SWIPER
SideWalk Invasive Plant Eliminating Robot
Affiliation:
Northeastern University: Capstone Project
Role:
Time Range:
Mechanical Lead, Mechanical Design Engineer
2023-2024
Skills:
Mechanical Design, System Integration, Conceptualization, CAD (Fusion 360), Industrial Design, Testing, Machining, Sheet Metal, Rapid Prototyping, Technical Communication, Mobile Robotic Systems, Autonomous Vehicles, Suspension, Soft End-Effector Manipulation, Robot Mapping and Sensing, Multi-axis systems, Stepper Motors, BLDC Motors, Technical Writing, Teamwork
Background:
This project was my undergraduate capstone project, the culminating practical engineering effort of my undergraduate education. It was conceptualized by a combined group of electrical and mechanical engineering students including myself. The goal was to produce a mobile robot that could autonomously wander sidewalks and hardscapes and mechanically uproot any weeds and invasive species growing in cracks or inbetween bricks or pavers.
Images:
My Contributions:
• Conceptualized idea and assessed market viability and stakeholder needs
• Designed, built, and verified modular suspension and drivetrain for wheeled mobile robot
• Designed chassis, frame, and aesthetically pleasing shell for the mobile robot
• Designed electronics enclosure and I/O Panel
• Designed camera sensor tower with LiDAR and depth cameras
• Lead the build, integration, and testing for mobile robot base
• Assisted in design of gantry for weed picking tool localization
• Assisted in design of novel hyperboloid membrane end effector
• Wrote professional deliverables, and presented our work in a conference-like venue
Outcomes:
SWIPER was presented at Northeastern's 2024 Spring Capstone Day, and it was extremely well received, winning a number of accolades and praise from judges and peers.
Our team received the "best in track" award, where we were selected by a panel of judges as the best project among our group for the complexity, originality, technical excellence, and commercial readiness of our project.
We also recieved the Gorlov award, which was selected by our capstone peers to awknowledge the project they thought was the best.
Our EECE sister team also won best electrical capstone project for the electrical and software portions of the project.