Introduction

Project Overview

The goal of the ME 218C final project is to design the mechanical hardware, electrical hardware, and software for a device that incorporates communication. This year's project was the development of a radio controlled boat.

Radio control was implemented using Zigbee radios. Programming was done on the Microchip PIC16F690 using the PIC assembly language for both boat and controller.

The Terman Pond Flotilla Overview

ME218C is the third class of the Stanford University ME218 mechatronics sequence. The “C” course project has traditionally evolved around the use of the Terman Pond, and there was no exception this year. The objective the project, The Terman Pond Flotilla, revolved around the contruction of a remote controlled “battle boat” and innovative Helm to [remotely] control the watercraft. The ships were assigned to one of two teams and worked cooperatively to protect their base from the opposition and pump water into the opponent’s goal. A complete description of the project is available here, but you can find a synopsis of the major objectives below:

Each team constructs both a helm and a watercraft that can be interchangeable interact with another teams craft or helm, respectively.
The groups are randomly divided into one of two teams, the red or blue squadron, at the start of a 5 minute round, with each team starting on it’s own side.
Each squad competes to protect their own base, when active, from being filled with water, and to score in the opponent’s base when it’s active by filling it with water. The first team to fill their opponent’s base or the team that has filled their opponent’s base more by the end of the round wins.
A base will switch from being active to inactive, and visa-versa, at regular intervals, at which point all ships must navigate to the active base side.
Crafts that cheat, by delivering water to an inactive base, will be sent a stand down command by the all powerful admirals, which shuts down their propulsion and water delivery for 10 seconds.