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SemiAutonomous Submersible robot for underwater research

by leevonk on March 17, 2006 Table of Contents SemiAutonomous Submersible robot for underwater research . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Intro: SemiAutonomous Submersible robot for underwater research . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Step 1: Circuit Diagram . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Step 2: Code and Documentation, etc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . File Downloads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Related Instructables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Comments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 2 2 5 5 6 6

http://www.instructables.com/id/SemiAutonomous-Submersible-robot-for-underwater-re/

Author:leevonk
www.leevonk.com

author's website

Intro: SemiAutonomous Submersible robot for underwater research

this is a submersible robot (a little submarine) that can be operated in manual or semi-autonomous mode. FOR DESCRIPTION OF WHAT ALL THE FILES ARE, GO TO THE LAST STEP

Image Notes 1. my happy little sub

Image Notes 1. vertical trolling motor 2. left horizontal thrust motor

Step 1: Circuit Diagram

TO BE ABLE TO READ THE DIAGRAM, CLICK HERE: http://static2.instructables.com/ID/F7S/YPXY/Q6SEP27UXHB/4AA2923407121029853F001143E7E506.gif the rest of the pictures show the construction of the sub. It was made out of two C channels connected by an aluminum sheet. A skid was added to the bottom to allow the sub to skate over the bottom to gather quantitative video samples of the ecology. The skid and two C channels (necessary to hold the large # of sensors desired) was a little heavy so the sub had trouble moving up and down using it's one vertical motor (although there is a fourth small motor in the diagram, we never added that). You should definately be able to make the body a lot lighter so that a single vertical trolling motor will be fine.

Image Notes 1. output to victor motor controllers 2. serial connection to laptop, so the laptop can show information about the subs status (smartconsole.bas) 3. interface electronics for the dual shock PS2 controller 4. PWM generating IC (to control the Victor H-bridges for motor control) 5. bs2sx used for testing. A PIC would be better, the stamp wasn't really fast enough. Image Notes 1. For code on how to integrate all of these sensors, controllers etc, you'll have to look in the .bsx file in the last step. 2. pressure sensor sends data to an ADC which sends digital version of pressure to bs1 3. PAK pulse width modulation IC (sends correct speed commands continuously

http://www.instructables.com/id/SemiAutonomous-Submersible-robot-for-underwater-re/

to the victor motor controllers) 4. BOBIII overlays pressure reading onto a video feed from an underwater camera. The video feed is seen on an on-ship monitor 5. three victor motor controllers 6. digital compass which compensates for tilt 7. bs1 gets pressure sensor readings and overlays them onto a video feed using the BOBIII IC 8. 3 minn-kota trolling motors. Two horizontal thrust, one vertical thrust. 9. I used a BSX for most of the development, but in the end turned out it had one too few I/O pins, so a bigger stamp is in the diagram. 10. didn't actually make/use this fourth h-bridge/motor

Image Notes 1. just a water sensor (salinity, etc) mounted in the bottom half of the body of the sub 2. vertical trolling motor for up/down motion of sub

Image Notes 1. a sensor 2. hole passes through both c-channels to allow vertical motor thrust. This didn't work that well,.. 3. two c-channels stacked

Image Notes 1. dual shock ps2 controller sends commands to the bs2sx in that black box (upper right) 2. victor motor controllers (get commands from the bs2sx in the box benieht them.

http://www.instructables.com/id/SemiAutonomous-Submersible-robot-for-underwater-re/

Image Notes 1. vertical trolling motor 2. left horizontal thrust motor

Image Notes 1. my happy little sub

http://www.instructables.com/id/SemiAutonomous-Submersible-robot-for-underwater-re/

Step 2: Code and Documentation, etc.

TO BE ABLE TO READ THE DIAGRAM, CLICK HERE: http://static2.instructables.com/ID/F7S/YPXY/Q6SEP27UXHB/4AA2923407121029853F001143E7E506.gif --SmartConsole.bas is a QBasic program that runs in DOS or win3.1 It's an interface that takes data from the subs sensors and displays them graphically on the screen (tilt, yaw, etc) --SmartSea.bsx is a basic program that runs on the BSX basic stamp (while building the thing I used a BSX, I put another basic stamp in the diagram because the bsx had one too few pin for sensor interfaces) --BS1_BOBIII is code interfacing the BS1 with the bobIII video overlay chip --Purchase lists show everything you need to make this. --The tutorial talks about how to use everything if you somehow make the exact same thing as I do. --The final paper talks about why I picked certain parts, overview, etc.

Image Notes 1. For code on how to integrate all of these sensors, controllers etc, you'll have to look in the .bsx file in the last step. 2. pressure sensor sends data to an ADC which sends digital version of pressure to bs1 3. PAK pulse width modulation IC (sends correct speed commands continuously to the victor motor controllers) 4. BOBIII overlays pressure reading onto a video feed from an underwater camera. The video feed is seen on an on-ship monitor 5. three victor motor controllers 6. digital compass which compensates for tilt 7. bs1 gets pressure sensor readings and overlays them onto a video feed using the BOBIII IC 8. 3 minn-kota trolling motors. Two horizontal thrust, one vertical thrust. 9. I used a BSX for most of the development, but in the end turned out it had one too few I/O pins, so a bigger stamp is in the diagram. 10. didn't actually make/use this fourth h-bridge/motor

File Downloads

SmartConsole.bas (12 KB) [NOTE: When saving, if you see .tmp as the file ext, rename it to 'SmartConsole.bas']

SMARTSEA_2003.bsx (19 KB) [NOTE: When saving, if you see .tmp as the file ext, rename it to 'SMARTSEA_2003.bsx']

BS1_BOBIII.bas (2 KB) [NOTE: When saving, if you see .tmp as the file ext, rename it to 'BS1_BOBIII.bas']

Purchase_List.txt (1 KB) [NOTE: When saving, if you see .tmp as the file ext, rename it to 'Purchase_List.txt']

Purchase_List_2.txt (2 KB)

http://www.instructables.com/id/SemiAutonomous-Submersible-robot-for-underwater-re/

[NOTE: When saving, if you see .tmp as the file ext, rename it to 'Purchase_List_2.txt']

Lee_Tutorial.doc (35 KB) [NOTE: When saving, if you see .tmp as the file ext, rename it to 'Lee_Tutorial.doc']

SMARTSEAFinalPaper.pdf (502 KB) [NOTE: When saving, if you see .tmp as the file ext, rename it to 'SMARTSEAFinalPaper.pdf']

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The Manta Drive: proof-ofconcept for an ROV propulsion system. by Kiteman

ROV submersible (PVC) by daniel2008

Build a Very Small Robot: Make The World's Smallest Wheeled Robot With A Gripper. by mikey77

ObstacleAvoiding Robot with a Personality! by mortaldoom780

Comments
32 comments Add Comment

manu1975 says:
simply incredible!! nice job!! congratulations!! a question, where did you find the motors??

Jan 5, 2011. 12:18 PM REPLY

jumpup_dnb_dj says:
The link for schematic doesn't work.

Sep 20, 2010. 3:14 PM REPLY

shaf789 says:
wooow

Jul 19, 2010. 6:45 PM REPLY

jeng12 says:
what is the estimated total weight of your submersible robot? :).... by the way, good work :)

Jun 29, 2009. 3:33 AM REPLY

leevonk says:

Aug 18, 2009. 10:35 AM REPLY hm, I don't know, was a while ago. maybe 60 or 70lbs? that's just ballpark. that's why we had to add the styrofoam. we should have built it with pvc tubing like everyone else, but we used to heavy duty plastic for the body that was not necessary.

bennyjaminny says:
My brain just died.. I'll be coming back when I understand what this is

Aug 18, 2009. 9:32 AM REPLY

Q branch says:
impressive!

Jul 21, 2009. 1:28 PM REPLY

daniel2008 says:
very nice submarine, would you consider submitting it to the new ROV group ?

Dec 27, 2008. 12:52 AM REPLY

SuperCoPilot says:
can this be put in a "for dummies" format? lol

Feb 10, 2008. 11:38 AM REPLY

http://www.instructables.com/id/SemiAutonomous-Submersible-robot-for-underwater-re/

pacey_waring says:
the Joe-Schmoe version: Just give your little brother a pair of goggles, and throw 50 cents in :) INSTANT SUBMARINE

May 16, 2008. 8:58 PM REPLY

awang8 says:
Hmm... I wonder if you can attach cameras and use his arms as manipulators...

Dec 19, 2008. 9:09 PM REPLY

SuperCoPilot says:
i could just toss him in

Jul 16, 2008. 11:44 AM REPLY

Eddiepers says:
Thats funny. LOL I am telling the truth. It is Funny!

Jul 13, 2008. 2:45 PM REPLY

leevonk says:

Feb 10, 2008. 1:35 PM REPLY it's all there in the circuit diagram and in the included documentation I've provided for download. The circuit diagram contains all parts numbers and names of all parts I used. It also has the pin numbers and pin names that are connected to and it contains all external components and their values (resistors, capacitors, crystals, etc). If you make the circuit as shown and program the basic stamp with the code I provided everything will work as described. If you don't get the circuit diagram just look up some electronics tutorial on google and a very basic introduction should be all you need to understand how to make the circuit yourself.

ArisenProdigy says:

Jul 9, 2008. 7:17 PM REPLY AHHH!!!! I think if I were ten years younger (when I had had more time and patience to learn new stuff) I'd have one of these. About how much did this cost for you to purchase all these parts, however?

leevonk says:
I don't remember I think it was around $1500 or 2000. It was a project for research purposes so wasn't my own money.

Jul 24, 2008. 4:35 PM REPLY

pharoah says:
Extra points for the use of Qbasic :)

Jun 6, 2007. 4:31 PM REPLY

leevonk says:

Jun 6, 2007. 6:59 PM REPLY haha, yeah I totally forgot I even used that, I don't think the lab I was working at had visual c++ or any other visual language, and Qbasic got the job done (little moving diagrams of the sub acording to it's angles etc)

chunkymuggen says:
awesome

May 27, 2007. 8:01 PM REPLY

Coffee bean says:

WHAT!

Mar 31, 2006. 7:51 PM REPLY

leevonk says:
hahaha, it's all there man, heheh

Oct 30, 2006. 7:55 PM REPLY

Ricky2443 says:

Mar 17, 2006. 4:00 PM REPLY Cool project man, i have a question thou. I saw that your using a Dualshock to control the submersible, i've been trying to get find a way to control my robot that way, how did u rig it?

leevonk says:

Mar 18, 2006. 4:49 PM REPLY I'll try to reupload a smaller diagram so you can see it and put some code to show how to interface from a basic stamp to the dual shock controller.

Beanwaur says:
dude, this would be great if i could read the damn schematic >.<

Mar 17, 2006. 12:27 PM REPLY

http://www.instructables.com/id/SemiAutonomous-Submersible-robot-for-underwater-re/

radiorental says:

Mar 17, 2006. 1:51 PM REPLY Like, totally click on the little (i) in the top left of the image dude, and then like most definitely click on the largest image link down on the left hand side of this new page. That should totally sort you out for a readable diag dude (o; yer, I know.. its not obvious.

Beanwaur says:
sweet, thanks

Mar 17, 2006. 7:51 PM REPLY

leevonk says:

Mar 17, 2006. 1:49 PM REPLY yeah, for some reason the website shrunk the schematic a bit so you can't read it. I don't know how to make it so you could see it, I'll try to shrink down the picture and repost it later this weekend.

radiorental says:

Mar 17, 2006. 10:05 AM REPLY very nice project, if you're not aware you can select areas of the images and add notes. You can also upload files as well as images

leevonk says:
I tried uploading code and other documentation into the library but they dissapeared

Mar 17, 2006. 1:49 PM REPLY

instructables-eric says:

Mar 17, 2006. 2:44 PM REPLY We're working on making this better. For the time being, once you have added your intro and first step, make sure you are in the editor and click on the step you would like to associate a file with. You can link a file to that step by uploading it under the "upload a new image or file" heading. Files that are not recognized as images don't currently make it into the image library, so you have to put them into the step individually. Wouldn't it be great to have CAD, schematic, spreadsheet, and other filetype libraries? We're working on it! Mar 17, 2006. 1:57 PM REPLY interesting, I've seen other project with cad files and what have you. I wonder if there's a whitelist of file extensions. Either way, stick with the site.. it is quirky and the navigation system is based on a medieval road map of london. I find myself just clicking my login name at the top left to get back to where I started. You can email files to your library: Click your name > change settings > upload email good luck in the comp, take care - pauric

radiorental says:

leevonk says:
I uploaded relevant files now

Mar 18, 2006. 5:47 PM REPLY

http://www.instructables.com/id/SemiAutonomous-Submersible-robot-for-underwater-re/