SWARM

Selfcoordinated, Weightless, Autonomous, Robotic MASS (Massive Autonomous Super Swarm)

Overview

Project idea: A swarm of mini-copters, flying through the room in an autonomous and self-coordinated fashion. Show-casing some hacker ideals like:

Art
Decentralization, no authority
Computers can enhance your life (maybe a swarm of 20 could lift some bigger objects and make themselves useful?)

Properties:

self-recharging
collision avoidance
decentrally coordinated (flying in formation etc. without a central coordinator / master)
colourful! (LEDs)
as small as possible

Implementation - Hardware

Communication

Sensors

Collision Avoidance:

SainSmart HC-SR04 Ranging Detector Mod Distance Sensor (Blue)
- ranging distance : 2cm~500 cm resolution : 0.3 cm
- schwer/groß: ~30g or <9g?
Ultraschallsensor, > 98 dB, > -74 dB
- Diameter: 10mm
- Weight: <5g (0,000 kg?)

Alternative: rebuild the eye of an insect? Many small cameras with a low resolution? Like an insect measure distance by difference in the frames over time.

Photosensor + lenses: http://www.livescience.com/29213-camera-works-like-bug-eye.html

Actors

Vibrationmotor (modified)

Vibrationsmotor, 3 V, 150 mA, 10.000 U/min
0,004 kg
Vibrationsmotor 131028, 3 V-
Zu testen: Zugkraft / mögliches Gewicht pro Motor
Flügel: Papier und Draht?

10x Mini-Solarmotor 25.000U/min 3-6V DC Elektro Motor Modellbau RC Elektromotor
- 3,8g
- 30mA -> 180mW @6V max

Power supply

Accumulator:

MicroStar Lipo 3,7V 160mAh 25C
- 0,592 Wh (~20-30min.?)

Inductive charger:

Mobile Qi
- Interner Qi Ladeempfänger für Galaxy Note 3
- Mobile Qi kabellose Ladestation von Navilock
  - -> teuer

Power over Laser:

a) Build a box / tunnel where they could fly through which would probably be the safest way.

b) Tracking Lasers

Lasers aiming at the copters. As a safety measure, lasers shouldn't have such a high energy but should come from multiple angles instead. They could either aim in static directions or be made moveable.

b.1) Lasers from the ceiling

Use multiple cameras and/or other sensors with a high FPS and recognize when objects are going to get between them (via 3D object modelling and/or motion detection).

Advantage: Copters even rechargable while in motion or formation, no need to return to certain positions
Disadvantage: More safety measures needed

b.2) Lasers from the walls upwards

Lasers mounted to the wall at a height of about ~2.3m

Advantage: Safe as long as there are no reflecting parts at 2.3m+
Disadvantage: Copters would need to surface to ~2.5m from time to time

Mixture of a)+b):

Build a box with poly (Plexiglas), mount it to the ceiling but keep the bottom side open. Use a fog machine to fill it with fog. Build coloured lasers into the box. Start shooting lasers at a copter from all directions once it enters the box from the bottom. Play some laser or charging sounds over speakers, let the copter do some charging flashing. Watch the amazing colour play :).

Optimum laser wave length for solar panels, according to http://www.solarschulen.net/global/download/%7BOLKFMKJULV-1118200894727-TCFNYWJAOX%7D.pdf: 1132nm (IR)

DVD laser:
- http://elabz.com/laser-diode-power-output-based-on-dvd-rrw-specs/
- 650nm (red)
- 4x 100mW, 8x 140mW, 16x 250mW
CD laser:
- http://optics.ph.unimelb.edu.au/atomopt/diode/gh0781ra2c.pdf
- 780nm (near IR)
- 48x CD-R writing ~225mW

Looks like IR or UV lasers are especially dangerous, so maybe stick to the DVD lasers even though they are less efficient?

Solar panels:

Implementation - Software

Interesting Things

Boards:

http://vocore.io/
- Weight: 3g
- Power: ~0.60W idle, 1.00W wifi on

Micro-Copter: