Autonomous Feral Robotic Dogs
Partner Organization: Xdesign group, Yale University
Cornell Feral Robotic Dog Team
Deanna Laufer, drl27@cornell.edu
Jeannette Harduby, jfh26@cornell.edu
Heather Nelson, hmn5@cornell.edu
Tam Ngo, ttn7@cornell.edu
Xin Meng Sonia Shi, xs28@cornell.edu
Zheshen Zhuang, zz37@cornell.edu
Cornell University -- CEE 492
October 19, 2004
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Cornell Feral Robotic Team plans to convert several toy robotic dogs to be used as publicity
and awareness for contaminated sites in the Ithaca area. The team plans to purchase 5-6 dogs,
and then mechanically and electronically modify them according to instructions from previous
work done at Yale University under Natalie Jeremijenko, our partner organization. The dogs
will be programmed to function in pack behavior. They will incorporate gas sensors in order to
measure contaminant concentrations as they move. The type of gas sensor used will vary
depending on the contaminants that are thought to be present at each site. Furthermore, the team
will incorporate LCD screens into the dogs for contaminant concentration display.
The Cornell Feral Robotic Dog Team has and will continue to research contaminated sites in
Ithaca in order to find an ideal site to test the performance of the altered dogs. Public release of
the dogs will not happen this semester. The team also plans to get local high school students
involved with the project to increase awareness and education. The anticipated benefits of this
project are not only increasing public awareness, but also to push for proper clean up of
contaminated sites.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
I. Project Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
1. Introduction
2. Objectives and Scope
3. Anticipated Benefits
4. Background
5. Work Plan
6. Conclusions
II. Project Planning Schedule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
III. Resources and Needs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
IV. Team Organization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
V. Team Background . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
VI. References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
VII. Appendix:
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Resource Pricing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
1. Introduction
The purpose of this project is to further the work done by students at Yale University under the
supervision of Natalie Jeremijenko. Feral robotic dogs are used to make the public aware of
contamination in their community. This is important because with increased public awareness,
changes can be made. There will be a greater support for site remediation, and a greater
understanding of how important it is to prevent site contaminations.
Our objectives in this project are to modify two to three robotic dogs for use in contaminated
sites in the Ithaca area. The team will incorporate appropriate chemical sensors according to the
contaminant area chosen, and LCD screens to display the contaminant concentrations.
The following pages describe the objectives and scope, anticipated benefits of the project, and
background information on work previously done by our partner organization. Also included are
a detailed work plan, schedule, and a list of resources and needs for the project. Finally, there is
a description of the team’s organization and background with each person’s skills.
2. Objectives and scope
The main objective of this project is to build one or more autonomously mobile robotic dogs that
will be able to detect containments in the environment in chosen locations. Encompassed within
that greater objective, are several smaller goals by which we have divided our group. Some of
these current objectives include:
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1.
Modifying the robotic dogs to move autonomously on wheels, so that they are
more adapted to rough terrain.
2.
Wiring the dogs to contaminant detectors so that the dogs can “sniff out” the
contaminants and move in the direction of greatest contaminant levels.
3.
Wiring the dogs with LCD’s to display the contaminant levels.
4.
Programming the dogs to communicate with each other through transmitters and
receivers.
5.
Programming the dogs with “pack behavior.”
6.
Researching local sites in Ithaca that can be used for testing, and researching
which kinds of contaminants we can detect with small sensors.
In this current term of the project, we hope to accomplish the above goals and have at least two
dogs that are mobile and programmed with sensors. We expect to be able to test the dogs with
the new modifications, but we do not expect to unleash the dogs on the contaminant sites until
the spring, when the sites may be more traversable and we can involve others in the release to
make it a more public endeavor.
Longer term goals for this project include:
1.
Taking the dogs out to several predetermined sites in Ithaca and testing for
contaminants.
2.
Setting up a toy drive so that local children can donate their old dogs to save
money for the project.
3.
Involving the community in the project, and possibly involving high school
students in the building and testing of the dogs.
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4.
Making the public aware of contaminants we may find with the dogs.
Though the locations we wish to test may be more easily tested with handheld or other sensors,
by using the dogs we are attracting greater attention to our project, and will hopefully be able to
increase awareness of pollution and contaminants that are located in the area.
3. Anticipated benefits
From the research we have conducted so far on contaminated sites in Ithaca, we have determined
that there are at least half a dozen sites in somewhat public areas that contain pollutants including
volatile organic compounds (VOCs). One such VOC is coal tar, a pollutant that has already been
located at one release site in Ithaca. By detecting the presence and levels of pollution in the area
with the robotic dogs, we hope to make the public more aware and concerned so that some of
these pollutants can be cleaned up and treated properly. We would also like to raise awareness to
ensure that chemicals and pollutants are no longer disposed of in a dangerous manner. Ensuring
proper clean up and disposal of contaminants makes the whole community and environment
cleaner and safer.
Additionally, as part of our longer term goals, we would like to include local high school
students and give them the opportunity to work on such a project. Involving other students in
our work will give them a chance to learn from and contribute to a hands-on engineering project
that they may not otherwise have the opportunity to do. We would like to instill an interest for
problem solving and community service to the students in a way that they will find appealing and
enjoyable.
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4. Background
The Cornell Feral Robotic Dog Team’s project will be a natural extension and exploration of the
work done thus far at Yale University under Natalie Jeremijenko. Students at Yale are at the
forefront of the project, buying publicly available toy dogs and modifying them to detect
contaminants in the soil. After the moderate alterations, the dogs are released to a media and
community frenzy as they “sniff out” pollutants.
Publicly sold robotic dogs were selected for their use in the project because they are the “most
inexpensive source of compatible motors, actuation, and sensing mechanisms available” costing
from only $15-$200 for the complete modification (Yale Mission Statement). In addition,
because the dogs are imitating a familiar behavior by “sniffing something out,” their behavior
seems almost natural to community participants. They provide information simply by their
movement toward higher levels of contamination and therefore, spectators watching the releases
can interpret this data “without the technical or scientific training required to be comfortable
interpreting a EPA document on the same material” (Yale Mission Statement).
Students have explored the ease of making modifications on various dogs including the Jimmy
Neutron Goddard available from KB Toy Stores, the I-Cybie made by Tyco, and the Wow Wee
Mega Byte. Because Yale has striven to build a networked community, these students have
made the details of these modifications readily available online in a step-by-step instructional
format, illustrated with photographs and lists of the necessary equipment and tools. Here at
Cornell University, we will attempt to follow their instructions to evaluate their completeness
and straightforwardness and to add to the online database of archived information.
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After Yale students completed the mechanical modifications, they began electronic alterations.
The students determined that outfitting the feral dogs with two oppositely placed sensors gave
two contaminant level readings in two different directions so that the dog could compare the
readings and move toward the higher one. Although one sensor is sufficient if it is or if it can be
made highly directional, the students showed that equipping the dog with two sensors was easier
and more effective.
The final step in the feral robotic dog project was the release of the modified dogs. Groups have
released the dogs in many areas of the country. For example, in June of 2003, there was a
release at the Bronx River area of New York City at the East 173rd Street Works, a former gas
plant. This was the culmination of a three month after-school program with the Bronx River Art
Center for children from 12 to 16 years old. The dogs were equipped with Figagaro sensors to
detect volatile organic solvents and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.
In another instance, the feral dogs were released on March 12, 2002 at Baldwin Park in Orlando,
Florida, the future home of the Baldwin Park Middle School. The proposed school site is
adjacent to an old naval landfill where there is known dry-cleaning fluid contamination.
Fourteen students, who were sponsored by the Florida Film Festival, modified these dogs with
Figagaro sensors to detect volatile organic solvents.
Dogs have been released by other groups in many areas of the country including Lake Ivanhoe in
Maitland, FL, the Fresh Kills Landfill in Staten Island, NY, and the Snake River area of Boise,
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ID. Here at Cornell we will attempt to organize our own release at a yet-to-be-determined site in
the Ithaca area.
There are several pollution sites in the Ithaca area that would be suitable for testing the
functionality of the modified feral robotic dogs. The most prominent ones are from scrap oil
released by the former Morse Chain plant in the 1960s. Emerson Power Transmission, the
present owner of the plant, discovered decades-old remnants of solvent spills around the factory
in 1987. The former Morse Chain plant had generated and released 50 tons of scrap metal per
day in the 1960s, which included 300 gallons of cutting, lubrication, and quench oils which have
leached into the ground over time. Also prior to 1983, Morse used trichloroethylene (TCE) to
strip grease from chains and other metal parts. Emerson's investigations in 1987 revealed that
TCE had leaked into the soil and groundwater from an underground fire water reservoir on the
property. This problem was reported to the New York State Department of Environmental
Conservation. Between then and now, multiple efforts have been made for the testing and cleanup of the sites, and the problem seemed controlled. However, the case was reopened in July
2004 due to positive results from a vadose zone test, testing the area between the soil surface and
the permanent groundwater table. The reopening of this case suggests that these sites may be
appropriate testing grounds for our robotic dogs.
5. Work plan
To achieve our stated objectives, we plan to: purchase dogs, parts, and tools and modify the
dogs for all-terrain use; select a site and a contaminant on which to focus; compare sensor types,
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configurations, and working distances to determine a sensor type for this contaminant, purchase
it, and integrate it with the dogs and with an LCD display; experiment with communications
setups and create computer models for relative positioning and tracking.
We have selected our dog types by considering previous work accomplished at Yale University
and our own budget and resource concerns. We have purchased one dog and intend to purchase
others from eBay. Using the documentation for Yale University and consulting websites and
other people, we have produced price lists for materials and equipment that we consider
necessary for the project, and intend to purchase these supplies from already determined vendors.
Modifying the dogs will be based on projects from Yale University and other universities when
possible, at least until we are sufficiently comfortable with the process that we can make up our
own modifications. Depending on how closely we can follow the specifications for the Yale
University prototype and on how difficult it is to transfer these or other modifications to our
other dogs, this step may either be very trivial or very time-consuming.
We will continue to look at local newspapers and archives to find articles on contaminated sites
of interest. We have designated a researcher to contact representatives from companies such as
New York State Energy and Gas (NYSEG), in order to find out about site contaminants and
research permissions. We will combine this information with site visits and with our
determination of plausible sensor types to select a site and a contaminant. Integrating the sensor
and an LCD display to a dog will follow previous projects when possible, or follow ideas drawn
from the Robocup team, electronics books, or other independent sources. This may require a
significant amount of outside research.
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We expect setting up a communications system between the dogs and implementing pack
behavior to be complex. We are currently researching the cost and operation of systems such as
radio frequency, ultrasonic, and infrared communications. The setup will likely use direct
communication between dogs to combine distance triangulation with sensor reading
communication in order to actuate motion towards areas of high contamination. By the end of
the semester, we would like to have constructed at least a reasonable model of a communications
system and its necessary materials, and possibly a computer simulation of the theoretical system
in action.
In addition, we may use advertisements in the Ithaca Times and the Cornell Daily Sun, emails to
student mailing lists, flyers in downtown Ithaca, and posters on campus bulletin boards in order
to set up a dog drive.
6. Conclusions
Our final objective in this project is to have an autonomous robotic dog that can detect chosen
contaminants in the environment with pre-fitted sensors. We hope to accomplish this goal by
splitting up the project into smaller objectives and assigning our group members accordingly.
These smaller goals include fitting the dogs with wheels, programming the dogs, fitting them
with sensors, and researching contaminant sites in Ithaca. We hope to make this project
sustainable for future groups and eventually incorporate the community in a more direct way.
This will increase awareness of contaminants in the area to the community and hopefully bring
about resolutions for pollution cleanup.
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PROJECT PLANNING SCHEDULE
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RESOURCES AND NEEDS
1) Lab Facilities-We are requesting a room or small space to store our project and to conduct
the mechanical and electrical alterations needed, preferably with a computer.
2) Dogs-We are requesting funds for 6 dogs, totaling $182.50
3) Batteries for the dogs, approximating $76.00
4) Tools for modifying the dogs-an exacto knife, table vice, Allen wrench set, hand drill, drill
index, hack saw, box cutter, small Phillips head screwdriver, small flat head screwdriver,
wire cutters, pliers, calipers, and small clamps, totaling about $150.00
5) Motors, wheels, and miscellaneous parts costing about $200.00
6) Communication parts for the dogs of at least $100.00 per dog ($300.00 total).
7) Contaminant sensors, two per dog at $15.00 each ($90.00 total).
8) Electronics equipment (circuit boards and microcontrollers), about $200.00
See Appendix: Resource Pricing for detailed price information.
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TEAM ORGANIZATION
1. Project organization
TEAM
LEADER
Deanna
Laufer
MECHANICAL
SITE RESEARCH
SENSOR
RESEARCH
ELECTRONIC
INTEGRATION
COMMUNICATIONS
Deanna Laufer
Jeannette
Harduby
Others as needed
Sonia Shi
Heather Nelson
Jeannette Harduby
Heather
Nelson
Deanna Laufer
Zheshen
Zhuang
Tam Ngo
Zheshen Zhuang
Tam Ngo
MECHANICAL
RESEARCH
SITE
DETERMINATION
Deanna Laufer
Jeannette
Harduby
Tam Ngo
Zheshen Zhuang
All
2. Additional team roles
Team Leader
Minutes
Scheduling
Weekly Reports
Design Notebook
Partner Liaison
Local Liaison
Website
Editing
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Deanna Laufer
Jeannette Harduby
Sonia Shi
Heather Nelson
Zheshen Zhuang
Deanna Laufer
Sonia Xi
Tam Ngo
Tam Ngo
TEAM BACKGROUND
Deanna

2 – 3 years of programming experience in C++, Java, and Matlab

Electrical wiring experience building simple circuits on circuit boards

Spent a significant part of last summer conducting research and compiling a reference
document for future use
Tam

2 years of programming experience in C++ and Matlab

Experience with ray-tracing and 3D modeling software

Minimal experience with LabView data collection software
Jeanette

Student in Civil and Environmental Engineering

Has explored environmental pollutants and contamination

Worked with programs and sensors to design a waste water treatment plant
Heather

Has experience with Stella and LabView

Student in Civil and Environmental Engineering

Worked with programs and sensors to design a waste water treatment plant
Sonia
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
Student in Biological and Environmental Engineering

Has experience programming in Java and Matlab

Worked in a design group
Zheshen
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
Student in Electrical and Computer Engineering

Experience in programming in Java and Matlab

Experience working with microcontrollers with the Cornell Snake Arm Team
REFERENCES
Information:
http://jove.eng.yale.edu/twiki/bin/view/Experimentalproduct/MechUpToDate
Directions for altering a Megabyte Robot dog made by Xdesign group and links to other
resources.
http://www.howstuffworks.com, http://electronics.howstuffworks.com
GPS, guided missiles, radio transmission, infrared sensors, servos, motors, and radio
control vehicles.
Interview, Prof. [THE COMMUNICATIONS GUY THAT ZHESHEN TALKED TO],
September 21, 2004
Communications.
Interview, Geoffrey Eadon, September 25, 2004
Electronics and communications.
Purchasing:
http://www.ebay.com
http://www.mcmaster.com
http://www.lynxmotion.com
http://www.smallparts.com
http://www.hobbyengineering.com
http://www.robotstore.com
http://www.allerc.com
http://www.robotstorehk.com
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APPENDIX: RESOURCE PRICING
1. Needs
1.1. Lab facilities
We are requesting a room or small space to store our project and to conduct the mechanical and
electrical alterations needed. Also, a computer would be valuable for transferring the programs
to the dogs. The necessary software and platform will be determined by the modifications that
we make on the dogs and by what we are able to achieve with respect to communications and
pack behavior. We anticipate needing at least Windows 95 with MATLAB, C++, and Microsoft
Excel. An internet connection would be a helpful resource for programming and debugging.
1.2. Robotic Dogs
We would like at least 5 – 6 dogs to perform alterations on in case we change plans midway or
come across unexpected obstacles. We intend to purchase all of the dogs through eBay since
they are no longer available in retail, so we do not have exact prices rather than approximate
ones.
Megabyte Dog 1:
$12.50
Megabyte 2:
$20.00
Megabyte 3:
$20.00-30.00
I-Cybie 1:
$25.00
I-Cybie 2:
$45.00
I-Cybie 3:
$50.00
(already been purchased)
Note: the above prices include regular shipping, but may increase if we need expedited shipping.
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1.3. Batteries
Each Megabyte dog runs on 4 C-size batteries and 3 AA batteries. During the testing process,
we are estimating that we may need approximately 36 C batteries and 36 AA batteries.
1.4.
36 Energizer C batteries:
$50.00
(8 pack for $9.99)
36 Energizer AA batteries
$26.00
(24 pack for $12.99)
Tools
According to the mechanical modifications page made by the students at Yale,
(http://jove.eng.yale.edu/twiki/bin/view/Experimentalproduct/MechUpToDate) they needed the
following tools: Exacto knife, table vice, Allen wrench set, hand drill, drill index, hack saw, box
cutter, small Phillips head screwdriver, small flat head screwdriver, wire cutters, pliers, calipers,
and small clamps. Though we hope to acquire a lab which will have most of these tools, we
may need to buy some on our own.
Exacto knife:
$5.20
Hand drill:
$59.62
Hack saw:
$19.71
Standard pliers:
$9.10
Dial calipers:
$28.97
Steel C clamps:
$13.10 each
(All prices from http://www.mcmaster.com)
1.5. Motors, wheels, and parts
The following materials are from the same Yale University documentation.
Steel Wire SMW-125:
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$9.25 - $15.25
(http://www.smallparts.com)
3 Collars With Set Screw:
$0.60 - $5
(http://www.mcmaster.com)
.03 vinyl or polystyrene:
$30
(price for large package of sheets)
2 feet of 1/4" white delrin square rod:
$5 - $12
Black Oxide #4/40 sheet metal screws: 1/4, 3/8, 1/2, 3/4:
$5-10 for 100 per size
(http://www.lynxmotion.com)
1 x 3" x 0.75" Foam Rubber Tire NFT-07:
$5.36
2 x Deluxe 3.5"D x 1.75"W Off Road Robot Tire TRC-01: $20 each
2 x 6mm Mounting Hub for Above Rim HUB-05:
$10 each
2 x 7.2vdc 152rpm, Gear Head Motor GHM-04:
$22 each
In addition, a motor house assembly, a rear axle, and knees with wooden blocks are mentioned,
with a probable price total of under $50.
Extra or substitution parts may include:
simple gear motors:
$5-10 each
servos:
$15-20 each, for wheel, antennas, and/or sensors
multiple servo controllers:
$20-40
3" wheels:
$7 for two
(Approximate prices from www.hobbyengineering.com and www.allerc.com)
1.6. Undetermined communications needs
These may include infrared, ultrasonic, and radio frequency transmitters, receivers, antennas, and
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sensors, along with their control substrata. An approximate, conservative price range would be
$100 per dog.
1.7. Undetermined contaminant sensor needs
These needs will depend on the type and model of sensor that we select, and may run anywhere
from $20 - $200 per dog. LCD displays can be bought separately for approximately $7.
1.8. Electronics equipment
DC Power Supply
$90
Multimeter
$6
Soldering kit
$22
Microcontrollers
$6 each (2)
MegaAVR development board
$48 each (2)
LCD display
$8 each (2)
Breadboard
$7 each (2)
2. Resources
2.1. Background information resources
We can obtain contact information to student and faculty groups and researchers at Yale
University and other institutions through our faculty advisor, Dr. Park Doing, pad9@cornell.edu
and through internet searches. Background information is also available over the internet.
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2.2. Mechanical, electrical, software, and communications resources
Other resources can be found in the appropriate departments at Cornell University, including
faculty, students, and project teams such as Robocup, as well as the Cornell University Library
system, and robotic dog project documentation available on the internet.
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