First-Year Engineering Program
Advanced Energy Vehicle
External Sensors
Reference:


AEV Lab Manual
External Sensors Grading Guidelines
AEV Project Objective
(Problem Definition)
First-Year Engineering Program
INITIAL CONCEPTS
(Brainstorming)
EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH
(Programming)
(System Analysis)
ANALYZE
COMPARE
PT
PT
PT
PT
1
2
3
4
RESEARCH
FINAL DESIGN
Present AEV Design
DESIGN
DECISION
First-Year Engineering Program
Lab Objectives
 The objectives of this lab are:
1. Become familiar with the external sensor
hardware components

Become familiar with troubleshooting techniques
2. Program the function calls in controlling the
AEV using external sensors
First-Year Engineering Program
External Sensors
 The importance of external sensors on the AEV is
to provide real-time information being provided
to the Arduino for autonomous vehicle operation
 This is known as feedback control.
 The sensor that will be the focus of today’s lab is
the Reflectance Sensor
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Reflectance Sensors
 The sensor will produce a low voltage due to the
reflectance of the aluminum tape and produce a
high voltage due to the dark color of the wheel.
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Mounting the Sensor
 Make sure to use the small #2 bolt and zip tie to
securly mount the sensor on the opposite side of
the wheels on the vertical support
 The closer the sensor is to the wheel, the better
voltage reading the sensor will usually have.
 Optimal distance for readings is 3 mm as illustrated.
Optimum
Too far
away
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Making the Connections
 Take careful consideration where reflectance
sensor is attached to the Arduino!!
Sensor Connection
 READ AEV Lab Manual
 For proper orientation
 pin connections
 ASK if uncertain!
First-Year Engineering Program
External Sensors
External Sensors Lab Procedure Guidelines:

The following slides are a summary of the
procedure guidelines and the basic command for
the reflective sensor
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Arduino Programming Sensor Command
Available Command

goToMark(wc);


One Argument; works specifically with reflectance sensor

wc = wheel counts
Example:
motorSpeed(4,30); **Sets all motor speeds to 30% full power
goToMark(44); **Continues the last command for 44 wheel
counts.

Each wheel has 8 counts. Circumference = 3.902 inches

Therefore, (44 marks)*(3.902/8 inches) = 21.46 inches
traveled.
First-Year Engineering Program
Arduino Programming Basics Lab
Lab Activity

Follow Lab Procedure document

Team:



Install reflectance wheel count sensor to the sample AEV
Follow AEV Lab Manual Testing the Reflectance Sensor

Get instructional team verification
Individual:

Program the following commands requested in procedure
document and run the program on the Desktop Stand
First-Year Engineering Program
Arduino Programming Basics Lab
Lab Activity cont.

Follow Lab Grading Guidelines

Individual:



Reprogram the requested commands
Get instructional team verification
Team:



Reprogram the requested commands
Verify program and sensor on Desktop Stand
Get approval to operate on Classroom Stand and Test

Follow PROPER TESTING PROCEDURE

Get instructional team verification

Make sure to include in your TEAM summary report