Project

The Remote-Control Target-Tracking Tank (RC-TTT) is an interactive system designed around two Remote-Control (RC) vehicles that have the unique feature of an automatic target-tracking foam dart turret.

The RC-TTT was designed with three main objectives:

• Develop an RC system that has the unique feature of an automatic target-tracking system
• Design two RC vehicles that function as a system to emphasize an interactive playing experience
• Design a foam turret that automatically rotates based on target-tracking infrared light data

System

Methods

The design of the RC-TTT was divided into three main modules:

• Remote
  • Provides a user interface to wirelessly control the RC-TTT vehicle and turret
  • Uses four buttons to drive the vehicle and two buttons to fire the foam dart turret
• Vehicle
  • Uses an ESP-32 microcontroller to control all vehicle and turret functionalities
  • The vehicle has a 3-D printed chassis for housing the RC-TTT’s components
  • Uses infrared light detectors to track IR emitters mounted on other RC-TTT vehicles for automatic aiming of the foam dart turret
• Turret
  • The turret is fired by using a servo motor-controlled rack and pinion to push foam darts from the magazine into two rotating flywheels

Conclusion

Results:

• Successful vehicle and turret control via a wireless remote connection
• Successful driving and firing control based on user input
• Automatic target-tracking foam dart turret based on infrared light detection data

Future Improvements:

• Higher powered infrared light emitters for greater infrared detection range
• Updated chassis design for better access to vehicle’s microcontroller and battery
• Different PCB design to allow for more GPIO pins to be used as IR detectors which would allow for more precise target-tracking