ABSTRACT

: The Project work “Rocker Bogie mechanism Geosurvey Rover” deals with the important aspect
of improving the rover from its previous designs. The Geosurvey rover has to operate on rough
and harsh environments for which it was designed but several factors restrict its operational
capabilities, so the focus of our research is to overcome restrictions or to decrease it to within an
acceptable range for its smooth performance. Our research on the restrictions of the rover
conducted by our team focused mainly on the drive system and its drive modules which were not
efficient, the linkage, the overturning or tilt range of the rover and the battery inefficiency from
the other restrictions and problems that were obtained from the literature review and research so,
we conducted research on how to improve that. The rover has been completely made from PVC
to increase its capability to withstand shocks, vibrations and mechanical failures caused by the
harsh environment where it is operated on. Using CAD software the design of the rover has been
fine tuned and by experimenting with prototypes and models of the rover in the experimental
setup of the live test, improvements and feature were included into the Geosurvey rover. The
result of the project was the implementation of independent directional control utilizing
minimum drive modules which increases the efficiency of the battery and increases the operating
time of the rover, near zero tilt of the main body of the rover by self balancing of the body
counterweight method which decreases the tilt or overturning percentage of the rover and its
stability and finally by direct linkage of the various links comprising the rover which increases
the loading capacity. Thus the various improvements ensure structural, tilt stability, mechanical
integrity and overall weight reduction and mechanical feasibility.

KEYWORDS

Node MCU, Motor Driver, Bluetooth Module, Battery, Motor Driver, Motor
INTRODUCTION

The rocker-bogie suspension design has become a proven mobility application known for its
superior vehicle stability and obstacleclimbing capability. Following several technology and
research rover implementations, the system was successfully flown as part of Mars Pathfinder’s
Sojourner rover. When the Mars Exploration Rover (MER) Project was first proposed, the use of
a rockerbogie suspension was the obvious choice due to its extensive heritage. The challenge
posed by MER was to design a lightweight rocker-bogie suspension that would permit the
mobility to stow within the limited space available and deploy into a configuration that the rover
could then safely use to egress from the Lander and explore the Martian surface. When building
a robot you'd like it to be as simple as possible. In most cases you'd never need a suspension
system, but there were several instances when a suspension system cannot be avoided. The term
“bogie” refers to the links that have a drive wheel at each end. Bogies were commonly used as
load wheels in the tracks of army tanks as idlers distributing the load over the terrain. Bogies
were also quite commonly used on the trailers of semi-trailer trucks. Both applications now
prefer trailing arm suspensions. The rocker-bogie design has no springs or stub axles for each
wheel, allowing the rover to climb over obstacles, such as rocks, that are up to twice the wheel's
diameter in size while keeping all six wheels on the ground. As with any suspension system, the
tilt stability is limited by the height of the centre of gravity.

PROPOSED SYSTEM

The important factor in manufacturing of rocker bogie mechanism is to determine the

dimensions of rocker and bogie linkages and angles between them. The lengths and angles of this
mechanism can be changed as per requirement. In the work the aim is to manufacture the rocker
bogie mechanism which can overcome the obstacles of 150 mm height (like stones, wooden
blocks) and can climb over stairs of height 150 mm. Also another target is to climb any surface
at an angle of 45˚. To achieve the above targets we had design the rocker-bogie model by
assuming stair height 150 mm and length 370 mm. Using Pythagoras theorems, find the
dimensions of the model. It have both angles of linkages are 90˚.
EXISTING SYSTEM

In this before this project is make with a help of Arduino uno. In this if we want to use code.
means the ESP8266 want to add as additional. So using the external device to monitor the IoT.
This also monitor the same thing like Bluetooth Module , Motor driver, DC Motor, Soil
Moisture Sensor this all readings are Monitor with external ESP8266.

HARDWARE

• Node MCU
• Battery
• Bluetooth Module
• Motor Driver
• Motor

SOFTWARE

• Arduino UNO
• IOT
NODE MCU

The ESP8266 itself is a self-contained WiFi networking solution offering as a bridge from
existing micro controller to WiFi and is also capable of running self-contained applications. This
module comes with a built in USB connector and a rich assortment of pin-outs. With a micro
USB cable, you can connect NodeMCU devkit to your laptop and flash it without any trouble,
just like Arduino. It is also immediately breadboard friendly.

Specification:

• Voltage:3.3V.
• Wi-Fi Direct (P2P), soft-AP.
• Current consumption: 10uA~170mA.
• Flash memory attachable: 16MB max (512K normal).
• Integrated TCP/IP protocol stack.
• Processor: Tensilica L106 32-bit.
• Processor speed: 80~160MHz.
• RAM: 32K + 80K.
• GPIOs: 17 (multiplexed with other functions).
• Analog to Digital: 1 input with 1024 step resolution.
• +19.5dBm output power in 802.11b mode
• 802.11 support: b/g/n.
• Maximum concurrent TCP connections: 5.
 • GPIO pin re-mapped, use the index to access gpio, i2c, pwm.
• Both Integer version(less memory usage) and Float version(Default) firmware
provided

New Wireless module with CH340 USB-UART, NodeMcu is WIFI IoT (Internet of Things)
development board based on ESP8266.

NodeMcu is a tiny board, based on ESP8266, integates GPIO, PWM, IIC, 1-Wire and ADC all in
one board. It’s a Lua based firmware for WiFi-SOC (Systems-On-Chop) ESP8266 WiFi
module.

• NodeMCU V3 is an open-source firmware and development kit that plays a vital role in
designing your own IoT product using a few Lua script lines.
• Multiple GPIO pins on the board allow you to connect the board with other peripherals
and are capable of generating PWM, I2C, SPI, and UART serial communications.
• The interface of the module is mainly divided into two parts including both Firmware and
Hardware where former runs on the ESP8266 Wi-Fi SoC and later is based on the ESP-
12 module.
 • The firmware is based on Lua – A scripting language that is easy to learn, giving a simple
programming environment layered with a fast scripting language that connects you with a
well-known developer community.
• And open source firmware gives you the flexibility to edit, modify and rebuilt the
existing module and keep changing the entire interface until you succeed in optimizing
the module as per your requirements.
• USB to UART converter is added on the module that helps in converting USB data to
UART data which mainly understands the language of serial communication.
• Instead of the regular USB port, MicroUSB port is included in the module that connects it
with the computer for dual purposes: programming and powering up the board.
• The board incorporates status LED that blinks and turns off immediately, giving you the
current status of the module if it is running properly when connected with the computer.
• The ability of module to establish a flawless WiFi connection between two channels
makes it an ideal choice for incorporating it with other embedded devices like Raspberry
Pi.

Features:

• Open-source
• Arduino-like hardware
• Status LED
• MicroUSB port
• Reset/Flash buttons
• Interactive and Programmable
• Low cost
• ESP8266 with inbuilt wifi
• USB to UART converter
• GPIO pins

As mentioned above, a cable supporting micro USB port is used to connect the board. As you
connect the board with a computer, LED will flash. You may need some drivers to be installed
on your computer if it fails to detect the NodeMCU board.

BLUETOOTH MODULE
The HC-05 is a very cool module which can add two-way (full-duplex) wireless functionality to
your projects. You can use this module to communicate between two microcontrollers like
Arduino or communicate with any device with Bluetooth functionality like a Phone or Laptop.
There are many android applications that are already available which makes this process a lot
easier. The module communicates with the help of USART at 9600 baud rate hence it is easy to
interface with any microcontroller that supports USART. We can also configure the default
values of the module by using the command mode. So if you looking for a Wireless module that
could transfer data from your computer or mobile phone to microcontroller or vice versa then
this module might be the right choice for you. However do not expect this module to transfer
multimedia like photos or songs; you might have to look into the CSR8645 module for that.
 
The HC-05 has two operating modes, one is the Data mode in which it can send and receive data
from other Bluetooth devices and the other is the AT Command mode where the default device
settings can be changed. We can operate the device in either of these two modes by using the key
pin as explained in the pin description.
It is very easy to pair the HC-05 module with microcontrollers because it operates using the
Serial Port Protocol (SPP). Simply power the module with +5V and connect the Rx pin of the
module to the Tx of MCU and Tx pin of module to Rx of MCU 

Pin Configuration

Pin Pin Name Description

Number

1 Enable / Key This pin is used to toggle between Data Mode (set low) and AT
command mode (set high). By default it is in Data mode
 2 Vcc Powers the module. Connect to +5V Supply voltage

3 Ground Ground pin of module, connect to system ground.

4 TX – Transmits Serial Data. Everything received via Bluetooth will be

Transmitter given out by this pin as serial data.

5 RX – Receive Serial Data. Every serial data given to this pin will be
Receiver broadcasted via Bluetooth

6 State The state pin is connected to on board LED, it can be used as a

feedback to check if Bluetooth is working properly.

7 LED Indicates the status of Module

 Blink once in 2 sec: Module has entered Command Mode

 Repeated Blinking: Waiting for connection in Data Mode
 Blink twice in 1 sec: Connection successful in Data Mode

8 Button Used to control the Key/Enable pin to toggle between Data and
command Mode

HC-05 Default Settings

Default Bluetooth Name: “HC-05”
Default Password: 1234 or 0000
Default Communication: Slave
Default Mode: Data Mode
Data Mode Baud Rate: 9600, 8, N, 1
Command Mode Baud Rate: 38400, 8, N, 1
Default firmware: LINVOR
 

HC-05 Technical Specifications

 Serial Bluetooth module for Arduino and other microcontrollers
 Operating Voltage: 4V to 6V (Typically +5V)
 Operating Current: 30mA
 Range: <100m
 Works with Serial communication (USART) and TTL compatible
 Follows IEEE 802.15.1 standardized protocol
 Uses Frequency-Hopping Spread spectrum (FHSS)
 Can operate in Master, Slave or Master/Slave mode
 Can be easily interfaced with Laptop or Mobile phones with Bluetooth
 Supported baud rate: 9600,19200,38400,57600,115200,230400,460800.

During power up the key pin can be grounded to enter into Command mode, if left free it will by
default enter into the data mode. As soon as the module is powered you should be able to discover
the Bluetooth device as “HC-05” then connect with it using the default password 1234 and start
communicating with it. The name password and other default parameters can be changed by
entering into the

Applications
1. Wireless communication between two microcontrollers
2. Communicate with Laptop, Desktops and mobile phones
3. Data Logging application
4. Consumer applications
5. Wireless Robots
6. Home Automation

A twelve-volt battery has six single cells in series producing a fully charged output voltage of
12.6 volts. A battery cell consists of two lead plates a positive plate covered with a paste of lead
dioxide and a negative made of sponge lead, with an insulating material (separator) in between.
This is a rechargeable 12volt 1.2AH Sealed Lead Acid Battery Our Power-Sonic or Equivalent
valve regulated sealed lead acid batteries are maintenance free, easy to handle, rugged and
economical. It has a characteristic of high discharge rate, wide operating temperature, long
service life and deep discharge recover. This product has Absorbent Glass Mat (AGM)
technology for superior performance.  This product is valve regulated and spill proof
construction allows safe operation in any position and the power/ volume ratio yields unrivaled
energy density. This product is approved for transport by air.

A 12-volt motorcycle battery is made up of a plastic case containing six cells. Each cell is made
up of a set of positive and negative plates immersed in a dilute sulfuric acid solution known as
electrolyte, and each cell has a voltage of around 2.1 volts when fully charged

Voltage Amp Hours Size

(20 hour) inches

12 1.2 3.82 x 1.77 x 2.09

12 1.9 7.01 x 1.34 x 2.36

12 2.3 7.01 x 1.34 x 2.36

Product Information
 • Battery Type: SLA (Sealed Lead Acid)
• Voltage: 12 volts
• AH Rating: 1.2 AH
• Meets or Exceeds Original Battery Specifications
• Non-spillable Valve Regulated Lead Acid (V.R.L.A.) Design.
• Advanced absorbed glass mat technology
• Sealed construction for operation in any position except upside down.
• Wide operating temperature range.
• High discharge rates and low self discharge rates.
• Available in VO Flame Retardant Material.

MOTOR DRIVER

We have a vast collection of different (brushed) DC motor drivers for different DC motors. This
brushed DC motor driver is the simplest of all and can be used for most applications. The DC
motor drive is a type of amplifier or power modulator that integrate between the controller and a
DC motor. It takes the low current and then converts it into a high current which is appropriate for
the motor.

DC drive converts an Alternating Current (AC) into Direct Current (DC) to run a DC motor.
Higher motor speed generates more voltage in the tachometer and the drive references this voltage
to make sure the motor is running at the correct speed per-user settings. This is used mainly for
good speed regulation, frequent starting, braking and reversing.
DC MOTOR

Drive motor selection for use in robotics is a serious consideration and DC motors have certain
capabilities that make them a desirable choice. There are several types of DC motors - you can
read about four main types in our blog , Simply put, a DC motor converts direct current electrical
energy into mechanical energy. This differs from an AC motor, which applies alternating current
to the electric motor. At the most basic level, DC motors work well in robotics because they
allow the robot to be battery powered, which offers great advantages for a variety of robotic
applications, particularly mobile and collaborative robots.

That’s not to say that other motors are not used for robotics - like AC synchronous brushless
servo motors, which facilitate precise control of the robot’s movements. The drive electronics of
these motors actually work from a DC source.  

Deciding on your drive motors requires first that you create a robot profile to specify its size, its
weight, its speed, what it is manipulation, the environment it will work in and on, and the
articulated movements it will need to make. All of these factors will inform your drive motor
selection.
CONCLUSION

The proposed paper introduces a novel design in pursue of increasing the rocker-bogie mobility
system in conventional heavy loading vehicle behavior when high-speed traversal is required and
to increase the battery efficiency and operating time of the rover, which was made possible using
the independent directional control system which utilizes minimum drive modules dependent
upon the operating condition and situation. Under reasonable assumptions, it is possible to
determine the rover attitude and configuration, given its position and ground characteristics, and
whether the rover will slide, tip over or maintain its balance using sensors and instruments. The
near zero tilt system using the rovers power supply attached to the main body of the rover to as a
counter weight and self-balance itself reduces the percentage and chances of tilt or overturning.
The mechanics of the rover has been developed, and the over-actuation of the system leads to the
ability to affect the normal forces by applying specific wheel torques. This property has been
verified experimentally and can be used for the design of an active traction control. A graphical
interface can be designed and implemented onto the current geosurvey rover design to enhance
understanding of the system and to view all data regarding its operation which will be helpful in
further advancing the system. This work shows how rocker bogie system works on different
surfaces. As per the different weight acting on link determines torque applied on it. By assuming
accurate stair dimensions, accurately dimensioned rocker bogie can climb the stair with great
stability. The design and manufactured model can climb the angle up to 45˚. Also we tested for
the Web cam with AV recording mounted on rocker bogie system and found satisfactory
performance of its capabilities for providing image and video data.

REFERENCES

[1] Hayati, S., et. al., “The Rocky 7 Rover: A Mars Science craft Prototype”, Proceedings of the
1997 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation, pp. 2458-64, 1997.

[2] Schenker, P., et. al., “Lightweight Rovers for Mars Science Exploration and Sample Return,”
Intelligent Robots and Computer Vision XVI, SPIE Proc. 3208, Pittsburgh, PA, October, 1997.

[3] Hacot, H., The Kinematic Analysis and Motion Control of a Planetary Rover, Master’s
Thesis, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology,
Cambridge, MA, May, 1998.
[4] Farritor S., Hacot H., Dubowsky S., “Physics Based Planning for Planetary Exploration”,
Proceedings of the 1998 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation.

[5] Linderman, R., Eisen, H., “Mobility Analysis, Simulation and Scale Model Testing for the
Design of Wheeled Planetary Rovers”, In Missions, Technologies, and Design of Planetary
Mobile Vehicle, pages 531-37, Toulouse, France, September 28-30, 1992.

[6] Chottine. J. E., 1992, “Simulation of a Six-Wheeled Martian Rover Called the Rocker-
Bogie”, M.S. Thesis, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio

[7] Sreevinasan, S., Wilcox, B., “Stability and Traction Control of an Actively Actuated Micro-
Rover”, Journal of Robotic Systems1994, pp. 487-502

[8] Van der Burg, J. Blazevic, P., “Anti-Lock Braking and Traction Control Concept for All-
Terrain Robotic Vehicles” IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation, pages
1400-05, April, 1997

[9] Bickler, B., “A New Family of JPL Planetary Surface Vehicles”, In Missions, Technologies,
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1992.

[10] Matthies, L., Balch, T., Wilcox, B., “Fast Optical Hazard Detection for Planetary Rovers
using Multiple Spot Laser Triangulation” IEEE International Conference on Robotics and
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[11] Ben Amar, F., Bidaud, P., “Dynamics Analysis of off-road vehicles”, Proceedings of the 4th
International Symposium on Experimental Robotics 4, pages 363-371.
[12] Papadopoulos, E.G., Rey, D.A., "A New Measure of Tip over Stability Margin for Mobile
Manipulators" 1996 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation, Minneapolis,
MN, pp.487-94, 1996.