Etch A Sketch Robot

 Intergration Test Activities Week 4 is about intergarted test for whole system, including image reading, processing, data transmitting and motor controlling. Some probelms have been revealed and is solved later. - Full intergration of software components. It's been able to select any image and have it drawn on the etch a sketch. - Serveral teething issures found:     - Feedrate for stepper motors adjusted to be proportional to the coordinate     - Scaling issued with imaged used for sketch     - Double image formed due to a dead spot on the etch a sketch board, where the internal mechanism jumps and displaces the stepper motor. (We can do few about this problem) - Poster finished - Roles allocated for presentation at Bench Inspection Software - For the Aduino software: In order to make the motors move coordinatedly and asynchronously, we refactor the arduino driver software by introducing a non-blocking module in code. Details can be accessed at (http...

Driver Software Delivery and Fully Assembleing Hardwares Software: - Driver software including motion solver and motor controller is completed and tested on Arduino borad.  - Add Gcode generator to the host computer software system. Hardware - Improved 3D prints recieved and fitted - All hardwares are assembled - Accidentally destroyed Aduino after wrong connection made - Arduino replaced Poster & Report - Work on poster started - Work on report started

Image Processing Software and More Hardware Verification Software: Jay worked during the week to develop the processing software and driver firmware. - Finished writing the Python code for the edge detection and DFS algorithm     -  Image Processer: Implement cv2.Canny libriary and use complicated algorithms to process binary image generated by edge detection filter. The output is a countinous single-stroke binary image. - Wirte a driver software to drive two motors. Yet the motors cannont move asynchronously (i.e. simultanously), left to solve in week 3.   Hardware: The 3D printed bracket is too think and slim. We redesigned a thicker one and sent for print. Activities -Assembled full circuit using both motor drivers and motors - Tried to test driving both motors simultaneously -Tested the 3D printed parts -Improved and redesigned the 3D printed parts in CAD -Order for 3D printed parts requested

 Requirement Analysis and Verification Software   The main challenge is that the Etch A Sketch can only draw patterns in a single continuous stroke. The software focuses on image processing and conversion.        - Develop software to process an image into a format suitable for the Etch A Sketch.        - Convert the image into a standardized format, such as G-code.        - Implement software on Arduino to:          - Read serial commands          - Parse parameters          - Generate motion instructions          - Send pulse signals to control the motors   Hardware   Since most of the functionality is handled by software, hardware requirements are kept minimal.        - Design a circuit using an Arduino Uno and a motor driver to rec...

Overview This is a University of Liverpool Year 2 project . Our project explores automated drawing machines using an Etch A Sketch board, integrating both hardware and software aspects. The system's objective is to create an automation for art crafts powered by engineering and technology .  The system consists of a host computer for image processing , a microcontroller for motor control , and stepper motors for precise movement . The host computer processes input images, applies edge detection and path optimization algorithms , and generates G-code instructions . These instructions are then sent to an Arduino-based microcontroller , which controls the A4988 stepper motor drivers to manipulate the Etch A Sketch knobs. On the software side , we utilize OpenCV for image processing , employing Canny edge detection and a depth-first search (DFS) algorithm to generate continuous, single-line drawings. The G-code interpreter ensures smooth motor execution, translating digital path...