Philippine E-Journals

Personalized Equipment Guided Gadget

Elena Y. So | Leopoldo Maria III Q. Sy-Quia | Gilbert O. Tee | Grace D. Yu | Clement Y. Ong

Discipline: Information Technology, Computer Technology

 

Abstract:

Autonomous vehicles capable of following a person, without any conscious effort by the individual to guide the vehicle, have many uses in the world today. Personalized Equipment Guided Gadget (PEGG) is a prototype cart with the capability of following an individual carrying a homing device. The cart follows an individual while avoiding obstacles within its sensing capabilities. PEGG utilizes radio-direction finding to home in and track the movements of the person carrying a radio transmitter. 

 

PEGG detects obstacles in its path by using ultrasonic sensors positioned in front, on its left, and on its right. A simplistic approach to obstacle avoidance is programmed into PEGG, based on the assumption that PEGG will meet objects head-on as it travels. Upon detection of an obstruction, the cart attempts to veer off towards the side where the homing signal originates while checking the sensor on that same side for any blocking objects. If the ·attempt is not successful, the cart then chooses to turn to the opposite side. Once the obstacle has been bypassed, tracking is resumed. PEGG travels at approximately one foot per second, roughly at par with the walking speed of a user. 

 

The Zilog Z80-based microProfessor forms the core of the control system for PEGG. Z80 assembly language was used in programming the overall control and intelligence of the system.