Development of NI my-RIO Based Control Module for Versatile Terrain Autonomous Mobility Platform (VTAMP)

Abstract

In recent years, much progress has been made in the field of Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGV). Nonetheless, safe mobility and traversal of a UGV on rough terrains such as snow and mountainous regions is still a daunting task. This paper discusses the increased maneuverability and robustness of a UGV by developing its control on NI myRIO. A Versatile Terrain Autonomous Mobility Platform (VTAMP) has been designed for an increase traversing capability through rough and challenging terrains. Extended maneuverability is achieved with the assistance of arm-like structures in the vehicle known as "Flippers". An open loop control system based on NI myRIO is developed with the addition of few add-ons like night vision camera. To achieve robustness, a fail-safe has been developed in both hardware and software and its reliability is experienced in various testing conditions.