LESSONS LEARNED
DESIGN CHALLENGES
1. Access to Laser cutter to cut enclosure panels.
2. Integrating all sensors together to work simultaneously using threading.
3. Cheap, available systems using unreliable components.
4. Electronic vs. non-electronic(environment condition) design tradeoffs.
5. Distributed system tradeoffs among analog, power, mechanical, network, and digital hardware plus software.
6. Ultra-low power design for long-term battery operation.
7. Packaging and integration of digital, analog, and power circuits to reduce size and fit it properly in Laser cut 3D models.
MANTRA BEHIND SUCCESS
1. Skilled and well organized team-members.
2. Setting goals, meeting and follow up on them regularly.
3. Willingness to learn new things and ability to help teammates when required.
4. Good communication and keep everyone updated of work done regularly(Especially in Covid-19 situation)
5. Data sheets will provide all the needed information to properly size your components and how much power to supply.
6. Characterization of components and understanding load requirements early on will save you time.
7.Cable management is important so keep an eye.
8. Using interrupt is better fix to remove debounce rather than using polling technique.
9. Threading is important for integrating all sensors together to work simultaneously.
10. Proper calculation helps while choosing motor depending upon the task to be done.Â
11. Start early, buy components early and document as you go.
FUTURE SCOPE
Finite State Machine diagram can be more refined.
More complex obstacles can be implemented.
Laser transmitter with better range can be used.
Instead of joystick, gesture controlled control can be implemented.
Better motors can be used to smooth out motion.
Higher quality joystick and button should be utilized.
Transistor switch to activate secondary Arduino.
Pulse generator using comparator pair with capacitor to activate laser.
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GEM OF WISDOM
Read datasheets and with proper calculation, order parts accordingly, which will save money.
Start early, buy components early and document as you go.
Work on Finite State Machine early which will help you while coding the system.
Leave more time at the end to experiment on system and improve the efficiency.
Work on "Threading " parts of the code.
Cable management helps to make circuit look neat and clean and to understand as well.
Proper labeling of circuit schematic helps unknown person build same circuit easily.
Write code with comments so that your teammate can understand it while working on it.
Do not ignore the smaller system components such as stage sound and lighting until the end.
Code should had been written in tandem with the team using a platform such as codeshare.io
3D printer can sometime be fini