Vacuum Cleaner Robot

Published on 19 Apr 2022. Written by Athulya Menon

Technology changes everything; from the way, we eat food to how we run our homes. Automation has an impact on all walks of our life. The automation of our homes has made it easier for people to live and manage their households.

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One of the most cumbersome tasks in maintaining a good home is cleaning it! That is why this Mechatronics project will deal with an automated device that will help make everyone's lives easier.

Project Description

Households of now are shifting towards smarter options which are also automated. Home automation not only increases convenience but also, helps people have more free time for themselves. Domestic robots are no longer a thing of the future, but rather are objects of today. This mechatronics project aims to build an automated or robotic vacuum cleaner that allows you to clean your floors with ease.

Functions of the Robot

• Obstacle detection and subsequent avoidance
• Floor navigation
• Collision avoidance
• Motor control and mobility
• Light Sensing
• Automatic Sensing and Detection
• Cleaning Function

Project Implementation

1. To enable obstacle detection, the robot must communicate effectively with an array of sensors.
2. These sensors will provide valuable information to the Arduino regarding distance from the object, angle of elevation and even distance to the target.
3. Digital compasses, sonar and touch sensors will help the device map the terrain around it.
4. The data from these inputs are then sent into the Arduino via the chips.
5. These become the inputs for the software, which then decides where to run and how far to move ahead.
6. The software then makes the chip actuate the right motors, allowing for the device to move as per the instructions provided by the microprocessors.
7. The Arduino Mega 2560 has 54 digital pins,16 analog inputs, and a USB connector.
8. Connect it to a computer via a USB cable. You also have the option of powering it externally using an AC/DC adaptor.
9. The dc motors which control the device are connected to the L293D IC.
10. The L293D chip has 16 pins, and this helps to drive the motors that run the device.
11. It provides bidirectional currents till 600-mA and voltages between 4.5 V and 36 V.
12. Whenever it receives a high input, the chip activates the drivers attached to it.
13. Whenever the chip receives the right inputs, the drivers form an H bridge, and this runs the solenoid motors.
14. To connect the device, and run it using a mobile application, you need to join the device via a Bluetooth (HC - 06).
15. The Bluetooth device (HC-06) is appended to the device so that it can receive and send the required data.
16. This device utilizes the MAC address of the machine to communicate instructions.
17. An Android app that utilizes JAVA to help in controlling the vacuum robot.
18. The IR Sensors must be connected to the legs of the device so that it can detect obstacles through distance approximation.
19. The transmitter sends out IR light which the receiver analyses to measure the distance between the points, and also find obstacles in the way.
20. This data is then put through the Arduino via an analog input pin to process the information and make the right decisions.
21. The sensor has three wires in which the Red goes to the 5V output of Arduino, the Black to the Arduino ground pin and the white goes to the input Arduino pin.
22. You can either use a pre-built vacuum cleaner or make one of your own.
23. To manufacture one, use a circular foam board and attach a rotating brush underneath it.
24. Two stepper motors will drive the vacuum about the room. Since the body of the bot is circular, the stepper motors will help the device rotate about any axis, allowing it to spin and reach every corner of the room.

Concepts Used

• Basic Mechanics
• Machine building
• Automobile Basics
• Circuit making and designing
• Signal Processing
• Basic Coding and Programming
• Arduino Programming
• Sensor Technology
• Basic Electronics

Components Required

1. Arduino Mega
2. Arduino Shield
3. LDR Sensor
4. Real-Time Clock
5. Motor IC L293D
6. Ultrasonic Sensor
7. IR Sensor
8. 12VDC motor
9. Vacuum Mechanism
10. Jumper Wires

Kit required to develop Vacuum Cleaner Robot:

• Arduino
• IR sensor
• LDR

Technologies you will learn by working on Vacuum Cleaner Robot:

• Arduino
• sensor

Any Questions?