Selfmade Controller

Introduction

This project involves designing and building a self-made microcontroller for a miniature vehicle. The goal is to create a compact, fully functional control system capable of managing motor speed, steering, and sensors, providing autonomous or remote-controlled operation for small-scale vehicles.

Which problem I have solved?

The aim of this project was to develop a controller unit that can be used in a miniature vehicle, such as a small robot or RC car. Off-the-shelf microcontroller boards often have limitations in terms of size, power consumption, and customization options. These limitations can hinder the development of compact, efficient, and fully integrated control systems for miniature vehicles. This self-made microcontroller solves these issues by providing a fully customizable control unit, capable of reading sensor inputs, managing motor outputs, and executing programmed behaviors, all in a compact, low-power design.

Technical Tools Used

Custom Microcontroller Board: Designed from scratch using a dedicated MCU chip.
Motors: DC motors for propulsion and steering.
Motor Drivers / H-Bridge: Enable safe bidirectional control of the motors.
Programming: C development using Microchip Studio.
Power Supply: Portable power bank.

What I have learned?

Embedded Programming: Writing efficient, reliable code for microcontrollers and understanding timing-critical operations.
Electronics Design: Designing circuits for motor control, sensor integration, and stable power management.
System Integration: Combining multiple hardware and software components to work seamlessly together.
Problem-Solving: Identifying limitations of off-the-shelf solutions and creating custom approaches.
Project Management: Planning, prototyping, testing, and iterating a complete embedded system.

Keywords

Microcontroller, Embedded Systems, Motor Control, Sensor Integration, Robotics, Custom Electronics, C/C++ Programming System Integration, Prototype Development