How To make a Micromouse

A Micromouse is a maze solving autonomous vehicle which completes the maze within minimum time possible.
A micromouse has to cross the maze in minimum time therefore to achieve that it should rotate very fast.

A micromouse has the following parts :

1.Body i.e a micromouse's mechanical structure

Chassis:

The MicroMouse chassis is the main piece that holds together all the other parts.
It must provide enough space for the microprocessor, batteries, motors and sensors. The
chassis will be built with an easy to work material like plastic or aluminum. The
advantage of using aluminum would be to draw heat away from the motors, functioning
as a built-in heat sink, but plastic may be easier and cheaper.
The chassis need to be small enough so that is able to make a full turn inside a
maze block without touching the walls.

1.Micromouse should have a Robust and compact chassis.
2. Adequate to allow easy movement inside the maze.

The size constraints imposed by the dimensions play an important role in determining the shape and orientation of finished micromouse.

2. battery or power supply

The power supply can be vary from 5-24 volts and can be of normal lead acid,dry cell or others like mercury cell and lithium ion batteries.


3. Sensors

In the final MicroMouse, two types of sensors will be used. A row of proximity
sensors overhanging the top of the maze on both sides of the MicroMouse will be used to
keep the MicroMouse centered within the cell and for environment mapping in adjacent
cells.

Distance sensors will be used to detect the length of the path in
front, and possibly to the sides of the MicroMouse. These infrared sensors are relatively
low cost, have been used effectively in several MicroMouse designs, and transmit an
output related to the distance to the nearest object within a range of 10 to 80 cm. The
sensors will have to be calibrated to function predictably for varying maze and ambient
conditions

Link to IR Sensors

4.Microcontroller

The microcontroller is both the brain and the heart of the MicroMouse. Because
the device is autonomous, the microcontroller must control everything the MicroMouse
does while in the maze. Based on the inputs it receives from the sensors it must calculate
a path for the mouse to navigate the maze. It must also control the drive motors to move
the mouse and after reaching the goal reduce the path back to the starting square to an
optimal path. The microcontroller board must be low power and the entire board must be
smaller than 25 x 25cm.

The work on the microcontroller can be broken down into different functions:
path finding, movement, sensing, and crash recovery. The path finding algorithm will
receive inputs from the sensors, calculate the best move, then output commands to the
movement functions. Movement control and sensor data gathering functions will be
established early to ensure their proper function and allow ample time for debugging. In
order to combat unforeseen skids and collisions, a variety of crash recovery methods will
have to be developed. As with any large program, the functions can be worked on
simultaneously as long as strict variable passing rules are established before work begins


5. Locomotion


A Steering type drive is used in micromouse just like in cars.
For turns Stepper motors are used,the steeper motor controls the front wheels and for forward movement DC motors are used which controls the rear wheels.

Link TO Stepper Motor:


Related: Ahish Bhatt's Micromouse,Maze Solving Micromouse

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