Stepper Motor-Controller SpyderCam with Joystick ECE342-W21

The SpyderCam is a motor-controller device that moves a payload suspended by wires over an 8.5” x 11” piece of paper. The tools attached to the payload can be swapped out, allowing the user to draw with a pencil/pen, scan with an RFID reader, or use a light sensor. Our team used multiple technologies to create the SpyderCam, including stepper motors, an Arduino Uno, and MATLAB. The MATLAB GUI takes in G-Code or Joystick signals and writes the number of steps each motor needs to take to the Arduino using a Lookup Table to calculate the number of steps. Then, the Arduino communicates with the motors using the AccelStepper.h library, causing them to move the specified length. The main challenges our team faced over the course of this project were implementing the Lookup Table and gathering/determining the parts needed to construct it. Coupled with the challenges of working on a group project remotely, there were a lot of obstacles to overcome during the ten weeks allotted to work. Nonetheless, our team managed to gather the parts, create the Lookup Table and GUI, and ultimately assemble the SpyderCam.

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Artifacts

Name Description
Executive Project Summary Details original design problem and gives a short summary of the development process. Also includes a project timeline.   Download
Developer Guide Contains design details, as well as information about setting the SpyderCam up and its electrical specifications. Also contains design artifacts, code, and explanations of each.   Download
Presentation ~10 minute presentation walking through the SpyderCam Project design, challenges, and achievements.   Link