EE476 – Final Project Hummer RC Truck

Introduction:
For our final project, we decided to enhance the controls of a Hummer RC truck. Our main objective was to demonstrate that an Atmel microcontroller together with basic hardware building blocks can replace all of the car’s original circuitry. Improving the RC truck’s handling involved adding analog control over steering and speed. The original construction of the car hindered this idea and forced us to resort to some mechanical engineering (mounting a servo) to resolve the problem! Overall, the project was a great deal of fun and involved a lot of tinkering with hardware (including dangerous flirtations with nearly exploding power transistors!)
EE476 - Final Project
High Level Design:
In order to emulate the functionality of the original RC car, we had to use 2 microcontrollers; one at the transmitter end to process user input and transmit data and one at the receiver end to pick up that data and control the car’s motors. We found a cheap but reliable way of establishing wireless communication between the two microcontrollers in the form of a receiver transmitter pair by Ming Microsystems.
We wanted to run the dc motor at the rear at variable speeds. Two options were available to us: One is to switch it on and off so fast that it appears to be running at an intermediate speed. By modulating the width of the pulse to the switch we could achieve various duty cycles. The other approach is to limit the current to the motor so as to slow it down. This requires an analog input to the motor and therefore a digital-to-analog converter. We ended up trying both ways and our results are documented below.
The car’s front wheels were originally driven by a magnet. By flipping its polarity, the wheels are repelled all the way to the left or right. This didn’t suit our needs. The other disadvantage of the electromagnet is that it constantly draws current from the battery (~400 mA). By using a servo, power consumption is significant only during transitions of the servo arm. The mini ball bearing FMA servo we used allowed us to have three different steering angles. More steering angles were not conceivable because of the design of the axial for the front wheels of the car.
 
For more detail: EE476 – Final Project Hummer RC Truck


About The Author

Ibrar Ayyub

I am an experienced technical writer holding a Master's degree in computer science from BZU Multan, Pakistan University. With a background spanning various industries, particularly in home automation and engineering, I have honed my skills in crafting clear and concise content. Proficient in leveraging infographics and diagrams, I strive to simplify complex concepts for readers. My strength lies in thorough research and presenting information in a structured and logical format.

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