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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 Ms. 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 lawnmower. The sensors that will be used for the project are infrared, ultrasonic, and
motion. With these sensors in tandem with the GPS feeding into the microcontroller the lawnmower will be
able to accurately map out its surroundings to avoid obstacles and determine boundaries. 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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___________________________________________________________________________
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 seven subsystems. The following proposal will explain in greater detail
each subsystem and how they will interact with the other subsystems. The subsystems are the
1. Mower,
2. the Power/Battery,
3. the Frame,
4. the Wheels,
5, the GPS,
6. the Computer, and
7. Robotics.
The Mower subsystem will mow the lawn as directed by three other subsystems – GPS, Computer and
Robotics, which includes sensors. 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 260 dollars. 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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____________________________________________________________________
TABLE OF CONTENTS
____________________________________________________________________
Executive Summary [BM] ...................................................................................................................................................... 3
Non-Disclosure Statement [BM] ............................................................................................................................................ 7
Validity Statement [BM]......................................................................................................................................................... 7
Introduction [CT] .................................................................................................................................................................... 8
Literature Review.................................................................................................................................................................... 9
Introduction [BM] ...................................................................................................................................................... 9
Previous Design Review [NS] ................................................................................................................................... 9
Battery [DH] ............................................................................................................................................................ 10
Robotics [BM] ......................................................................................................................................................... 11
Platform ...................................................................................................................................................... 11
Actuator ...................................................................................................................................................... 12
Microcontrollers.......................................................................................................................................... 12
Motor Controllers ....................................................................................................................................... 13
Sensors ........................................................................................................................................................ 14
GPS [CT] ................................................................................................................................................................. 15
Languages [CT] ....................................................................................................................................................... 16
Lawnmower [ZT] ..................................................................................................................................................... 16
Motors [ZT] ............................................................................................................................................................. 16
Wheels [RP] ............................................................................................................................................................. 17
Project Description [BM] ...................................................................................................................................................... 19
Block Diagram ..................................................................................................................................................................... 20
Basis of Design ..................................................................................................................................................................... 21
Subsystem Descriptions ........................................................................................................................................................ 22
Frame Subsystem [NS] ............................................................................................................................................ 22
Battery/Power Subsystem [DH] ............................................................................................................................... 22
Robotics Subsystem [BM] ....................................................................................................................................... 23
GPS Subsystem [CT] ............................................................................................................................................... 24
Computer Subsystem [CT] ...................................................................................................................................... 24
Mower Subsystem [ZT] ........................................................................................................................................... 25
Wheels Subsystem [NS] .......................................................................................................................................... 26
Project Organization Chart [BM].......................................................................................................................................... 28
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Action Item List (AIL) .......................................................................................................................................................... 29
Team Timeline ...................................................................................................................................................................... 30
Resources Required .............................................................................................................................................................. 32
Activities to be Performed .................................................................................................................................................... 33
Conclusion [BM] .................................................................................................................................................................. 34
References ............................................................................................................................................................................. 35
Appendix ...................................................................................................................................................................................
A: Resumes ...................................................................................................................................................................... 37
Dylan Hartman ......................................................................................................................................................... 38
Brittany Murphy....................................................................................................................................................... 41
Rachel Parth ............................................................................................................................................................. 42
Nathaniel Sparks ...................................................................................................................................................... 44
Zachary Tennessen................................................................................................................................................... 45
Christopher Tyra ...................................................................................................................................................... 46
B: Communications [RP] ................................................................................................................................................. 47
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____________________________________________________________________
FIGURES AND TABLES
_________________________________________________________________
Figure 1: CWRU First Place winner 2010 ............................................................................................................................ 10
Figure 2: Wheeled Robot ...................................................................................................................................................... 12
Figure 3: Tracked Robot ....................................................................................................................................................... 12
Figure 4: Cytron Gear Motor with Encoder .......................................................................................................................... 12
Figure 5: Parallax BASIC Stamp 2p 40-pin Microcontroller ............................................................................................... 13
Figure 6: Pololu DC Motor Driver ........................................................................................................................................ 14
Figure 7: Vex Bumper Switch .............................................................................................................................................. 14
Figure 8: Cytron Incremental Rotary Encoder ...................................................................................................................... 15
Figure 9: Ultrasonic Range Finder ........................................................................................................................................ 15
Figure 10: Yardworks 18” 12A Electric Lawnmower .......................................................................................................... 16
Figure 11: Marathon Electric Brake Motor ........................................................................................................................... 17
Figure 12: Acquired Spindle Wheel...................................................................................................................................... 17
Figure 13: Motorized Wheels ............................................................................................................................................... 18
Figure 14: Battery Hookup (top) ........................................................................................................................................... 18
Figure 15: Control Box Hookup (bottom) ............................................................................................................................ 18
Figure 16: Block Diagram..................................................................................................................................................... 20
Figure 17: Project Organization Chart ................................................................................................................................. 28
Table 1: CWRU Material List ................................................................................................................................................ 9
Table 2: Battery Specifications ............................................................................................................................................. 11
Table 3: Actuator Comparison .............................................................................................................................................. 12
Table 4: Microcontroller Comparison................................................................................................................................... 13
Table 5: Motor Controller Comparison ................................................................................................................................ 13
Table 6: GPS Comparison..................................................................................................................................................... 15
Table 7: Language Comparison ............................................................................................................................................ 16
Table 8: Electric Push Lawnmower Comparison.................................................................................................................. 16
Table 9: Wheels Specifications ............................................................................................................................................. 17
Table 10: Basis of Design ..................................................................................................................................................... 21
Table 11: Action Item List (AIL) .......................................................................................................................................... 29
Table 12: Team Timeline ...................................................................................................................................................... 30
Table 13: Resources Required .............................................................................................................................................. 32
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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 today’s on the go lifestyle, it becomes more and more difficult to make time for every little thing
that needs to be done. The average Midwestern climate zone requires lawns to be mowed once every two
weeks. To ease the burden, the solution is an autonomous lawnmower. The autonomous lawnmower would
save time and energy of the person who owns it.
The main purpose of building the autonomous lawnmower 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
supposed to cut the grass and avoid moving and nonmoving objects, such as trees, flower beds, dogs, and
people. It must to be able to cut the grass evenly in less than or equal to the amount of time that a human
operator could. Guidelines were given to the project by the ION Robotic Lawnmower Competition which is the
basic outline for Team 76’s lawnmower.
The project provided by the client will provide a feasible solution in today’s world. Engineering and
prototyping will be completed by Team 76 with materials provided by sponsors. The final testing of the
autonomous lawnmower will be done at the 2012 ION Robotic Lawnmower Competition.
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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 in the allotted 20
Table 1: CWRU Material List [1]
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minutes. The other participating teams failed to cut over 50% due to poor programming and path finding. [1]
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.
Figure 1: CWRU First Place Winner in 2010 [1]
Batteries
In order to run the push mower deck, the corded push mower deck must be converted to run off of DC
power from batteries. It is required to calculate out how much power is needed in order to run the push mower.
The mower deck requires 120V and 12A to run.
𝑃𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑟(𝑊𝑎𝑡𝑡 𝐻𝑜𝑢𝑟𝑠) = 𝑉𝑜𝑙𝑡𝑠 ∗ 𝐴𝑚𝑝𝑠 → 𝑃𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑟 = 120𝑉 ∗ 12Ah [2]
P a g e | 11
The calculations show that 1440 Watts of power is needed to run the mower. The two main choices of battery
are described in Table 4.
Type
Starting
Lighting
and
Igniting
Deep Cell
(Deep
Cycle)
Purpose
Large amount
of
instantaneous
power to start
object
Small/medium
amounts of
continuously
available
power to draw
upon
Plate Type
Thinner,
porous plates
made to
increase
surface area
Thicker, solid
plates made
to allow
longer current
draws
Power output
Recommended
for vehicle
starting
Recommended
for continuous
amounts of
power
consumptions
Table 2: Battery Specifications [3]
Due to the continuous power requirements, the best choice of a battery would be one or two Deep cell
batteries that can provide the amount of energy required for the autonomous lawnmower to operate. The
autonomous lawnmower will need to be able to operate 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.
Robotics
In order to create an automated lawnmower it is necessary to create a version of an artificial intelligent
lawnmower. 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
Provided are brief explanations of what each part will do in the overall system of a robot and offers 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 2: Wheeled Robot[4]
Figure 3: Tracked Robot[5]
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 3: Actuator Comparison [6]
Figure 4: Cytron Gear Motor with Encoder [7]
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 4:Microcontroller Comparison [8]
Figure 5: Parallax BASIC Stamp 2p 40-pin Microcontroller [9]
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 5: Motor Controller Comparison [10]
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Figure 6: Pololu DC Motor Driver [11]
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 7: Vex Bumper Switch [12]

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 positioning.
P a g e | 15
Figure 8: Cytron Incremental Rotary Encoder [13]

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, detection ranges from 12” to
254” and has a 42KHz ultrasonic ping.
Figure 9: Ultrasonic Range Finder [14]
Global Positioning System
The GPS lawnmower has a lot of different types of GPS to choose from, but the main choice of GPS
chips are from the company Parallax. The GPS use satellites orbiting Earth to receive a signal from the GPS
chip and use it to pinpoint the 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
the location will be. A minimum of three satellites must be used to calculate the two dimensional location for
most GPS. More satellites must be used to be able to calculate the three dimensional location. The GPS chip in
order to be effective must have a Wide Area Augmented System (WAAS). Another important part of the GPS
chip is the NMEAD0183 which is the language the chip uses to produce the coordinates.
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 6: GPS Chip Comparison[15],[16],[17]
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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, collect inputs from sensors, run the mower deck, and digitally
map out the mowing area. 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 72: Language Comparison [18],[19],[20],[21],[22]
Lawnmower
The lawnmower is one of the most important components to the autonomous lawnmower project. Not
only does it provide a basic framework for the computer components and electric motors to be placed on but it
also provides parts that would normally not be available by themselves. Electric push lawnmowers are among
the most commonly used mowers, information about these mowers are found in table 8.
Types of Electric Push Lawnmowers
Range
Operation Time
Lawn Size
Corded
Fixed (150-250 ft.)
Unlimited
≈3000 square ft.
Cordless
Unlimited
Battery Dependant
≈5000 square ft.
Table 83: Electric Push Lawnmower Comparison [23]
Figure 10: Yardworks 18” 12A electric lawnmower [24]
Motors
The motor, while part of the lawnmower, is crucial to power the blades under the mower deck. Like the
lawnmower there is a choice between two types of motors: internal combustion and electric. The internal
combustion engine is more common but electric motors are slowly gaining popularity. The electric motors for
lawnmowers are typically 12V brushless motors weighing about 15-20 lbs. The benefits of the electric motors
P a g e | 17
are that they run very quietly and they do not take up too much space on the mower chassis. The one drawback
to electric motors is the power. Usually the more power needed out of the motor, the larger and heavier it gets.
However, to turn the blades on a mower the power requirement is not high. Using a brushless motor also adds
to the safety of the motor because it does not create sparks, like the brushed motor does, and it can be precisely
controlled.
Figure 11: Marathon Electric Brake Motor [25]
Wheels
The wheels and motors that have been acquired for the autonomous lawnmower are from the company
Sunrise Medical. These were given to Southern Illinois University Carbondale by Adam Sims’ senior design
team. Below is a table of the wheel specifications for the acquired wheels.
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 9: Wheel Specifications [26]
There are two spindle, or free moving, wheels that are going to be used for the front of the design. The
spindle wheels will be attached to the front of the lawnmower 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 12: Acquired Spindle Wheel [26]
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 lawnmower will be applied to make the turning radius of the machine as
minimal as possible. They will be attached to the rear of the lawnmowers’ frame to get the full effect of the
P a g e | 18
zero turn process. The zero turn lawnmower spins the wheels in opposite directions to turn effectively left or
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 table 14, the autonomous lawnmower will need to have two 12
Volt batteries attached in series for a single motor to run.
Figure 13: Motorized Wheels[26]
The motor should be wired to a control box that connects to a Voltage Source Inverter joystick. The
joystick is the steering mechanism that would allow the lawnmower to turn in a circle or away from an obstacle.
The VSI joystick that is needed is now 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 could not be
found 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 14: Battery hookup (top)[26]
Figure 15: Control Box hookup (bottom) [26]
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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 16: Block Diagram
P a g e | 21
__________________________________________________________________
BASIS OF DESIGN
_______________________________________________________________
Documents Received
SEC Request For Proposal (RFP)
Date
September 9, 2011
Table 10: Basis of Design
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__________________________________________________________________
SUBSYSTEM DESCRIPTIONS
_______________________________________________________________
Frame
The frame is a 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, which will require approximately
30' of the tubing. Aluminum was chosen due to its strength, weight, cost, and availability.
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.
3. Test weight loads to ensure that the frame will hold all components safely.
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 GPS and robotics 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,
P a g e | 23
the batteries will be wired up to power the sensors and the control computer. The batteries intended for usage
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.
[d]
Design Activities
1. Batteries wired in series
2. Batteries wired to designated subsystem
3. Test power usage for each 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. The sensors that will be feeding into the
microcontroller will be ultrasonic, infrared and motion. 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.
P a g e | 24
Design Activities
1. Test each sensor by connecting them to the computer and making sure that each provides the expected
output
2. Wire the robotic system
3. Test obstacle avoidance capabilities
4. Ensure that sensors will work with GPS subsystem
Elements
1. Microcontroller
2. Motor Controller
3. Sensors
Deliverables
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
BASIC Stamp
Ping Ultrasonic Distance Sensor & Mounting Bracket
Infrared Line Follower Sensor
X-Band Motion Detector
Position Controller
Global Positioning System
The GPS will be the navigation system for the lawnmower. 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. 16)
The only software for the GPS chip need is the BASIC Stamp Editor. The BASIC Stamp Editor is use to
program the GPS chip. [T6]
Computer
The computer subsystem will be the center of the autonomous lawnmower. 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 wheel motors 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. (Fig. 16)
The computer software program will be programmed to have different subsystems for the GPS coordinates,
directions, sensors, and location. The GPS will be programmed to receive the coordinates from the satellites and
then compare to the dimensions of the yard. Based on the location it will give the computer subsystem
information so the autonomous lawnmower 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,
P a g e | 25
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. Forward
b. Backward
c. Left
d. Right
3. Integration of GPS and Sensors
a. Infrared
b. Position
c. Motion
d. Ultrasonic
4. 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 lawnmower. 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 progresses 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.
P a g e | 26
Design Activities
1. Acquire mower power switch
2. Connect electric motor computer and mower power switch
3. Attach mower deck to the frame
Elements
1.
2.
3.
4.
Mower blade
Mower deck
Mower power switch
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. Bolt the Rear Wheel Drive Motors to the rear exterior section of the frame and wired to the Motor
Controller.
2. Bolt the Motor Controller to the upper section of the frame and wired to the Batteries, Control
Computer, and Rear Wheel Drive Motors.
3. Bolt the swivel wheels to the forward frame section while the rear wheels are already mounted onto the
drive motors.
Elements
1. 2 Rear Wheel Drive Motors
2. Motor Controller
3. 2 Swivel Front Wheels
P a g e | 27
4. 2 Rear Wheels
Deliverables
1. Swivel wheels
2. Motorized Rear Wheels with Controller
P a g e | 28
________________________________________________________________
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/Robotics
MechanicalEngineer
Mower
ComputerEngineer
GPS/Computer
Figure 17: Project Organization Chart
P a g e | 29
____________________________________________________________________
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 11: Action Item List (AIL)
P a g e | 30
__________________________________________________________________
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 | 31
Final Design
Report
3rd System
Test
Table 12: Team Timeline
P a g e | 32
__________________________________________________________________
RESOURCES REQUIRED
_______________________________________________________________
Component
Amount
Price on Market
(Per Unit)
Total Price
Acquisition
Battery - PS12250
2
$50
$0
Corded Electric Push
Lawnmower
Square Aluminum Tubing
[1.5”x1.5”x30’, 1/8”
thickness]
Wheelchair
1
$90
$90
Sponsored by
Ultra Sonic
Purchased
33 lbs
$3/lb
$0
Sponsored by
Penn Aluminum
1
$3,500
$100
8” swivel wheels
BASIC - Program
2
1
$81
Free
$0
Free
Dell Studio XPS 1640
BASIC STAMP
DISCOVERY KITSERIAL (With USB
Adapter and Cable)
GPS Receiver Module
1
1
$450
$159.99
N/A
Sponsored by
Purchased
Borrowed
Sponsored by
Purchased
To be purchased
Sponsored by
$0
Parallax
1
$79.99
$0
Sponsored by
Parallax
Memory Stick Datalogger
1
$39.99
$0
Sponsored by
External GPS Antenna
1
$9.99
$0
Ping Ultrasonic Distance
Sensor & Mounting
Bracket
Infrared Line Follower
Kit
X-Band Motion Detector
1
$29.99
$0
Sponsored by
Parallax
Sponsored by
Parallax
1
$39.99
N/A
To be purchased
1
$29.99
$0
Position Controller Kit
Power Lab Space
Machine Shop Space
1
1
1
$29.99
N/A
N/A
N/A
$0
$0
Sponsored by
Parallax
To be purchased
On hand
On hand
N/A
$0
On hand
Parallax
Miscellaneous Electrical
Supplies
Table 13: Resources Required
Total Price on Market: $4689.92
Total Cost: Approximately : $260.00
P a g e | 33
__________________________________________________________________
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.
Test weight loads to ensure that the frame will hold all components safely.
Batteries wired in series
Batteries wired to designated subsystem
Test power usage for each subsystem
Test each sensor by connecting them to the computer and making sure that each provides the expected
output
Wire the robotic system
Test obstacle avoidance capabilities
Ensure that sensors will work with GPS subsystem
Program GPS Chip
o Basic Stamp Editor V2
Directions
o Forward
o Backward
o Left
o Right
Integration of GPS and Sensors
o Infrared
o Position
o Motion
o Ultrasonic
Integration of All Subsystems
Acquire mower power switch
Connect electric motor computer and mower power switch
Attach mower deck to the frame
Bolt the Rear Wheel Drive Motors to the rear exterior section of the frame and wired to the Motor
Controller.
Bolt the Motor Controller to the upper section of the frame and wired to the Batteries, Control
Computer, and Rear Wheel Drive Motors.
Bolt the swivel wheels to the forward frame section while the rear wheels are already mounted onto the
drive motors.
P a g e | 34
__________________________________________________________________
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 comprised
of 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 in the form of power brakes that will allow the power subsystem to be cut
off from the rest of the subsystem.
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 | 35
____________________________________________________________________
REFERENCES
________________________________________________________________
[1]CWRU Cutter C Technical Report: 2010. Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Avenue,
Cleveland, Ohio, 44106, USA
[2]http://www.wind-sun.com/ForumVB/showthread.php?t=8228
[3]Northern Arizona wind and sun. http://www.windsun.com/Batteries/Battery_FAQ.htm
[4]Wheeled Robot: http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-10378593-1.html
[5]Tracked Robot: http://defenseupdate.com/features/2008/november/11208_minirobotugv_urbancombatindoor.html
[6] Actuators: http://www.robotshop.com/gorobotics/how-to-make-a-robot/how-to-make-a-robot-lesson-3actuators
[7] Cytron Gear Motor with Encoder: http://www.robotshop.com/productinfo.aspx?pc=RB-Cyt-89&lang=enUS
[8] Microcontrollers: http://www.robotshop.com/gorobotics/articles/microcontrollers/how-to-make-a-robotlesson-4-understanding-microcontrollers
[9] Parallax BASIC Stamp 2p 40-pin Microcontroller: http://www.robotshop.com/productinfo.aspx?pc=RBPlx-07&lang=en-US
[10] Motor Controller: http://www.robotshop.com/gorobotics/how-to-make-a-robot/how-to-make-a-robotlesson-5-motor-controller
[11] Pololu DC Motor Driver: http://www.robotshop.com/productinfo.aspx?pc=RB-Pol-109&lang=en-US
[12] Vex Bumper Switch: http://www.robotshop.com/productinfo.aspx?pc=RB-Inn-08&lang=en-US
[13] Cytron Incremental Rotary Encoder: http://www.robotshop.com/cytron-incremental-rotary-encoder.html
[14] Ultrasonic Range Finder: http://www.robotshop.com/productinfo.aspx?pc=RB-Max-14&lang=en-US
[15]GPS Receiver Module. http://www.parallax.com/Portals/0/Downloads/docs/prod/acc/GPSManualV2.0.pdf
[16]RXM-SG GPS Module w/Ext Antenna.
http://www.parallax.com/Portals/0/Downloads/docs/prod/acc/28505-RXM-SG-GPSModule-v1.0.pdf
[17]PBM-648 GPS SiRF w/ Int Antenna
http://www.parallax.com/Store/Sensors/CompassGPS/tabid/173/CategoryID/48/List/0/SortField/0/Level/a/Prod
uctID/644/Default.aspx
[18]http://alternatives.rzero.com/lang.html
P a g e | 36
[19]Java . http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Java_(programming_language)
[20]C. http://www.eskimo.com/~scs/cclass/notes/sx1.html
[21]C++. http://www.cprogramming.com/begin.html
[22]Visual Basic. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_Visual_Studio
[23] Hollis, Scott. “Cordless electric lawn mowers: these battery powered machines are clean, quiet and easy to
maintain.” Mother Earth News 209 (April-May): 67(4). General Reference Center Gold. Gale. Fairfax County
Public Library. 7 Apr. 2009.
[24] http://www.menards.com/main/lawn-garden/outdoor-power-equipment/lawn-mowers/12-amp-18-inchmower/p-1494275.htm
[25] http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/MARATHON-ELECTRIC-Brake-Motor-4TD99?Pid=search
[26]Purdie, Tom. Interview. Rachel Parth. 5 October 2011.
P a g e | 37
________________________________________________________________
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 | 38
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 | 39

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 | 40
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 | 41
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 | 42
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 | 43




 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 | 44
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 | 45
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 | 46
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:





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
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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 | 51
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?
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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