CONNOR J BOSS

This was one of my first experiences applying control to a physical system.  The Boe-Bot is a vehicle chassis that comes in a kit with a basic stamp microcontroller.  I used an Arduino microcontroller instead for it's processing speed and ease of programming.  A Ping ultrasonic sensor was used to provide an input to the PD controller by measuring the distance from the sensor to the surface the Boe-Bot is trying to balance on.  

 

The PD controller provided a scaled output to the two continuous servos to balance the Boe-Bot in the upright position, similar to how a Segway balances.  When the sensor detects that the distance is growing larger, the controller knows the Boe-Bot is starting to tip backwards. The wheels are then driven backward to stand the Boe-Bot back up.  Similarly, when the distance measured decreases, the controller determines that the Boe-Bot is starting to fall forward, and drives the servos forward to stand the Boe-Bot back up.