So I have my robot base which currently looks like this:

This allows me to move in any direction as the wheels are a special type. The extra part on the bottom was used to do something else, and holds no significance right now. To drive it I am currently using an Arduino Mega, an Adafruit Motor Shield, and three vex motors. I am limited in my budget so I need to come up with a way to navigate it through the maze, other than making it remote controlled. This means that stuff like a lidar sensor is out of the question. GPS is definitely not possible as the maze overall is only 16ft x 16ft. I currently have access to an optical mouse to measure the distance the robot has moved. I also have access to ultrasonic sensors. I might be able to use the two in unison to navigate it, but I was wondering if anyone had any ideas as to make this simpler for me. If not then I'll just use that method. Thank you for taking the time to read this and I look forward to your suggestions!

Regards,
John B.

 

Is this a school project?

 

Try using an ultra-sonic sensor. Here are 5 for $9.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071W9689...FG&pd_rd_r=JFAQQCSF86YH576JDE3N&pd_rd_w=O2zrr
It should be good for your purposes, but if you are really on a budget, you might just have to go with a basic touch sensor.

 

Is this a school project?

In a sense yes it is lol

 

Try using an ultra-sonic sensor. Here are 5 for $9.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071W9689...FG&pd_rd_r=JFAQQCSF86YH576JDE3N&pd_rd_w=O2zrr
It should be good for your purposes, but if it is still too expensive, you might just have to go with a basic touch sensor.

Thank you, but i already purchased this, I have the ultrasonic sensors. I'm just asking if there is any other way that would make it easier to navigate the maze

 

I do not think that there are better sensors that are affordable. But you could make a good map of the surroundings with some ultra-sonic sensors, and they are probably your best bet. Also, a lot depends on the program, so make sure to program it well.

 

I do not think that there are better sensors that are affordable. But you could make a good map of the surroundings with some ultra-sonic sensors, and they are probably your best bet. Also, a lot depends on the program, so make sure to program it well.

Thank you very much, I'll do that!

 

Good job on the hardware...now you can move on to software - yes?

 

Good job on the hardware...now you can move on to software - yes?

Yes I will

 

Yes I will

Good deal - I remember playing around with them long long long ago - very challenging.

From the link that I posted is this one - apparently two solutions exist

 

Good deal - I remember playing around with them long long long ago - very challenging.

From the link that I posted is this one - apparently two solutions exist
View attachment 143133

Nice, I don't have the patients for that lol

 

In a sense yes it is lol

What are you supposed to learn from this project?

 

What are you supposed to learn from this project?

It's for a competition and I'm trying to learn more so that I can work on it. May I ask why is it important?

 

Good deal - I remember playing around with them long long long ago - very challenging.

From the link that I posted is this one - apparently two solutions exist
View attachment 143133

The battery will be dead even before the robot makes it halfway through that maze.

 

The battery will be dead even before the robot makes it halfway through that maze.

Probably lol, gotta have a ton of them in parallel

 

It's for a competition and I'm trying to learn more so that I can work on it. May I ask why is it important?

It's school work for which you will receive a grade, someone else doing the work for you is cheating.

If you're supposed to learn how to detect obstacles, we shouldn't just give tell you how.

If you're supposed to come up with an algorithm for negotiating the maze, we shouldn't just give you one.

 

It's school work for which you will receive a grade, someone else doing the work for you is cheating.

If you're supposed to learn how to detect obstacles, we shouldn't just give tell you how.

If you're supposed to come up with an algorithm for negotiating the maze, we shouldn't just give you one.

Oh that's what you meant, no lol that's not the case, it's a competition trying to navigate a maze. It's not a grade, it's actually a club that participates in this event. I'm not asking you to tell me what surgically to do, but to just give me suggestions of any other ways possible. Then I'll look into it and do it myself. I hope that clears things up a little

 

If you always took a left turn you will eventually make it out.
Works also if you always take a right turn.

If you can do two trials, you can save a database and then optimize your run on the third run.

 

If you always took a left turn you will eventually make it out.
Works also if you always take a right turn.

If you can do two trials, you can save a database and then optimize your run on the third run.

That only works on mazes in which both the entrance and exit are on the outer rim. Many maze competitions place either the start or the goal at the center of the maze specifically to defeat this approach.

 

If you always took a left turn you will eventually make it out.
Works also if you always take a right turn.

If you can do two trials, you can save a database and then optimize your run on the third run.

I could do that, however the only issue is that I have to make two stops along the way, so just moving against a single direction will not work.

That only works on mazes in which both the entrance and exit are on the outer rim. Many maze competitions place either the start or the goal at the center of the maze specifically to defeat this approach.

Luckily for me this is not the case, the robot starts and ends outside of the overall maze. However as I mentioned this tactic will still be futile as I have to stop and change direction.