Day 1 — April 1
(2 hrs)
Attended initial project meeting. Reviewed objectives and hardware requirements for the PicarX line following project. Went over the grayscale sensor module and how each channel would be used.
Attended initial project meeting. Reviewed objectives and hardware requirements for the PicarX line following project. Went over the grayscale sensor module and how each channel would be used.
Assembled the PicarX and connected the grayscale sensor. Tested sensor readings from all three channels against a black line. Started calibrating threshold values.
Wrote initial line-following code. Tested on straight sections and adjusted threshold values for better line detection.
Updated the algorithm to handle curved sections. Adjusted steering sensitivity to reduce overshooting. Ran curve tests and logged sensor data to address cases where the robot lost the line.
Added intersection detection logic by checking when all three sensor channels read below the threshold. Wrote handling for T-intersections and cross-intersections.
Tested the robot on a longer track layout combining multiple turns. Noticed inconsistent sensor behavior and widened the track line to around 30mm. Recalibrated grayscale thresholds and re-ran tests to confirm improvement.
Ran full-track tests across straights, curves, and intersections. Adjusted speed and steering for consistent performance. Recorded final threshold and control values. Helped prepare the project demo and final write-up.