Spring Semester Update

Since last semester, our team has made many strides forward towards having an improved working model of the 1/12th scale of the system. The bar-code scanner portion of the micro-controller programming has been implemented. It is still currently being tested on the real track, but we are able to obtain a good reading from the bar codes  and store the values into an array during our initial testing.

In terms of a routing system, we implemented the Breadth-first search algorithm into our code that allows the system to map out the track using localized nodes with specific id's that will correspond specific bar codes. With the algorithm, we are able to select a specific vehicle and ending destination, and the program will output the route in terms of adjacent nodes. This is based on the cost to travel from node to node, which we set within the program. In the figure below, you can see our new GUI with the routing system implemented.



We have also been working with the mobile app team on integrating the controls system with their database, server, and app. We currently tested using MQTT as our messaging protocol, to send data back and forth between the controls system and Eddie's database. We established connection with Eddie's database and some data was sent over, however there is still work to be done in order to polish the messages that are sent across.

Week 7 Update

For Week 7 of the project, we had our 2nd presentation where we discussed our designs for the small scale project. Specifically, we talked about the changes to the bogey, wireless communications, the rail way, and the changes to the sensors being used to track the motion of the vehicles. Furthermore, I took a harder look into the code that the summer Korean team wrote to control the vehicles. I plan to start commenting the code to figure out the logic and how it works.

Update 10/7

Since the last class meeting, I worked with the rest of the small scale team to prepare for our presentation. I was researching about other forms of communication between the bogies and the main hub. We also discussed other changes that can be made to the small scale model such as the track and the bogie body and switching mechanism. Furthermore, I was also interviewed by the Spartan Daily about the project, which turned out pretty nicely.

Update: Assignment 9/21/15

Since the 2nd blog post, I became part of the inter university correspondent team. We are planning on establishing connection with the team that worked on the small scale model over the summer from Korea. Furthermore, I attended the dinner on Friday, 9/18/15, where the J Pod CEO, Bill James, came to offer some advice about the project. He showed us some of the software that models what the rails would look like in an actual city. Furthermore, he also had other programs that showed items such as wait time, time of arrival, etc. They were all very powerful tools that I could definitely see being implemented into this project.
In addition to the J-Pod meet up, I also helped with the dis-assembly of the 1/12th scale model, assembly, and presented the scale model at the 43rd Annual Silicon Valley Electric Vehicle Show & Drive Electric Week. In doing so, I was able to learn more about the track and the bogie itself. I was able to run the code that the team from Korea wrote on my laptop. There were a few complications during the event, as the bogie would fall off the track multiple times. This was caused not only by the unevenness of the track, but the piano wired used for the switching mechanism was not making full contact with the switching servo. This caused the bogie to not fully engage in the switching mechanism. This problem will be taken care of in the next few weeks. 

9.14.2015 Blog Assignment #2: Controls Block system for location/navigation Proposal

After last week's meeting, I brainstormed some ideas on how to improve the cart location tracking system as well as navigation for the carts. I looked into how trains and other forms of transit operate their train-to-train systems. They have a block system in place that keeps tabs on which train is in which block. We were planning to somehow overlay a coordinate grid on the old track to correlate important areas such as turns, long straightaways, and stations to specific blocks or number of blocks. 

There are several methods that can be implemented to track the movements of the carts with the coordinate grid. "rFID" chips were proposed to be installed on each cart to give each cart a specific id. These ID's would be picked by the sensors at the beginning of a block and the end of a block and be communicated back to the main hub. Although this may seem plausible, the reaction time for these chips may be too slow as stated by our mentor. For now, other forms of wireless Local Positioning systems are still being looked into.

Figure 1 - Original Track with Grid system overlayed

Post 3: Fail-Safe Mechanism Improvement

In previous years, there hasn't been a system in place for the fail-safe mechanism in the event of derailments. There are high chances of derailment of the bogie at the turnouts of the track, which would be caused by the wheels falling off of the track due to weight imbalances. After researching about fail-safe mechanisms in other railway systems, the implementation of a claw locking mechanism on the bogie would aim to lock the bogie to the rail in the event of the wheels falling off the track.

Introduction

Hi everyone, my name is Thomas Nguyen. I am currently studying mechanical engineering at San Jose State University with a focus in mechatronics.  I plan on working on the scale model of the Spartan Superway project. I'm particularly interested in the controls, bogey fail safe mechanism, and  collision prevention between the cars. Outside of school I like to read comic books, rock climb, and playing video games. I look forward to working with everyone and the advancement of this project.