An Integration of Robotics and Science

Self Balancing Robot

A robot that help in understanding center of gravity and angle of inclination
 Content

1. Overview ……………………………………………………………………………………………3
a) Center of Gravity... …………………………………………………………………….4
b) Application….……………………………………………………………………………..5
2. Outcomes ……………………………………………………………………………………………..6
a) Learning Outcomes …………………………………………………………………….6
b) Key Points…………………………………………………………………………………..6
3. Constructional Manual …………………………………………………………………………7
a) Mechanism …………………………………………………………………………………7
b) Component Required …………………………………………………………………7
c) Assembling……….. ……………………………………………………………………….8
4. Programming ……………………………………………………………………………………….11
5. Assignment……………………………………………………………………………………………12
Content Mapped: Class- 9 –Science - Motion, Center of Gravity.

Overview
A balancing robot is a vehicle which is able to balance on two wheels that uses gyroscope
and motors while moving. A gyroscope is a spinning wheel or a disc in which the axis of
rotation is free to assume any orientation by itself. When rotating, the orientation of this
axis is unaffected by tilting or rotation of the mounting. In other terms the gyroscope is able
to identify the current ground level of the robot while it is moving and depending on its
position relative values are displayed. Gyroscopes are useful for measuring or maintaining
orientation it depends upon earth gravity.

Any objects which is balancing by itself follows certain laws. One of the main factor which
an object depends upon is the Center of Gravity (CG). Center of Gravity is nothing but a
point where the complete weight of the object acts upon. Some factors about the Center of
Gravity for any object to have a good stability on ground are

1. The object should have a broad base.

2. The center of gravity of the object should fall within the base.

Center of Gravity

The center of gravity is the average location of the weight of an object. We can completely
describe the motion of any object through space in terms of the translation of the center of
gravity of the object from one place to another and the rotation of the object about its
center of gravity if it is free to rotate.

For a general shaped object, there is a simple mechanical way to determine the center of
gravity:

1. If we just balance the object using a string or an edge, the point at which the object
is balanced is the center of gravity. (Just like balancing a pencil on your finger!)

2. Another, more complicated way, is a two step method shown on the slide. In Step 1,
you hang the object from any point and you drop a weighted string from the same
point. Draw a line on the object along the string. For Step 2, repeat the procedure
from another point on the object You now have two lines drawn on the object which
intersect. The center of gravity is the point where the lines intersect. This procedure
works well for irregularly shaped objects that are hard to balance.
If the mass of the object is not uniformly distributed, we must use calculus to determine
center of gravity. We will use the symbol S dw to denote the integration of a continuous
function with respect to weight. Then the center of gravity can be determined from:

cg * W = S x dw

where x is the distance from a reference line, dw is an increment of weight, and W is the
total weight of the object. To evaluate the right side, we have to determine how the weight
varies geometrically. From the weight equation, we know that:

w=m*g

where m is the mass of the object, and g is the gravitational constant. In turn, the mass m of
any object is equal to the density, rho, of the object times the volume, V:

m = rho * V

We can combine the last two equations:

w = g * rho * V

then

dw = g * rho * dV

dw = g * rho(x,y,z) * dx dy dz

If we have a functional form for the mass distribution, we can solve the equation for the
center of gravity:

cg * W = g * SSS x * rho(x,y,z) dx dy dz
where SSS indicates a triple integral over dx. dy. and dz. If we don't know the functional
form of the mass distribution, we can numerically integrate the equation using a
spreadsheet. Divide the distance into a number of small volume segments and determining
the average value of the weight/volume (density times gravity) over that small segment.
Taking the sum of the average value of the weight/volume times the distance times the
volume segment divided by the weight will produce the center of gravity.

PID
PID stands for Proportional, Integral, and Derivative. Each of these terms provides a unique
response to our self-balancing robot.

The proportional term, as its name suggests, generates a response that is proportional to
the error. For our system, the error is the angle of inclination of the robot.

The integral term generates a response based on the accumulated error. This is essentially
the sum of all the errors multiplied by the sampling period. This is a response based on the
behavior of the system in past.

The derivative term is proportional to the derivative of the error. This is the difference
between the current error and the previous error divided by the sampling period. This acts
as a predictive term that responds to how the robot might behave in the next sampling
loop.

Application
1. Center of gravity plays a major role in the construction industry, especially
because construction machines are often moving heavy loads, lifting large
objects or are building projects where stability and balance are key.
 Outcomes

Learning Outcomes
 Understand concept of gravity
 How it will use in daily life?
 Help in understanding the proportional, Integral and derivatives.
 Measuring angle of inclination using accelerometer.
 Measuring angle of inclination using gyroscope.

Key Points
 Learned different concepts center of gravity.
 Proportional, Integral, and Derivative
 Design and Develop self balancing robot.
 Learn basics of C and codes to help in balancing the robot using motors.
 Learn concept of angle of Inclination.
CONSTRUCTION MANUAL
MECHANISM
The robot typically consists of two wheels arranged side by side , with two small platforms between
the wheels .The value displayed plays a vital role in identifiying the fall of the robot while it is
moving on uneven surface and the falling of the robot can be avoided by changing the speed of the
motors.

To drive the motors we need some information on the state of the robot. We need to know the
direction in which the robot is falling, how much the robot has tilted and the speed with which it is
falling. All these information can be deduced from the readings obtained from MPU6050. We
combine all these inputs and generate a signal which drives the motors and keeps the robot
balanced.

Component required

Let me first tell you the required parts needed to build robot.

Medium plate = 1 Big L Bar = 2 Gear

Axle lock = 2 Motor strip = 2 Motor = 2

Nut and bolt Small L bar -2 3’ shaft = 2

 Small wheel = 4 Big C bar =2 Small l Bar-3

ASSEMBLING
Step 1: Take 2 small Bar and join them with each other as shown in the image.
Step 2: Join one medium plate to the l bars and take 4 .5” bolts and attach them in the same
way as shown in the image.

Step 4: Take 2 dc motors and join them with the help of screws to the l bar similarly.
Step 5: Take a medium and attach on the top of the .5” bolt and tighten with the help of
nuts

Step-6: Take two small wheels and with the help of axle lock join them to the motor shafts.
Step7: Final view of the self balancing Robot.

Programming
Step: Measuring the angle of inclination.

Codes
Assignment
1. Balancing robot have wheels at---

a. front and back

b. side by side

c. none

2. In gyroscope the action of wheel is free to ----

a. take any shape by itself

b. take any orientation by it self

c. rotation of object is fixed.

3. Gyroscopes are useful for measuring the ----of the object

a. orientation

b. volume

c. distance covered

4. The falling of the robot can be controlled by

a. changing the speed of the motor.

b. adding weight to the robot

c. avoiding the motor to work

5. The values displayed depends up on ---

a. ground level and position of the robot

b. circular movement of the robot

c. distance covered by the robot

6. The concept of gyroscope work depends on—

a. gravitational force of earth

b. speed of wheels

c. none

7. The force that attracts an objects towards the centre of earth is called as---

a. gravitational force

b. attraction and repulsion force.

c. elasticity
8. How many motors are used in this activity?

a. 2 motors b. 4 motors c. 1 motor

9. The point where the entire weight of the object falls is called

a. Point of gravity b. Center of gravity c. Median

10. Factors for any object to have a good stability on ground are

a. The object should have a broad base

b. The Center of Gravity should fall within the base

c. All the above.