The development of a Robot from the view of a Systems Engineer
- Process oriented
- Requirements driven
- Product development cycle
- Plan the task – set hard dates
- Study the effects
- There will be less iteration in this short-term project than would be performed with more time available.
- Participants must look at the phase of the project they are in – as described in these slides – and also look ahead to identify and address possible problems.
- A design can fail just as surely because of missing data and analysis as because of missing components.
What does a Systems Engineer focus on?
- Overall design of the product
- Understanding the required operation
- Translating the requirements to feasible design
- Planning the individual technical tasks and interrelationships
- Making a workable schedule and meeting it
- Performance of the delivered product
- Reliability of the delivered product
- Robustness of the delivered product
Strategy Development
- Concept of Operations Development
- Understand the game requirements – robot and human
• What activities accumulate points?
- Agree on a strategy to collect points – as an individual and as a partner
- Brainstorm the maneuvers that your teams needs to accomplish in order to satisfy your strategy
Example questions to explore
- What will the robot do – autonomously and controlled?
- What will the human player do?
- What are your top 3 offensive and defensive maneuvers?
- What is the maximum score your team can expect to achieve on its own? With a partner?
Exit Criteria:
- A clear description of how your team is going to play the game.
Requirements Development
- Requirements Development
– Brainstorm the attributes that your team will build into your robot in order to satisfy your Concept of Operations.
- Example questions to explore
– How will you retrieve and place game objects?
– What type of chassis will you need (wheels, tracks, 4WD, etc)?
– Will you need a lift? An arm? A scoop? Other?
– How long will it take for your robot to perform its tasks?
- Exit Criteria:
– A clear definition of what your robot will do and how it will do it.
– Produce a prioritized list that the designers can work from
Mechanical Requirements Analysis
– What motions and features are needed to perform your strategy?
– We need a lift platform to raise up our capture / dispenser subsystem.
• Types of questions to explore
– What capabilities must your robot have?
• Maneuverability – 2 WD, 4 WD, tracks?
• Speed – Does your strategy require a certain pace?
• Controllability – Can it be driven?
• Can we use a scissor lift, Archimedes screw or pulley lift?
• Exit Criteria:
– Analysis or model results that indicate design will satisfy requirements
Electrical Requirements Analysis
• Electrical Requirements Analysis
– What controls and feedback are needed to perform your strategy?
• Types of questions to explore
– What controls must your robot have?
– Controllability – Single or dual stick drive?
– Sensors – What can switches and sensors provide?
– Can the required controlled and autonomous behavior be achieved?
– Can available components provide the required mobility and motion? How? With what margin?
– Etc
• Exit Criteria:
– Analysis or model results that indicate design will satisfy requirements
Software Requirements Analysis
• Software Requirements Analysis
– What capabilities can software provide to improve your strategy?
• Types of questions to explore
– Will the default software work as is?
– Can you add efficiency with additional software?
– Can you increase reliability with additional software?
• Exit Criteria:
- Analysis or model result that indicate design will satisfy reguirements
System Design
• System Design
– What components can be used to satisfy the individual requirements?
– What is the best way to assemble the pieces required?
– How can these components be assembled into a working achievable robot?
• Types of questions to explorer
– What stock systems can you use? What custom systems do you need to build?
– Consider your capability to build the selected design, not just the capabilities of the design itself
• If your design calls for a lift, what type should you build
– A scissors lift
– A elevator and cable lift
– Do you have the capability, skills, experience to build such a device?
– Can your design met the schedule and budget?
• Exit Criteria:
– A clear definition of
• the subsystems your robot will be made of
• how they will interoperate
• how they will be obtained
System Transition
• System Transition
– Out of the workshop and onto the field
– From engineers to users (the drivers and coaches)
– Pre-event Unveiling Event
– Shipping
– Hand off to the drive and pit team
Deployment
• Deployment
– How does it function on the real field, with other robots
– Creating replacement parts
Product Support
• Product Support
– Further refinement
– Fix breaks
– Pit support
Feedback
• Post Mortem Collection
– What worked well
– What didn’t work so well
– Did you meet the schedule
– Did you meet the budget
– Feed into next year
