Design of autonomous robot device for accurate pacing of track athletes
Thesis (S.B.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, 2008.
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Format: | Thesis |
Language: | eng |
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Massachusetts Institute of Technology
2009
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Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/45329 |
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author | Liu, Qinyuan (Qingyuan Chen) Hernández, Albert |
author2 | David R. Wallace. |
author_facet | David R. Wallace. Liu, Qinyuan (Qingyuan Chen) Hernández, Albert |
author_sort | Liu, Qinyuan (Qingyuan Chen) |
collection | MIT |
description | Thesis (S.B.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, 2008. |
first_indexed | 2024-09-23T12:54:34Z |
format | Thesis |
id | mit-1721.1/45329 |
institution | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
language | eng |
last_indexed | 2024-09-23T12:54:34Z |
publishDate | 2009 |
publisher | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
record_format | dspace |
spelling | mit-1721.1/453292019-04-10T15:21:28Z Design of autonomous robot device for accurate pacing of track athletes Liu, Qinyuan (Qingyuan Chen) Hernández, Albert David R. Wallace. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Mechanical Engineering. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Mechanical Engineering. Mechanical Engineering. Thesis (S.B.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, 2008. Includes bibliographical references (leaf 42). Given the health and weight gain concerns plaguing the country, there is currently a great need for products that encourage athletic activity. A robotic pacing device that facilitates running along a track was developed to help fulfill this requirement. The need for this device, determined from interviews and a survey of experienced running athletes and coaches, was found to be substantial for a number of age groups and experience levels of runners. An experimental robot prototype was designed and manufactured to aid in pacing runners around a track. The robot was designed to accurately follow the lines of the track using IR sensors that detect reflectivity of the track's surface. The prototype was tested and optimized to determine a successful control logic that reduced error and the amount of overshoot the robot experiences as it adjusts to follow the lines at high speeds. Large overshoots lead to robot malfunction and breakdown in the logic as the robot reaches curves in the track. The optimized prototype currently has the capability of running full lengths around various shaped tracks that incorporate white lines dividing dark colored lanes at speeds of up to eight miles per hour. In this form, the robot might be useful for beginner runners, runners that are doing distance training, and physical education classes that have access to running tracks. Future versions of the robot pacing device will need to incorporate additional features in order to be useful for the full range of people that want to use this product, including a flexible user interface that allows users to program the robot to their needs, a more sophisticated robot control system that allows for accurate control based on the dynamics of the robot, and a more durable cover that is easily spotted by runners looking straight ahead. by Qinyuan (Chen) Liu and Albert Hernandez. S.B. 2009-04-29T17:26:32Z 2009-04-29T17:26:32Z 2008 2008 Thesis http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/45329 314429666 eng M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission. http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582 42 leaves application/pdf Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
spellingShingle | Mechanical Engineering. Liu, Qinyuan (Qingyuan Chen) Hernández, Albert Design of autonomous robot device for accurate pacing of track athletes |
title | Design of autonomous robot device for accurate pacing of track athletes |
title_full | Design of autonomous robot device for accurate pacing of track athletes |
title_fullStr | Design of autonomous robot device for accurate pacing of track athletes |
title_full_unstemmed | Design of autonomous robot device for accurate pacing of track athletes |
title_short | Design of autonomous robot device for accurate pacing of track athletes |
title_sort | design of autonomous robot device for accurate pacing of track athletes |
topic | Mechanical Engineering. |
url | http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/45329 |
work_keys_str_mv | AT liuqinyuanqingyuanchen designofautonomousrobotdeviceforaccuratepacingoftrackathletes AT hernandezalbert designofautonomousrobotdeviceforaccuratepacingoftrackathletes |