PRE2017 4 Groep6: Difference between revisions

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=== Project Statement ===
=== Project Statement ===
Wildfires are occurring throughout the world at an increasing rate. Great droughts in various regions across the globe are increasing the possibility of wildfires. National parks deal with major wildfires multiple times over a year. Areas devastated by wildfires are mostly devoid of life, while still having an extremely fertile soil with all the biomass left after the fire. Artificial reforestation can accelerate this natural process.
Wildfires are occurring throughout the world at an increasing rate. Great droughts in various regions across the globe are increasing the possibility of wildfires. National parks deal with major wildfires multiple times over a year. Areas devastated by wildfires are mostly devoid of life, while potentially still having an extremely fertile soil with all the biomass left after the fire. Artificial reforestation can accelerate the natural process which accounts for the regrowth of the forests.
This process might be enhanced by means of technology, for example by deploying robots that plant seeds of saplings in these areas. This project investigates the possibility and potential of utilising robots to restore these devastated areas to their former glory. This project investigates whether the a robot or fleet of robots could be used to effectively and efficiently to this extend, at least with respect to the present-day alternatives. To accomplish this we envision a robotic vehicle which at least the following 3 technological aspects:
This process might be enhanced by means of technology, for example by deploying robots that plant seeds of saplings in these areas. This project investigates the possibility and potential of utilizing robots to restore these devastated areas to their former glory.  
 
In order to investigate this possibility, a thorough analysis on different methods of deforestation is made first. By comparing methods of reforestation a lot can be learnt about what aspects the reforestation-robot should be an improvement on compared to older reforestation methods.  
 
Also, this analysis will explore if a new method of reforestation is needed at all. Beyond this, two case studies are investigated. These case studies show situations in which the envisioned robot could be put to use. The case studies help get a better understanding of how the robot is used and therefore what criteria should be taken into account when designing the robot.
I. A way to assess whether the soil's fertility rate, and thus the fitness parameter to plant a new forest. This is needed since it is possible for the soil to become infertile when rain washes all the biomass away or a very intens fire could kill all microbes living at the surface.
Finally, a design is made of the robot which would accomplish all necessities found during the analysis of the different reforestation methods and which follows all the criteria discovered in the case studies. Multiple preliminary designs are made, of which one was chosen based on meeting the criteria, it is this robots that is designed in more detail.
 
To conclude, this project aims to assess the necessity of a robot to rebuild a forest in a national park after a forest fire. Discover the functionalities such a robot must have and make a potential design based on the gained information.
II. A device capable of planting the seeds deep enough in the ground to ensure good growing chances for the seed. Different seeds come with different optimal seeding depths, so if a naturally mirrored forest area is desired, the seeding mechanism has to be able to perform at a variety of depths.  
 
III. A way to transport itself around, which will most likely result in wheels, as this is the most achievable option within this course. Furthermore this option allows for better data acquisition of the parameters determining the fertility of the soil (see I.). Another option for mobility would be a drone, however as mentioned before due to technical complexities and time restraints this option is not considered.
 
This envisioned robot leads to the first and main objective of this project: a design for a robotics technology for reforestation. This design will feature the aforementioned technological aspects, with the main focus being on aspects I and II, as these are technologies more specific to our envisioned robot and will be crucial for its effectivity, whereas aspect III is a more general functionality which all mobile robots share. Beyond this, once a design has been established we aim to make a model based around the physical working mechanisms on the robot, which can help us gain more theoretical insight in the working of the robot and to determine failure criteria. Of course, construction of the design is also taken into consideration, which will be done parallel to the modelling. But before diving into the deep and mindlessly start to design, build and model, we want to investigate the interplay between this envisioned robotic technology and society. This is done by means of examining the potential for this robotic technology to influence society, and how society can stimulate the development of this technology, considering both society as a whole, and the governments influence separately. Also, the relation between this product and the relevant enterprises concerning themselves with reforestation is taken into the research, as the succes of this technology will primarily be dependent on the investments stored in it.


=== Planning ===
=== Planning ===

Revision as of 16:57, 26 May 2018

Group members

  • David van den Beld, 1001770
  • Gerben Erens, 0997906
  • Luc Kleinman, 1008097
  • Maikel Morren, 1002099
  • Adine van Wier, 0999813

Project pages

For all the branches of the project diverging from the initial set-up and planning, please see their respective pages

This page itself is dedicated to general information about the project.

Project

Project Statement

Wildfires are occurring throughout the world at an increasing rate. Great droughts in various regions across the globe are increasing the possibility of wildfires. National parks deal with major wildfires multiple times over a year. Areas devastated by wildfires are mostly devoid of life, while potentially still having an extremely fertile soil with all the biomass left after the fire. Artificial reforestation can accelerate the natural process which accounts for the regrowth of the forests. This process might be enhanced by means of technology, for example by deploying robots that plant seeds of saplings in these areas. This project investigates the possibility and potential of utilizing robots to restore these devastated areas to their former glory. In order to investigate this possibility, a thorough analysis on different methods of deforestation is made first. By comparing methods of reforestation a lot can be learnt about what aspects the reforestation-robot should be an improvement on compared to older reforestation methods. Also, this analysis will explore if a new method of reforestation is needed at all. Beyond this, two case studies are investigated. These case studies show situations in which the envisioned robot could be put to use. The case studies help get a better understanding of how the robot is used and therefore what criteria should be taken into account when designing the robot. Finally, a design is made of the robot which would accomplish all necessities found during the analysis of the different reforestation methods and which follows all the criteria discovered in the case studies. Multiple preliminary designs are made, of which one was chosen based on meeting the criteria, it is this robots that is designed in more detail. To conclude, this project aims to assess the necessity of a robot to rebuild a forest in a national park after a forest fire. Discover the functionalities such a robot must have and make a potential design based on the gained information.

Planning

Below follows the planning for the project for the upcoming 9 weeks constituting the course 0LAUK0 Project: Robots Everywhere.

Table 1: Final project planning after revision problem statement and goals
Week number Task Person assigned
1
Choose definitive subject Collaborative effort of all members
Define problem statement and objectives David
Define users Adine
Obtain user requirements Gerben
Work out typical use cases Luc
Define the milestones and deliverables Maikel
Define the approach of the problem Collaborative effort of all members
Search for relevant state-of-the-art (SotA) sources, categories:
  1. Modularity
  2. (Semi-) Autonomous cars
  3. Sensors for prospecting/evaluating ground
  4. Drilling/plowing/seeding mechanism
  5. Current Forestation combat methods
All divided into the subcategories:
  1. Maikel
  2. David
  3. Luc
  4. Gerben
  5. Adine
Make project planning Collaborative effort of all members
2
Review user requirements and use cases Collaborative effort of all members
Finish collecting SotA articles and write SotA section Each member for their respective subcategory
Research different application sectors for reforestation to narrow problem statement:
  1. Reforestation in logging industry
  2. Reforestation in national parks after forest fires
  3. Reforestation in nature reserves and rain forests
All divided into categories:
  1. Adine & Maikel
  2. David & Gerben
  3. Luc
Make preliminary robot designs for the following seeding mechanisms:
  1. Drilling robot
  2. Sprinkler robot
  3. Plow robot
Divided into:
  1. David
  2. Gerben
  3. Maikel
3
Review and narrowing of problem statement Collaborative effort of all members
Extended literature review on specific subject of reforestation:
  1. Biodiversity and need for control
  2. Natural reforestation versus artificial reforestation
  3. Direct seeding (manual seeding)
  4. Aerial seeding
All divided into the following categories:
  1. Collaborative effort of all group members during own research
  2. David & Adine
  3. Luc & Gerben
  4. Maikel
Rewrite problem statement Luc
Review users for narrowed problem Adine
4
Edit the general literature review on wiki Maikel
Research the costs of reforestation methods:
  1. Natural reforestation
  2. Aerial reforestation
  3. Manual reforestation
Divided by:
  1. Adine
  2. Maikel
  3. Luc
Rewrite segment of need for control and biodiversity into one introductory segement David
Start making 3D skechtes of preliminary designs Gerben
Document wiki on extended literature review page Adine
Start keeping a log of the research and design process Adine
Look for case studies Maikel & Luc
5
Write case studies Maikel & Luc
Remake planning to fit new goal of the project Maikel
Redefine objectives to fit new goal of project David
Rewrite drilling mechanism section Gerben
Finish a first 3D model Gerben
6
Continue 3D modelling Gerben
Elaborate and extend upon current preliminary designs (including sketch) Maikel, Gerben & David
Write wiki page for case studies Luc & Maikel
Evaluate designs using criteria from literature study Adine
7
Make a concept for fully functional robot and report on the wiki Maikel & Luc
Reflect on project David & Maikel
Make a draft for final presentation David & Adine
Reach and write overall project conclusion Collaborative effort of all members
8
Buffer time Collaborative effort of all members
Finish final presentation Adine, David & Maikel
Complete wiki Gerben, Luc



Approach

The problem will be approached by a design question. What is the best design for a robot to combat deforestation which will be build modular so that it can be implemented for other purposes with minor changes. The first 2 weeks the approach will primarily be sequential, as user analysis, use cases and requirements/preferences/constraints need to be done sequentially before the rest of the project can start. Once this is over, the project will run in a parallel fashion where building and modelling will happen simultaneously.

Milestones and Deliverables

Table 2: Milestones
Date Accomplished
30-04-2018 SotA research done
03-05-2018 User analysis/use cases done
07-05-2018 Have a partially eliminated list of designs
10-05-2018 Pick final “winner” design
21-05-2018 Have the first working subsystem
25-05-2018 Finish modelling
31-05-2018 Have an operational prototype running
with at least 2 subsystems
07-06-2018 Made several concepts for modules
11-06-2018 Presentation is finished
14-06-2018 Wiki is completely updated
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