Dimitri KokkonisValentin RenardVictor VerbekeElodie Difonzo
Published

Holebot (Pothole Detector)

A fully autonomous pothole detector that updates a visual backend in real-time, and also provides detailed data stored on an SD card.

IntermediateFull instructions provided1,441
Holebot (Pothole Detector)

Things used in this project

Hardware components

STM32 Nucleo-L432KC
×1
Grove - 3-Axis Digital Accelerometer(±1.5g)
Seeed Studio Grove - 3-Axis Digital Accelerometer(±1.5g)
×1
Seeed Studio Grove GPS
×1
Sigfox module
×1
Sharp Infrared Sensor
×6
DFRobot Micro-SD module
×1
Li-Ion charger MAX1555DS
×1
Buck-Boost Converter MCP1252/3
×1
100 kΩ Resistor
×1
1 μF Capacitor
×4
10 μF Capacitor
×2
Solar cell
×1
Li-Ion battery
×1
10 μF Capacitor
×12

Software apps and online services

Arm Mbed Compiler
Microsoft Azure
Microsoft Azure
Microsoft Power BI

Story

Read more

Schematics

Main PCB schematic

Power supply PCB schematic

Functional diagram

Energy consumption

Enclosure 3D Model

Code

main.cpp

C/C++
The final Holebot code that runs the entirety of the system
#include "mbed.h"
#include "GroveGPS.h"
#include <SDBlockDevice.h>
#include <FATFileSystem.h>
#include <string>
#include <cstring>
#include <sstream>
#include <string>

///////////////////////////
//// Various Constants ////
///////////////////////////

#define COOLDOWN 100000                // Cooldown time
#define GPS_SIZE 16                 // Size of GPS position arrays
#define NORMAL_DISTANCE 15          // Normal IR-sensor-to-ground distance (in cm)
#define SENSITIVITY 3               // IR sensor sensitivity (in cm)
AnalogIn ir1(A0);                    // IR sensor
AnalogIn ir2(A1);
AnalogIn ir3(A3);
AnalogIn ir4(A4);
AnalogIn ir5(A5);
AnalogIn ir6(A6);
Serial gpsSerial(D1, D0, 9600);     // GPS module
Serial sigfox(SERIAL_TX, SERIAL_RX, 9600);  // Telecommunications module
Serial pc(SERIAL_TX, SERIAL_RX, 9600);

// Transistors
DigitalOut line_5V(D7);
DigitalOut line_3V(D8);

SDBlockDevice sd(D11, D12, D13, D3); // SD card reader module
FATFileSystem fs("sd"); // FAT file system to handle SD card

Thread gpsThread;                   // Initialize two threads for the
Thread irThread;                    // telemeter and the GPS.

GroveGPS gps;                       // Initialize the Grove GPS
I2C i2c(D4, D5);                    // I2C for the accelerometer

//// Variables for the accelerometer calculus :
char addr_accel = 0x4C<<1;      // Adress of the device
char regAddr[1];                // Registers for the address,
char regRead[2];                // to read and to write the registers
char regWrite[3];
const int SeuilTrigger = 150;         // Match-to-trigger value.
const float SeuilTremblement = 0.8;

// Arrays of previous registered values :
float* xTab = (float*)malloc(100*sizeof(float));
float* yTab = (float*)malloc(100*sizeof(float));
float* zTab = (float*)malloc(100*sizeof(float));
float xGet, yGet, zGet;         // Current registered values

float distance_ir1;              // Current IR distance
float distance_ir2;
float distance_ir3;
float distance_ir4;
float distance_ir5;
float distance_ir6;
float max_distance_ir;

char *gps_pos[20];              // Array of recorded positions
int gps_index = 0;              // Index to navigate the position array
bool begin_capture = false;

///////////////////////
//// GPS FUNCTIONS ////
///////////////////////

bool checkValidityGPS (char* latBuffer, char* lonBuffer)
{
    // Checks if a given GPS position pair is valid/
    if (latBuffer[0] == 'N') return false;
    if (latBuffer[0] == '-') return false;
    return true;
}

////////////////////////////
//// INFRARED FUNCTIONS ////
////////////////////////////

float voltsIR (float measure)
{
    // Gets the voltage produced by the IR sensor
    return measure * 5;
}

float distanceIR (float measure)
{
    // Calculates the distance based on an IR sensor measure (in cm)
    float a = 127.728;
    float b = 0.353553;
    return a * pow(b, voltsIR(measure));
}

/////////////////////////////
//// MMA7660FC FUNCTIONS ////
/////////////////////////////

void write_reg(char addReg, char value){
    // Writes value into the register at the address 0x[addReg}.
    regAddr[0] = addReg;
    regWrite[0] = regAddr[0];
    regWrite[1] = value;
    i2c.write(addr_accel, regWrite, 2);
}

int read_reg(char addReg){
    // Reads the value of the register 0x[addReg] and returns it.
    regAddr[0] = addReg;
    i2c.write(addr_accel, regAddr, 1, true);    // Selection of the register
    i2c.read(addr_accel, regRead, 2);           // Read the value inside.
    return regRead[0];
}

int convert_6bitC2(int ValReg){
    // The registers XOUT, YOUT, ZOUT contain the values of the accelerations
    // on 6 bits. These values are between -32 and 31, following
    // the two's convention.
    int result = 0;
    result += (ValReg & 0b00011111);
    result -= (ValReg & 0b00100000);
    return result;
}

void init_i2c(){

    // Peripheral Functions.

    // The device works by stocking its data into different registers. The full
    // documentation can be read at the following address :
    // https://www.nxp.com/docs/en/data-sheet/MMA7660FC.pdf

    // In order to understand the code, you can read the following pages :
    // -> p14 : Addresses of the interesting registers (XOUT, YOUT, ZOUT)
    // -> p17 : MODE Register Configuration. (Really important)
    // -> p22 : Serial and I2C.

    // Interrupt Setp : Edit
    write_reg(0x06, 0b00000000); // Disable tous les Interrupt.

    // Mode Setup : Edit
    write_reg(0x07, 0b00000001);

    // Sampling Rate : Edit
    write_reg(0x08, 0b00000001); // 64 sample per second, so 1 in 0.0156 s.
}

void mesure_accels(){

    // First step : Initialize the data.
    xGet = 0.0;
    yGet = 0.0;
    zGet = 0.0;

    // Second step : Mesure the accelerations in both directions, three times.
    for (int i = 0; i < 3; i++){
        xGet += convert_6bitC2(read_reg(0x00));
        yGet += convert_6bitC2(read_reg(0x01));
        zGet += convert_6bitC2(read_reg(0x02));
        wait(0.01);
    }

    // Third step : Calibrate the data in m.s-2
    xGet = xGet / (2.14*3);
    yGet = yGet / (2.14*3);
    zGet = zGet / (2.14*3);

    // Fourth step : Shift the whole arrays.
    for (int i = 0; i < 99; i++){
        xTab[i] = xTab[i+1];
        yTab[i] = yTab[i+1];
        zTab[i] = zTab[i+1];
    }

    // Finally : Put the new data into the arrays.
    xTab[99] = xGet;
    yTab[99] = yGet;
    zTab[99] = zGet;
}

/////////////////////////
//// PRINT TO SERIAL ////
/////////////////////////

void write_serial (bool first, char *lat, char *lon, float ir, float acc)
{
    // If it's not the first object, print a ',' character to separate them.
    if (!first) pc.printf(",");
    // Print the LONG JSON content
    pc.printf("\r\n\t{\r\n");
    pc.printf("\t\t\"lat\": \"%s\",\r\n", lat);
    pc.printf("\t\t\"lon\": \"%s\",\r\n", lon);
    pc.printf("\t\t\"infrared\": \"%f\",\r\n", ir);
    pc.printf("\t\t\"accelerometer\": \"%f\"\r\n\t}", acc);
}

void write_JSON_object (bool first, FILE *fp, char *lat, char *lon, float ir, float acc)
{
    if (!first) fprintf(fp, ",");
    fprintf(fp, "\r\n\t{\r\n");
    fprintf(fp, "\t\t\"lat\": \"%s\",\r\n", lat);
    fprintf(fp, "\t\t\"lon\": \"%s\",\r\n", lon);
    fprintf(fp, "\t\t\"infrared\": \"%f\",\r\n", ir);
    fprintf(fp, "\t\t\"accelerometer\": \"%f\"\r\n\t}", acc);
}

////////////////
//// SIGFOX ////
////////////////

void sendViaSigfox (char *lat, char *lon)
{
    // Converts char * positions into floats
    float temp_lat = atof(lat);
    float temp_lon = atof(lon);

    // Multiply them by 1e5 and keep the integer part
    int int_lat = (int) (temp_lat * 1e5);
    int int_lon = (int) (temp_lon * 1e5);

    // Sends the Sigfox command (8 hex chars for each position element)
    pc.printf("AT$SF=%08X%08X\n", int_lat, int_lon);
}


void gpsUpdaterThread ()
{
    char latBuffer[GPS_SIZE];
    char lonBuffer[GPS_SIZE];

    bool measured = false;
    int capture_cooldown = COOLDOWN;
    int sd_measure_number = 1;

    while (1) {
        // Update the GPS
        gps.getLatitude(latBuffer);
        gps.getLongitude(lonBuffer);

        // If GPS is valid
        if (checkValidityGPS(latBuffer, lonBuffer)) {
            // Update the position array
            sprintf(gps_pos[gps_index], "%s", latBuffer);
            sprintf(gps_pos[gps_index + 1], "%s", lonBuffer);

            // Move the pointer in the array
            gps_index += 2;

            // If the pointer overflows, move it back
            if (gps_index >= 20) gps_index = 0;
        }


        // Begin capture only if GPS is valid
        if (strcmp(gps_pos[gps_index - 2], "") != 0) {
            if (!measured) {
                line_5V = 1;
                line_3V = 1;

                std::stringstream s;
                // TODO sd_measure_number / 10
                s << "/sd/measure_" << sd_measure_number << ".json";

                char fo[s.str().length() + 1];
                strcpy(fo, s.str().c_str());

                // Get the current acceleration
                mesure_accels();

                // Get the current distance measured by the IR sensor
                distance_ir1 = distanceIR(ir1.read());
                distance_ir2 = distanceIR(ir2.read());
                distance_ir3 = distanceIR(ir3.read());
                distance_ir4 = distanceIR(ir4.read());
                distance_ir5 = distanceIR(ir5.read());
                distance_ir6 = distanceIR(ir6.read());

                max_distance_ir = distance_ir1;
                if (distance_ir2 > max_distance_ir) max_distance_ir = distance_ir2;
                if (distance_ir3 > max_distance_ir) max_distance_ir = distance_ir3;
                if (distance_ir4 > max_distance_ir) max_distance_ir = distance_ir4;
                if (distance_ir5 > max_distance_ir) max_distance_ir = distance_ir5;
                if (distance_ir6 > max_distance_ir) max_distance_ir = distance_ir6;
                
                // MOYENNE TELEMETRES 1 ET 2
                // Les autres ne fonctionnent pas correctement
                max_distance_ir = (distance_ir1 + distance_ir2) / 2;

                // If either the IR sensor or the accelerometer get triggered
                if ((max_distance_ir > NORMAL_DISTANCE + SENSITIVITY) or (zGet > 14)) {
                    // initialize and mount SD card
                    sd.init();
                    fs.mount(&sd);

                    FILE *fp = fopen(fo, "w");
                    if (!fp) pc.printf("error handling file %s\r\n", fo);
                    else pc.printf("Writing to %s\r\n", fo);
                    fprintf(fp, "[");

                    write_JSON_object(true, fp, gps_pos[gps_index - 2], gps_pos[gps_index - 1], max_distance_ir, zGet);

                    fprintf(fp, "\n]\n");

                    fclose(fp);

                    fs.unmount();
                    sd.deinit();

                    // Send the position via Sigfox
                    sendViaSigfox(gps_pos[gps_index - 2], gps_pos[gps_index - 1]);

                    line_5V = 0;
                    line_3V = 0;

                    measured = true;
                    sd_measure_number++;
                }
            } else {
                if (capture_cooldown > 0) {
                    capture_cooldown--;
                } else {
                    capture_cooldown = COOLDOWN;
                    measured = false;
                }
            }
        }
    }
}

///////////////////////
//// MAIN FUNCTION ////
///////////////////////

int main ()
{
    // Turn off 5V and 3.3V rails
    line_5V = 0;
    line_3V = 0;

    // Initialize the position array
    for (int i = 0; i < 20; i++) {
        gps_pos[i] = (char *) malloc(GPS_SIZE * sizeof(char));
    }

    // Initialize I2C communications
    init_i2c();

    // Start a thread to get updated GPS values
    gpsThread.start(gpsUpdaterThread);

    while (1) {

        // get GPS data
        if (gpsSerial.readable()) {
            gps.readCharacter(gpsSerial.getc());
        }
    }

    return 0;
}

Credits

Dimitri Kokkonis

Dimitri Kokkonis

5 projects • 5 followers
EE/CS student majoring in Embedded Systems at Polytech Sorbonne, Paris.
Valentin Renard

Valentin Renard

2 projects • 2 followers
Victor Verbeke

Victor Verbeke

4 projects • 3 followers
Elodie Difonzo

Elodie Difonzo

2 projects • 3 followers

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