An FPGA-Based Robotics Platform for Educational and Research Applications

Abstract

This paper presents a robotics platform in its hardware and software aspects. The platform applications are for both educational and research fields. It includes three modules: mechanical module, hardware module and software module, being the latter two modules the subject of this paper. The hardware is based on FPGA and described through VHDL, aiming flexibility of prototyping and feasibility of structural changes. We use a DE2 development board to base the prototype and a Nios II soft processor to run application algorithms. In order to read analog signals, we employ a PWM reading technique. Based on a Lego Mindstorms NXT <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">®</sup> motor we calculated a mathematical model and projected PI control modules for them. On all this hardware approach is developed a programming environment for the platform. The environment is based on programmable blocks, that once logically united generate a hidden C source file as firmware of the robot. Downloads of application are performed through the USB-Blaster component and tools provided by the Altera Company.