batteries by using a mechanical and electrical system
coupled with a computer program.
Figure 16: Battery hookup (top)
Figure 17: Control Box hookup (bottom)
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____________________________________________________________________
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
____________________________________________________________________
To design, build and test an autonomous lawnmower for ION’s competition held in May/June of 2012. The
lawnmower will use sensors and a GPS system to navigate and mow a premeasured yard. It will incorporate
safety as well by having both manual and wireless emergency stops.
The lawnmower will consist of seven subsystem listed below. The mower will be what cuts the lawn using
blades. The battery/power system will give power to the sensors, mower, wheels, computer, GPS, and
additional components of the robotics subsystems.
List of Subsystems







Frame Subsystem
Battery/Power Subsystem
Robotics Subsystem
GPS Subsystem
Computer Subsystems
Mower Subsystems
Wheels Subsystems
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____________________________________________________________________
BLOCK DIAGRAM
____________________________________________________________________
Figure 18: Block Diagram
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____________________________________________________________________
BASIS OF DESIGN
____________________________________________________________________
Documents Received
SEC Request For Proposal (RFP)
SEC RFP Project Description
SEC RFP Design Report Deliberables
Proposal Final Draft
Design Reports
Final Proposal
Date
September 9, 2011
September 9, 2011
September 9, 2011
December 8, 2011
April 19, 2012
May 1, 2012
Table 11: Basis of Design
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____________________________________________________________________
SUBSYSTEM DESCRIPTIONS
____________________________________________________________________
Frame
The frame is an aluminum skeleton that provides a base unit that all of the components/subsystems are mounted
on. The aluminum frame will be designed to provide adequate sectioning for the separate subsystems. The
Drive/Steering rear wheel motors are mounted to the rear exterior section of the frame. The front swivel wheels
will be mounted on the front exterior section of the frame. The Mower deck will be mounted beneath the frame.
The Batteries will have a separate compartment for mounting and secured safely. The Control Computer and
Drive Motor Controller will be mounted above the Battery section on the upper portions of the frame. Sensors
will be place, accordingly to provide best performance, on the frame.
The Frame is to be composed of 1.5”x1.5”x0.125” Aluminum Square Tubing requiring approximately 30' of the
tubing.
Design Activities
1. The size requirements for the Drive Motor Controller and Batteries are needed to complete the design
layout of the frame so that these subsystems will have adequate space and safe mounting design.
2. The aluminum tubing is to be cut to size and to be welded together with the other
subsystems/components bolted or fastened to their respective sections.
Elements
1. Frame
Deliverables
1. 30' of 1.5”x1.5”x0.125” Aluminum Square Tubing
Battery
For this project, a battery or batteries will be needed to provide 24V and 110Amps to the electric
wheelchair motors and another 1440 Watts of power to the mower in order to run these subsystems. An
additional battery may be added in order to run the software subsystems. There are two main requirements for
the batteries, the first being that they put out the required amounts of power for their designated subsystem and
the second being that they are Deep cell batteries so that they can continuously give out the amount of power
needed without damaging the batteries.
The batteries will be wired up to the motors via the motor controller so that the correct amount of power
gets to the motors without overloading the motors. The batteries will also be wired up to the electric mower
providing the power needed to spin the blade and in doing so cut the grass. For the software part of the design,
the batteries will be wired up to power the sensors and the control computer. The batteries intended for usage
P a g e | 26
will be Sealed Lead-Acid (SLA) Deep cell batteries. These batteries consist of thicker, less porous lead plates to
allow larger amounts of current to flow from the plates for a longer time without damaging the internal parts.
Design Activities
1. Batteries wired in series
2. Batteries wired to designated subsystem
Elements
1. Plates
2. Electrolytic solution
3. Battery acid
Deliverables
1. Exide NG-24
a. 10.25”x6.81”x9.44”
b. 400CA, 500CCA, 140RC
c. 40lbs
d. $50 each
2. Exide NG-27
a. 12”x6.81”x9.44”
b. 550CA, 675CCA, 182RC
c. 51lbs
d. $60 each
3. PS-12550
a. 9.04”x5.45”x8.25”
b. 12V, 55.0Ah, 2750ma RC(20hr)
c. 36.0lbs
d. Price-N/A
Robotics
In order for this lawnmower to be autonomous, it requires robotic components. These components are
actuators, microcontrollers, motor controller, and sensors. These parts will interact with one another to create a
robot lawnmower. The sensors will detect various things such as obstacles and distance travelled and will relay
that information to the microcontroller. The microcontroller will make sense of the inputs from the sensor and
convey to the motor controller how much power to supply to the mower and wheels.
Design Activities
1.
2.
3.
4.
Test each sensor
Wire the robotic system
Test obstacle avoidance capabilities
Ensure that sensors will work with GPS subsystem
P a g e | 27
Elements
1. Microcontroller
2. Motor Controller
3. Sensors
Deliverables
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
BASIC Stamp Discovery Kit
Ping Ultrasonic Distance Sensor & Mounting Bracket
Infrared Line Follower Kit
X-Band Motion Detector
Position Controller Kit
Global Positioning System
The global positioning system (GPS) will be the navigation system for the lawn mower. The GPS will take
information from the orbiting satellites; pass it through a wide area augmentation system and process that into
coordinates. Once the GPS has the coordinates it will pass them to computer program which will then compare
the coordinates to the dimensions of the area of the grass that needs to be cut. (Fig. BLOCK DIAGRAM)
The only software for the GPS chip need is the BASIC Stamp Editor. The BASIC Stamp Editior is use to
program the GPS chip.
Computer
The computer subsystem will be the center of the autonomous lawn mower. The computer will take the
coordinates and decide where its’ location is compared to the boundaries of the area to cut and then send
information to the drive motor control box and tell the tires whether to rotate forward, backwards or stop and it
will turn the mower on and off. The computer will also receive information from the sensors positioned around
the mower. The sensors will tell when the mower gets close to a solid object and then the computer will make
corrective action to not hit the object. Figure: BLOCK DIAGRAM
The computer software program will be programmed to have different subsystem for the GPS coordinates,
directions, sensors, and location. The GPS coordinates will be programmed to receive the GPS coordinates from
the GPS chip and then compare to with the dimensions. Based on the location it will give the directions
subsystem information so it knows whether to go left, right, forwards or backwards. The sensors subsystem
will receive information from the sensors about whether or not there are objects in front, behind, left or right of
the lawn mower and if there is it will send information to the directions so that it can avoid the object.
Design Activities
1. Program GPS Chip
a. Basic Stamp Editor V2
2. Directions
a. Forwards
b. Backwards
P a g e | 28
c. Left
d. Right
3. Integration of GPS and Directions
4. Sensors
a. Infrared
b. Position
c. Motion
d. Ultrasonic
5. Integration of All Subsystems
Elements
1. Dell Studio XPS 1640
2. GPS Receiver Module
Deliverables
1. Dell Studio XPS 1640
a. 17.1 x 4.6 x 19.2 inches
b. 12.2 pounds
2. GPS Receiver Module
The overall computer and GPS will take approximately 18” by 20” space on the lawn mower. The computer
will have to have the BASIC program which will allow it to run the program that will interact with the different
subsystems. As the programming farther along there will be periodic testing as different subsystems are
finished to make sure the lawnmower will stop, move forward, turn left and right, and to test if the sensors are
working properly.
Mower
This subsystem encompasses the mower blade, mower deck, the mower power switch, and the electric
motor spinning the blade. The mower blade will cut the grass during the competition. The mower deck will be
used to protect the mower blade and will provide an attaching point for the electric motor. The electric motor
will provide the spin that the mower blade requires to cut the grass. The electric motor's power will be provided
by the batteries through the mower power switch. The mower power switch will allow the electric motor to
stop and start. The mower power switch will be controlled by the computer. The mower deck will be attached
directly to the aluminum frame.
Design Activities
In order for the Mower subsystem to connect to the computer and the batteries a secure connection to the
mower power switch would need to be acquired. The electric motor will be connected to the computer and the
mower power switch. The mower deck will be attached to the frame.
Elements
1. Mower blade
2. Mower deck
P a g e | 29
3. Mower power switch
4. Electric motor
Deliverables
1. Lawnmower: Yardworks 18" corded electric mower
a. Electric Motor: 12A 120V 60Hz
b. Mower deck: Pressed Steel in Mold
c. Mower Power Switch: Plastic; turns electric motor on and off
d. Mower blade: Spring Steel; high carbon and nickel content
Rear Wheel Drive Motors & Controller & Wheels
The two salvaged wheelchair drive motors and motor controller are the subsystem that provides propulsion and
steering for the entire system. The wheelchair motors are mounted onto the frame. The wheelchair motors
receive power through the motor controller. The motor controller instructs the motors on what to do through
this limiting of power. The motor controller itself receives instructions from a manual input for direction and
speed when non-autonomous and receives instructions from the main control computer when autonomous. The
motor controller directly receives its power from the batteries.
There are two separate pairs of wheels. The forward swivel wheels which are un-powered and are free rolling.
The rear wheels are mounted to the rear wheel drive motors and thus powered. These wheels are required to
grip the surface upon which operation is occurring for the systems as a whole to move.
Design Activities
1. The Rear Wheel Drive Motors are to be bolted to the rear exterior section of the frame and wired to the
Motor Controller.
2. The Motor Controller is to be bolted to the upper section of the frame and wired to the Batteries, Control
Computer, and Rear Wheel Drive Motors.
3. The swivel wheels are bolted to the forward frame section while the rear wheels are already mounted
onto the drive motors.
Elements
1.
2.
3.
4.
2 Rear Wheel Drive Motors
Motor Controller
2 Swivel Front Wheels
2 Rear Wheels
Deliverables
1. Swivel wheels
2. Motorized Rear Wheels with Controller
P a g e | 30
_________________________________________________________________
PROJECT ORGANIZATION CHART
_________________________________________________________________
Brittany Murphy
Project Manager
Electrical and Computer
Engineer
Robotics
Dylan Hartman
Rachel Parth
Nathaniel Sparks
Zachary Tennessen
Christopher Tyra
Mechanical Engineer
Battery/Power
Mechanical Engineer
Wheels
Mechanical Engineer
Frame
MechanicalEngineer
Mower
ComputerEngineer
GPS/Computer
Figure 19: Project Organization Chart
P a g e | 31
____________________________________________________________________
ACTION ITEM LIST
____________________________________________________________________
Project: Autonomous Lawnmower
Action Item List
Project Number: F11-76-MOWR
Team Members:
Brittany Murphy, EE & CpE (PM)
Dylan Hartman, ME
Rachel Parth, ME
Zachary Tennessen, ME
Nathaniel Sparks, ME
Christopher Tyra, CpE
#
Date:
Activity
Person
Assigned
Due
New Due
8-Nov-11
Status
1
Collect and Verify Parts
BM
16-Jan
25-Jan
0%
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
Team E-mail and Memo
Finalize Designs
Construct Frame
Check Mower and Wheelchair Motor
Attach Mower to Frame
Connect Sensors to Mower
Progress Report
Program BASIC
Perform 1st System Test
Make a Video of Mower
Perform 2nd System Test
Perform 3rd System Test
Complete Final Design Report
BM
NS
DH
ZT
RP
BM
DH
CT
RP
NS
ZT
CT
BM
16-Jan
16-Jan
16-Jan
16-Jan
16-Jan
16-Jan
16-Jan
16-Jan
16-Jan
16-Jan
16-Jan
16-Jan
16-Jan
19-Jan
23-Jan
30-Jan
17-Feb
17-Feb
20-Feb
20-Feb
5-Mar
5-Mar
20-Feb
26-Mar
16-Apr
16-Apr
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
Table 12: Action Item List (AIL)
P a g e | 32
____________________________________________________________________
TEAM TIMELINE
____________________________________________________________________
Dates
E-mail
Design Review
Team Memo
Build Frame
Test Frame
Refine Frame
Wire system
Test Wiring
Refine Wiring
Order needed
additional parts
Frame/Wiring/
Motor/Mower
ready for video
application
Program
Test
Programming
Refine
Programming
Progress
Report
(Constant
updating)
1st System
Test
Perfect device
2nd System
Test
J
J
J
J
F
F
F
F
M
M
M
M
A
A
A
A
16
19
23
30
6
13
20
27
5
12
19
26
2
9
16
23
P a g e | 33
Final Design
Report
3rd System
Test
Table 13: Team Timeline
P a g e | 34
____________________________________________________________________
RESOURCES REQUIRED
____________________________________________________________________
Component
Amount
Total Price
Acquisition
2
Price on Market
(Per Unit)
$50
Marine Deep-Cell Battery
NG-24
Corded Electric Push
Lawnmower
Square Aluminum Tubing
[1.5”x1.5”x30’, 1/8”
thickness]
Wheelchair
8” swivel wheels
BASIC - Program
Dell Studio XPS 1640
BASIC STAMP
DISCOVERY KITSERIAL (With USB
Adapter and Cable)
GPS Receiver Module
Memory Stick Datalogger
External GPS Antenna
Ping Ultrasonic Distance
Sensor & Mounting
Bracket
Infrared Line Follower
Kit
X-Band Motion Detector
Position Controller Kit
Salvaged wheelchair
motorized wheels
Drive controller
Power Lab Space
Machine Shop Space
$0
Sponsored
1
$90
$90
Purchased
33 lbs
$3/lb
$0
Sponsored
1
2
1
1
1
$3,500
$81
Free
$450
$159.99
$100
$0
Free
N/A
Purchased
Borrowed
Downloaded
To be purchased
$0
Sponsored
1
1
1
1
$79.99
$39.99
$9.99
$29.99
$0
$0
Sponsored
Sponsored
$0
$0
Sponsored
Sponsored
1
$39.99
N/A
To be purchased
1
1
2
$29.99
$29.99
N/A
$0
N/A
$0
Sponsored
To be purchased
Sponsored
1
1
1
N/A
N/A
N/A
$0
$0
$0
Sponsored
On hand
On hand
Table 8: Resources Required
Total Price on Market: $4689.92
Total Cost: Approximately : $260.00
P a g e | 35
____________________________________________________________________
ACTIVIITES TO BE PERFORMED
____________________________________________________________________

















The size requirements for the Drive Motor Controller and Batteries are needed to complete the design
layout of the frame so that these subsystems will have adequate space and safe mounting design.
The aluminum tubing is to be cut to size and to be welded together with the other
subsystems/components bolted or fastened to their respective sections.
Batteries wired in series
Batteries wired to designated subsystem
The Rear Wheel Drive Motors are to be bolted to the rear exterior section of the frame and wired to the
Motor Controller.
The Motor Controller is to be bolted to the upper section of the frame and wired to the Batteries, Control
Computer, and Rear Wheel Drive Motors.
The swivel wheels are bolted to the forward frame section while the rear wheels are already mounted
onto the drive motors.
In order for the Mower subsystem to connect to the computer and the batteries a secure connection to the
mower power switch would need to be acquired. The electric motor will be connected to the computer
and the mower power switch. The mower deck will be attached to the frame.
Use the machine shop to dismantle the wheels from the salvaged wheelchair.
Power test to find out how much power is required to run the motorized wheels.
Use an open space or space in the Power lab to find out if the wheels and the drive controller work
properly.
Use the machine shop to attach all the wheels and the drive controller to the frame of the machine.
Use the power lab to wire the drive controller to the batteries and the control computer, as shown in the
block diagram.
Test each sensor
Wire the robotic system
Test obstacle avoidance capabilities
Ensure that sensors will work with GPS subsystem
P a g e | 36
____________________________________________________________________
CONCLUSION
____________________________________________________________________
The Saluki Engineering Company is pleased to be included in the list of bidders for this project. The proposed
product will be an autonomous lawnmower to be entered in ION’s competition. The project will be broken
down into subsystems. These subsystems include the Frame subsystem, Battery/Power subsystem, Robotics
subsystems, GPS subsystem, Computer subsystem, Mower subsystem and Wheels subsystem.
The Frame subsystem will hold everything together from the mower to the computer to the robotic section of
the lawnmower. The Battery/Power subsystem will supply power to each component as directed by the motor
controller. The Robotics subsystem is what will make this lawnmower autonomous and able to self-navigate
through a lawn. The GPS subsystem will aid the sensors in coordinating the lawnmower in its self-navigation
of the lawn it is travelling on. The Computer subsystem will hold the program that will allow the lawnmower to
be completely autonomous. The Mower subsystem will be the actual lawnmower itself, the component that will
cut the grass. The Wheels subsystem will have power supplied to it by the motor controller and thus will be
able to move in any direction at a specific speed. Safety will be held paramount with the addition of both
manual and wireless emergency stops.
The estimated cost for the completion of the project is $260. The project will be scheduled for completion by
the twenty-third of April, 2012.
Thank you,
Brittany Murphy
Project Manger – F11-76-MOWR
brimurph@siu.edu
P a g e | 37
____________________________________________________________________
REFERENCES
____________________________________________________________________
Purdie, Tom. Interview. Rachel Parth. 5 October 2011.
Team 94 Saluki Engineering Company Lawnmower-Design Report : 2009. Trevor Parnell, Adam Sims,
Krishna Patel
CWRU Cutter C Technical Report: 2010. Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland,
Ohio, 44106, USA
http://alternatives.rzero.com/lang.html
Java information. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Java_(programming_language)
C. http://www.eskimo.com/~scs/cclass/notes/sx1.html
C++. http://www.cprogramming.com/begin.html
Visual Basic. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_Visual_Studio
GPS Receiver Module. http://www.parallax.com/Portals/0/Downloads/docs/prod/acc/GPSManualV2.0.pdf
RXM-SG GPS Module w/Ext Antenna. http://www.parallax.com/Portals/0/Downloads/docs/prod/acc/28505RXM-SG-GPSModule-v1.0.pdf
Northern Arizona wind and sun. http://www.windsun.com/Batteries/Battery_FAQ.htm
http://www.wind-sun.com/ForumVB/showthread.php?t=8228
Wheeled Robot picture: http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-10378593-1.html
Tracked Robot picture: http://defenseupdate.com/features/2008/november/11208_minirobotugv_urbancombatindoor.html
“The AC’s and DC’s of Electric Motors”, A.O. Smith, Retrieved 2009/12/07
http://www.aosmithmotors.com/uploadedFiles/AC-DC%20manual.pdf
http://thelawnmower.info/history.php
“Push for more Efficient Mowers”, Published May 05, 2008.
http://www.metronews.ca/vancouver/live/article/48994
P a g e | 38
____________________________________________________________________
APPENDIX A
____________________________________________________________________
This Appendix includes the resumes for the following team members:






Dylan Hartman
Brittany Murphy
Rachel Parth
Nathaniel Sparks
Zachary Tennessen
Christopher Tyra
P a g e | 39
DYLAN P. HARTMAN
Permanent Address
2 James Ct.
Sidney, IL 61877
(217) 714-2006
dylanh@siu.edu
School Address
500 Saluki Blvd.
Carbondale, IL62903
(217) 714-2006
Objective:
Acquire Engineering Position with Designing and Testing of Equipment
Education:
Southern Illinois University Carbondale
Bachelor of Science, graduating May 2012
College of Engineering- Mechanical Engineering
Mechanical Engineering G.P.A. 3.0/4.0
Southern Illinois University Carbondale
Summer Bridge Program- 6/08-8/08
Parkland Community College, Champaign, IL
Pre-Engineering-CAD- 8/07-5/08
Experience:
Carle Foundation Hospital, Urbana, IL-6/11-8/11


Biomedical Engineering Technician Intern
Repaired, Maintained and Replaced Medical Equipment
Senior Design



Building an Autonomous Lawn Mower
Designing and Manufacturing the Mower Frame
Maintaining Project Direction
County Market, Urbana, IL-1/08-08/10



Stocker/Baker
Customer service representative at community functions
Train new staff
Leon Wilson, St. Joseph, IL-5/06-8/08
 Farmhand
 Maintenance
Organizations:
Engineers Without Borders

Fundraiser Organizer
P a g e | 40

Program Advisor
Society of Women Engineers


Student Advisor
Program Organizer/Fundraiser





Experience with AutoCAD and Autodesk Inventor
Wood Crafting/Basic Metal Crafting Experience/Basic Wiring
Building, Maintaining and Repairing Dirt Bikes
Basic German Language
Basic Automotive Skills
Skills:
References available upon request
P a g e | 41
REFERENCES – Dylan Hartman
Karl Neumann
Art Forsyth
Randy Cain
Sikorsky Aircraft Corp
Carle Foundation Hospital
County Market
Shelton, CT
Urbana, IL
Urbana, IL
203 551-1695
217 688-8016
217 377-0210
P a g e | 42
BRITTANY MURPHY
Permanent Address:
1819 Adams St.
Tilton, IL 61833
(217) 446-9374
School Address:
114 Pierce Hall
1305 Point Dr.
Carbondale, IL 62901
brimurph@siu.edu
EDUCATION
-Bachelor of Science in Electrical and Computer Engineering
-Southern Illinois University Carbondale (SIUC)
-Expected Graduation: August 2012
-GPA: 3.1/4.0
EXPERIENCE
Engineering Peer Mentor, SIU College of Engineering, Carbondale, IL
-Advised incoming freshmen and transfer engineering students
-Engaged students in activities
-Tutored students in engineering subjects, mathematics and sciences
Fall 2008 – Present
IT Intern, Woodard’s Computing Services, Danville, IL
-Staged computers for clients
-Cleaned up hard drives
-Conducted onsite repairs, software updates, installation at various companies
Summer 2009
IT and Electrical Engineer Intern, KIK Custom Products, Danville, IL
-Staged computers for different lines in the factory
-Performed troubleshooting on different computers to keep the lines going smoothly and efficiently
Summer 2010
Electrical Engineer Intern, ThyssenKrupp, Danville IL
-Performed time studies
-Gathered and organized data to be presented to various clients
Summer 2011
Project Manager, SIUC. Carbondale, IL
-Built autonomous lawnmower with team
September 2011- May 2012
ACTIVITIES/AWARD
-Member, Society of Women Engineers
=Financial officer, May 2010-11
-Member, Engineers Without Borders
-Member, Alpha Lambda Delta Honors Society
-University Honors Program
-Dean’s List
SKILLS/QUALFICATIONS
-Computer skills: Programming – C++, VHDL and Verilog. MS Office - Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
-Experience working as an effective team member
-Strong communication skills
P a g e | 43
Rachel Parth
rparth@siu.edu
217-801-7057
Permanent Address:
1817 Dial Ct.
Springfield, IL 62704
College Address:
500 Saluki Blvd.
Apt. # 1123C
Carbondale, IL 62903
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
OBJECTIVE
To obtain an entry level engineering position that will challenge my mechanical skills.
EDUCATION
Bachelors of Science, Southern Illinois University; Carbondale, Illinois (SIU), May 2012
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Minor: Mathematics
GPA: 3.458/4.0
SKILLS

Auto-CAD, MATLAB, Microsoft Word, Excel and Access
RELATED EXPERIENCE

Mechanical Engineering Design Course, SIU, Carbondale, IL
August 2011 – May 2012
o Designing an Autonomous Lawn Mower using GPS navigation, electronic sensors, and drive systems
o In charge of communications, meeting secretarial duties, and finances

Engineering Technician at Illinois Department of Transportation, Division of Aeronautics, Springfield, IL
June 2011 - August 2011
o
o
Programmed a user friendly update system for the Airport Directory using Microsoft Access
Attended technical and design meetings, participated in safety inspections, and programs throughout the
state
ADDITIONAL EXPERIENCE

Peer Mentor SIUC College of Engineering, Carbondale, IL
Academic years 2009, 2010
o

Mentored freshmen and transfer students in the Engineering dorms
Supplemental Instructor SIUC Math Department, Carbondale, IL
Academic years 2009, 2010
o

Monitored and helped students in Calculus II do their homework and learn the material
Associate, Dollar Tree, Springfield, IL
Summers 2008, 2009, 2010
o
Handled customer sales, stocked inventory, maintained displays, assisted with inventory control
ACTIVITIES AND AWARDS


Dean’s List, College of Engineering, SIU: four semesters
Society of Women Engineers of Southern Illinois University Carbondale
o Treasurer and Education Officer (Fall 2011 – Spring 2012)
 Host speakers, recruiters, and workshops
o President (2010 – 2011)
 Hosted speakers and charity events
P a g e | 44




 Increased membership
Engineering Student Council (2010 – 2011)
o Helped obtain umbrella status under the Undergraduate Student Council
Engineers Without Borders (2009 – 2010)
Alpha Lambda Delta Honors Society (2008-present)
Middle Eastern Dance Enthusiasts (2008 – Spring 2012)
o Vice president
P a g e | 45
NATHANIEL J. SPARKS
6585 Horse Barn Road
Pleasant Plains, Illinois 62677
217-494-2974
NJSparks90@gmail.com
OBJECTIVE
Striving to provide the best service to employer and support a progressive and profitable business
structure through diligent work ethic, problem solving, and team work
SUMMARY OF QUALIFICATIONS
Working CAD experience
Working MatLab experience
Energy Transfer Classes
Pneumatic Hydraulics Class
Machine Design Classes
Material Selection Classes
Material Testing Lab Experience
EDUCATION
Southern Illinois University Carbondale May 2012 (anticipated graduation date)
Carbondale, Illinois Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering
WORK EXPERIENCE
Summer Engineering Lab Technician
June 2011 – August 2011
Illinois Department of Transportation Bureau of Materials and Physical Research
Springfield, Illinois
Operated Test Equipment
Filed Test Data
Regular Lab Equipment Cleaning
Engineering Peer Mentor
August 2009 – May 2012
Southern Illinois University Carbondale
Carbondale, Illinois
Providing an enriching and supportive residence hall experience to new and returning students in the
engineering field
Summer Engineering Lab Technician
June 2012 – August 2012
Illinois Department of Transportation Bureau of Materials and Physical Research Springfield, Illinois
Operated Test Equipment
Filed Test Data
Regular Lab Equipment Cleaning
AWARDS & HONORS
Boy Scouts of America Eagle Scout
SIUC Engineering College Dean's List Fall 2008 & Fall 2010
P a g e | 46
Zachary Tennessen
Home: 12027 Lakeview Trail, Homer Glen, IL, 60491
School: 1305 Point Drive Pierce Room 109, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL, 62901
Cell: 803-553-0089 email: zackten@siu.edu, zackten@gmail.com
Education:
Southern Illinois University Carbondale
Bachelor of Science, Graduation: May 2012
College of Engineering- Mechanical Engineering
Mechanical Engineering GPA: 2.74/4.0
Experience:
Summer Internship, May 2009 through July 2009
Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois
 Partnered with engineer intern to design, build, and test a machine that measures the
friction coefficients of certain metals and oils.
 Created and presented presentation on machine test results to all professors within
department.
 Interviewed by TransForum; a local magazine within the laboratory
Senior Design
 Building an Autonomous Lawnmower
 Maintaining Project Direction
 Manufacturing of Lawnmower
Organizations:
Engineers Without Borders, January 2009 through May 2011
 Fundraiser Organizer
 Student Adviser
Boy Scouts of America
 Patrol Leader
 Camping Trip Organizer
 Achieved level of First Class
Skills:




MS Excel, Word, PowerPoint
Autodesk AutoCAD and Autodesk Inventor
Basic Metalworking, Metal shop, and Automotive experience
Basic knowledge of C++
References available upon request
P a g e | 47
CHRISTOPHER P. TYRA
ctyra@siu.edu
Permanent Address:
Current Address:
8106 State Route 160
New Baden, Il 62265
(618) 550-9616
809 W. College Street
Carbondale, IL 62901
(618) 550-9616
OBJECTIVE:
To obtain a full-time position as a computer engineer beginning May 2012
EDUCATION:
Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering, Tentative graduation: Spring 2012
Southern Illinois University Carbondale
GPA: 2.5/4.0
RELEVANT COURSES:
 Engineering Mathematics
 Signals and Systems
 Digital Circuit Design
 Software Engineering
 Computer Organization and Design
 Data Communication Network
 VLSI Design and Test Automation
SKILLS:
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



Visual Studio
Xilinx
C++
PCSpim
Matlab





Microsoft Office
Verilog
VHDL
Cadence
Synopsys
HONORS / AWARDS
Centerville Men’s Club Scholarship Fall 2008, Fall 2009
WORK EXPERIENCE
Steak ‘n’ Shake Carbondale, IL
Production Worker/ Overnight Supervisor
 Supervised 3rd Shift
 Trained New Employees
 Cooked
 Cashier
Fall 2011 – Present
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____________________________________________________________________
APPENDIX B
___________________________________________________________________
Communications
1) Parallax Inc.
 Address: 599 Menlo Drive, Rocklin, California 95765
 Phone Number: (916) 624-8333
i) A message was left for Lauren Davis’s by calling the number above.
ii) Got a call back a few days later from John who was filling in for Lauren while she
was away from the office. An email was then sent to sales@parallax.com concerning
a sponsorship for the teams sensors and GPS chip.
 The following communications with Parallax were then executed.
i) Hello,
I contacted John, who is filling in for Lauren Davis, on Wednesday October 19th
about Parallax sponsoring our team for the ION Robotic Lawn Mower Competition.
He had mentioned that Parallax is interested in giving us some sensors,
microcontrollers, and a GPS chip. Please see the list below for what we are interested
in Parallax sponsoring.
Product list
quantity -Item Code product name
1 - 28146 GPS Receiver Module
1 - 28502 External GPS Antenna (PMB - 688)
1 - 28034 Infrared Line Follower Kit
1 - 910-28015A Ping))) Ultrasonic Distance Sensor & Mounting Bracket
1 - 27207 Basic Stamp Discovery kit - serial (W/USB adapter and cable)
1 - 32213 X-Band Motion Detector
1 - 27906 Position Controller kit
1 - 27937 Memory Stick Data logger
Also, if it's not too much to ask, we would like to see if we could get the Scribbler 2
Robot to see how the systems work together.
1 - 28336 Scribbler 2 Robot
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If Parallax sponsors us, our team will acknowledge the company by mentioning them
in any pamphlet, paper, and with the company's logo on our robotic lawn mower. We
appreciate that Parallax is considering us for a sponsorship. It will help us in the
scheme of our plans.
Below is a link to the information for the ION Robotic Lawn Mower Competition and
a link to our teams webpage for our Senior Design Team.
http://robomow.ion.org/
http://www.engr.siu.edu/ugrad1/me495a/f11-mowr/
Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions about what our team is doing
or why we want something from the list above. I'm free MWF: after 12pm; TR:
12pm - 4pm at (217) 801-7057 or email rparth@siu.edu anytime.
Also please contact me with a list of what Parallax can donate to our team, during the
times that I'm available or through email.
Thank you and I am looking forward to hearing from you soon,
Rachel Parth

The following is Jim Carey’s reply concerning the items to be sponsored by Parallax.
i) Hi Rachel,
I can donate the products below. Some will be new and some will be from our Ebay sales
stock.
Please send me your address and we will get them out right away.
Take care,
Jim Carey

Parallax, Inc.
1 - 28146 GPS Receiver Module
1 - 28502 External GPS Antenna (PMB - 688)
1 - 910-28015A Ping))) Ultrasonic Distance Sensor & Mounting Bracket
1 - 27207 Basic Stamp Discovery kit - serial (W/USB adapter and cable)
1 - 32213 X-Band Motion Detector
1 - 27937 Memory Stick Data logger
The following was replied to Jim Carey concerning the shipping address.
i) Jim,
Thank you for Parallax's sponsorship! My address is:
500 Saluki Blvd. Apt. 1123C
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Carbondale, IL 62903
Once again, thank you and have a great day!
Rachel Parth
2) Penn Aluminum
 Address: Penn Aluminum International LLC 1117 N. Second St. PO Box 490
Murphysboro, IL 62966
 Phone Number: (618) 684-2146
i) After calling the phone number above multiple times, a lady named Georgia looked
into getting the team a sponsorship for the frame of the project.
ii) A week later, a phone call was made to check on the status of the request and found
that it had been approved. A date was set so that the team could pick up the items.
iii) On Monday, October 31, 2011, some team members went to Penn Aluminum and
received about 30 feet of one and a half inch square aluminum piping for the frame,
almost four feet of flat “L” plating for mounting the wheels, and a few stickers of the
company logo for our completed project.
3) R&D Batteries
 Address: 3300 Corporate Center Drive Burnsville, MN 55306
 Phone Number:1-800-950-1945
i) The company was called and declined sponsorship of the project.
4) Power-Sonic
 Address: Power-Sonic Corporation 7550 Panasonic Way, San Diego, California 92154
 Phone Number: (619) 661 2020
 Email address: national-sales@power-sonic.com
 The following was sent to Power-Sonics’ National sales email address.
i) Hello,
Attached is a letter asking for sponsorship and a list of batteries that Power-Sonic can
provide for our team in the ION Robotic Lawn Mower Competition in May-June
2012.
Thank you for considering sponsoring our team,
Rachel Parth
Attached portion read:
Rachel Parth
500 Saluki Blvd.
Carbondale, IL 62903
(217)801-7057
rparth@siu.edu
11/1/2011
Power-Sonic Corporation
7550 Panasonic Way
P a g e | 51
San Diego, California 92154
(619) 661-2020
Dear Sir/Madam,
I am sending this letter to ask your sponsorship for our senior design team, at Southern Illinois
University Carbondale, in the ION Robotic Lawn Mower Competition. We are participating in
the autonomous lawn mower competition at the end of May 2012 and we would like to invite
Power-Sonic to sponsor our team. Attached is a list of items that our team would like for the
building of the autonomous lawn mower, monetary donations will be appreciated as well.
The purpose of our team is to build an autonomous lawn mower that uses GPS navigation and
other sensors to mow a 10 by 15 meter lawn. This also includes avoiding moving and stationary
objects, such as animals and fences. Several teams from the United States will be competing in
this competition.
The competition is presented by the ION Satellite Division and the AFRL (
http://robomow.ion.org/) and is held in Sienbenthaler's Beaver Valley Garden Center,
Beavercreek, OH during the days of May 31 to June 2, 2012. Your sponsorship would be
emphasized by your corporations’ name in meeting announcements, promotional materials,
stickers of the corporation logo on our machine, and invitation to join us at the competition.
You and other representatives of Power-Sonic would be heartedly welcome to attend the ION
Robotic Lawn Mower Competition so that we can avail an opportunity to say you thanks
personally for your support.
Our senior design team will greatly appreciate the sponsorship of either parts or munificent
donations. The cost to sponsor would be about three hundred and twenty dollars, or the price of
two batteries that is needed to run the machine. I would be most enthusiastic of a telephone call
or email to let me know about your interest.
You can contact me at (217) 801-7057 or rparth@siu.edu. I am looking forward to hear positive
views from you.
Thank you for considering this request.
Yours sincerely,
Rachel Parth
Power-Sonic may choose one or the other to sponsor the team.
Quantity
2
2
Model Number
PG – 12V55 FR
PS – 12550
Voltage/Amp hours
12V/60Ah
12V/55Ah
P a g e | 52
Below is the response from Rick Moody concerning the Power-Sonic sponsorship.
Hi Rachel,
Congratulations to you and your team for your efforts in building the robotic lawn mower. It
sounds like a very interesting and challenging project.
Due to some environmental enforcement activities in China, we are currently experiencing some
supply shortages. I am happy to place a sponsorship/sample order for two of our PS-12550 (12
volt, 55 AH) units, but it may be a little while before we can ship them to you. Once I place this
order I may be able to at least advise on when you can expect them.
Will you please provide me with a good "ship to" address so that I can submit this request.
Thanks,
Rick Moody
National Sales Manager
Power-Sonic Corporation
PH: 303.607.6400
FX: 303.607.6419
www.power-sonic.com
batterydog@aol.com OR rmoody@power-sonic.com
The following is the reply that was sent to Rick Moody.
Rick,
Thank you for Power- Sonic's sponsorship of two PS-12550 (12 volt, 55 AH) battery units for
our project. I know that the batteries that your company is sponsoring will be put to good use as
the main power supply for the drive system of the autonomous lawn mower. Below is the
address that you can use as the shipping address.
Rachel Parth
500 Saluki Blvd.
Apt. #1123C
Carbondale, IL 62903
Also, could you please send a few stickers of Power-Sonic's logo so that we
can properly represent Power-Sonic as a sponsor on our final product?
P a g e | 53
Please if you have any further questions for me or about our project, feel free to email me
(rparth@siu.edu) or call me at (217) 801-7057.
Thank you again,
Rachel Parth