Programmed a Skitter Robot kit control system for the ME 375 final project. The robot was equipped with DC gearmotors with encoders, an IR distance sensor, a line-following sensor array, and an Arduino Mega microcontroller to navigate a track for two complete laps before parking 8 inches from a wall.
The control architecture featured a three-state machine (line following, parking, complete) with dual feedback loops including a PD controller for line following and proportional controller for wall approach speed regulation. Sensor calibration was completed to establish transfer functions for motor-gearbox-wheel subsystems and mapping algorithms to convert sensor voltages into position data relative to track centerline.