Declan Smith

Mechatronics Applications Project

Date: September 2026 Role: Co-lead Duration: 4 months
Fusion 360 Embedded C++ QEI PID
Main Project Image or Demo

Overview

This project was developed for a competitive robotics challenge focusing on autonomous material handeling. The objective was to design and build a transporter capable of collecting fuel canisters and fuel deposits, autonomously storing deposits in canisters as they are collected. Once filled the transporter should be capable of unloading the canisters at a designated location.

Transporters competed head to head to collect the limited canister and fuel deposit resources to determine the most efficient design.

Challenges

Transporters could not exceed a maximum footprint of 20x20cm. This created a challenge to use space as efficiently as possible

Approach

The goal was to develop a transporter that autonomously handled as many functions as possible. This would allow the pilot to focus on driving the Transporter, avoiding competitors and collecting as many fuel canisters and deposits as possible.

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Technical Implementation

Using a Microchip dsPIC33ck and a Nordic nRF52833 communicating over UART the team implemented a number of systems.

QEI.

Results

The transporter averaged a score that was 5-10 times more than that of the runner up, proving the methods, systems, and controls implemented were extremely efficient.

Gallery

Lessons Learned

Reflect on what you learned from this project. What would you do differently next time? What skills did you develop? This shows growth and self-awareness.