03-10-2012, 05:17 PM
Wireless Mobile Robot Navigation using Zigbee Protocol
Wireless Mobile Robot.pdf (Size: 316.74 KB / Downloads: 125)
Abstract
This work presents the implementation of wireless
mobile robots using Zigbee protocol for the purpose of
navigation using personal computer, implemented with wireless
vision system for remote monitoring and control. Its main
feature is its use of the Zigbee protocol as the communication
medium between the mobile robot and the PC controller. The
hardware system is based on the PIC16F877A microcontroller
and an Xbee module. The system provides continuous visual
monitoring through the small camera attached to the mobile
robot, sending data to the control unit when necessary. Remote
testing is done on the mobile robot for search and rescue
missions via an established radio frequency (RF) communication
using DIGI XBee RF module.
INTRODUCTION
Several leading radio manufacturers have implemented
solutions based on the IEEE 802.15.4 protocol, so called
Zigbee protocol, which specifies a wireless link for low-power
personal area networks. Detailed Zigbee protocol is described
in the literature and is beyond the scope of this paper [1].
Zigbee is widely used in embedded applications, such as
environmental monitoring to improve agricultural yields [2],
structural monitoring to track building and bridge integrity [3],
industrial control to provide more sense points and control
points at lower cost. These applications generally require
numerous low-cost nodes communicating over multiple hops
to cover a large geographical area, and they must operate
unattended for years on modest batteries. Such requirements
target a very different set of applications than do WPAN
technologies such as Bluetooth, which eliminate wiring for
headsets, game controllers, and personal devices. Accordingly,
Zigbee’s capabilities are more limited than other WPANs and
WLANs – they have small frame sizes, low bandwidth, and
low transmit power.
BACKGROUND
With the rapid development in robotic technology around
the world, many robotic applications were developed to
improve our quality of lives. The International Organization
for Standardization gives a definition of robot in ISO 8373:
"an automatically controlled, reprogrammable, multipurpose,
manipulator programmable in three or more axes, which may
be either fixed in place or mobile for use in industrial
automation applications." Actual robot construction seems to
be impossible for the public as the equipments and the skill
need is expensive and hard to learn. Building prototype of
actual robot however is still possible to illustrate the
effectiveness of the intended application.
In this research, Zigbee wireless technology is used
together with robotic application to illustrate the effectiveness
of mobile robot navigation. Zigbee is one of the new
technologies designed to enable Wireless Personal Area
Networks (WPAN) based around the new and emerging IEEE
802.15.4 standard. As such, Zigbee has great potential for
incorporation into personal robotics for control purposes, for
telemetry and for just plain programming, to name a few
applications. This paper will show the development of a
combined system of mobile robotic concept and wireless
Zigbee application.
C Programming with MPLAB IDE
To move the robot, it needs to be programmed. The C
language is suitable for a robotic project because the users can
see the structure of the robot operation. The programming
includes initializing the PIC, configuring the LCD port,
communicating with the wireless XBEE, controlling motor
through driver control, and activating switch and buzzer.
There are a lot of C compilers available but MPLAB IDE was
chosen because it had been develop with the same
manufacture with the PIC which is Microchip. MPLAB
Integrated Development Environment (IDE) is a free,
integrated gcc-based toolset for the development of embedded
applications employing Microchip's PIC and dsPIC
microcontrollers. The MPLAB IDE runs as a 32-bit
application on Microsoft Windows, and includes several free
software components for application development, hardware
emulation and debugging. MPLAB IDE also serves as a single,
unified graphical user interface for additional Microchip and
third-party software and hardware development tools. Both
Assembly and C programming languages can be used with
MPLAB IDE. Others may be supported through the use of
third party programs.
CONCLUSIONS
Based on the results, the objective of developing wireless
mobile robot using Zigbee protocol has been achieved. Zigbee
has been proven as a practical solution for low cost
monitoring and controlling devices. The project demonstrated
that implementing Zigbee network protocol 802.15.4 with
microcontrollers PIC 16F877A can be done successfully.
The wireless communication technologies are rapidly
spreading to many new areas, including the automation and
the importance of the use of wireless technologies in the data
acquisition, building control, monitoring systems and
automation of manufacturing processes will grow.