Top 8 Advanced Android Robotics touch screen controlled wireless projects

Android Operating system based GUI applications can not only be used in controlling electrical appliances, but also in controlling robots. These days’ robots are used on a widespread scale and in many different ways to perform tasks as required. Given below are projects regarding controlling a few robots. Not only robots, but it is also possible to use Android applications for many other uses like displaying a message electronically, controlling the traffic signals. The Android application consists of a touch screen panel whereupon touching a designated area, a contact is established between the two conducting layers on either side of the glass and the coordinates of that area are sent in form of data to the control unit of the software. Accordingly, this data is processed and is then sent to any Bluetooth device through wireless connectivity.

Below we are going to see some of the projects related to control of electronics by Android-based applications.

1. War Field Spying Robot with Night Vision Wireless Camera by Android Applications

Robots have a widespread application in the military where they are used in many applications like spying, target detecting and destroying, etc. The robots used in the military are not fully automatic as they are controlled by human beings. This control can be done remotely through RF or IR or Bluetooth or GSM communication. Here a spying robot is built which is embedded with a wireless camera that is used to take pictures at night time and transmit these images to a TV. Here the whole operation and movement of the robot are controlled by the signals from a GUI based application on an Android operated smartphone.

One  GUI application on the Android smartphone with a touch screen panel consists of relevant touch buttons which denote the required directions of motion for the robotic motor. For example, when the button corresponding to the ‘forward’ direction is touched, the corresponding signal is developed which is transmitted to a Bluetooth device. This Bluetooth device is interfaced with the microcontroller and this command is fed to the microcontroller. As per the program, the microcontroller gives an appropriate logic signal to the motor driver to operate the motors to move the robot in the desired direction. Similarly, the camera works using the IR illumination for night time vision.

For details click here: War Field Spying Robot with Night Vision Wireless Camera by Android Applications

2. Fire Fighting Robot Remotely Operated by Android Applications

Robots can be used in place of conventional fire brigade vehicles (where the whole operation is carried out manually) for remotely extinguishing the fire. These robots can be fully automatic or can be controlled remotely. Here such a robot is developed which consists of a water tank and a pipe connected to the tank such that water is supplied from the tank to the pipe which is thrown out from the pipe through a nozzle as per operation by the user. The whole operation of the robot and its movement is done by control signals from a GUI application on the Android-based smartphone.

The touch screen panel of the GUI application provides different touch buttons to achieve the control of the robot in different directions and also to operate the water pump and its jet spray in the required direction. When the required button is touched, the coordinates of that button are transferred to the software of the smartphone and then transmitted to the Bluetooth device as signals. The microcontroller interfaced with the Bluetooth device receives this signal and as per the program, gives appropriate signals to the motor driver to rotate the motors in the desired direction.

For details click here: Fire Fighting Robot Remotely Operated by Android Applications

3. Pick and Place Robotic Arm And Movement Controlled by Android Wirelessly

A pick and place robot is a mobile robot with a gripper for applying appropriate pressure on an object by reaching to its location and then catching it. The gripper along with a movable boom can hold the object and then place it at the required place as desired.  This whole operation is carried out by motors which in turn are controlled through remote control. This project is developed as a pick and place robot wherein the movement of the robot as well as its boom arm is controlled by a GUI based application on an Android operated smartphone.

The GUI application is built on a touch screen panel of the phone which consists of appropriate buttons to achieve appropriate movement of the robot as well as its end effecter. Using the buttons, the appropriate signals are transmitted via Bluetooth communication to the microcontroller, and as per the program; the microcontroller sends relevant logic to the motor drivers to drive the motors.

The command to move the arm (end effecter) in the desired direction is given by touching the relevant button on the smartphone. This command is processed and used by the microcontroller to provide signals to the motor driver to rotate the arm motor in the desired direction. When an object is brought near the gripper, as per the command from the application, the gripper opens and the object is held with required pressure and the gripper motor stops automatically.

For details click here: Pick and Place Robotic Arm And Movement Controlled by Android Wirelessly

4. Metal Detector Robotic Vehicle Operated by Android Application

Robots are used in hazardous applications like sensing landmines. Landmines are explosive metallic devices that are placed beneath the land and are hard to detect. Using the conventional technique of manually detecting landmines using metal detectors has proved to be dangerous and inconvenient. This project develops a robotic vehicle with a metal detector system embedded on it which can sense the presence of metals ahead of it. The whole control of the robot is done by an Android-based smartphone application.

The GUI based application on the smartphone consists of a touch screen panel with appropriate buttons to achieve the motion of the robot in the desired direction. The control signals are transmitted to a Bluetooth device interfaced with the microcontroller and as per the program, the microcontroller gives logic signals to the motor driver to rotate the motors in the desired direction or stop the motor. A metal detector consisting of a coil in resonance is embedded on the circuit and when a metal comes near it, because of faraday’s law of induction, the resonance is disturbed that indicates the metal being detected and accordingly this indication is shown by a LED glowing with an audible buzzer sound.

For details click here: Metal Detector Robotic Vehicle Operated by Android Application

5. Android Application Controlled Remote Robot Operation

A robot can be automatic wherein its movement can be controlled by sensors embedded in the circuit which can give proper input or it can be semi-automatic with the control in hands of humans. The control can be done remotely by passing signals to the control unit through RF, GSM, or Bluetooth communication. Here in this project, controlling a robot using Bluetooth communication has been followed. This is done by using an Android-based smartphone.

The touch screen panel of a GUI based application consists of 4 buttons to define the forward, reverse, left and right movement of the robot along with a stop button. While any of the buttons is touched, the coordinates related to that position are transferred to the OS software and a signal is generated. This signal is transferred to the Bluetooth device after it gets proper paring and connection. The Bluetooth device is interfaced with the microcontroller and this signal is fed to the microcontroller. As per the program, the microcontroller accordingly gives appropriate signals to the motor driver to provide the desired rotation for the motors so that the robot moves in the desired direction.

For details click here: Android Application Controlled Remote Robot Operation

6. Railway Level Crossing Gate Control by Android Application

This project provides a way to achieve synchronization between the arrival and departure of trains and the opening and closing of the crossing gates. The conventional system of operating the level crossing gate manually is not accurate and has lead to many accidents in the past. Thus an automatic way of controlling of opening or closing of gates based on the control signal from the train driver is more reliable.

The GUI application on the Android-based smartphone is used by the driver to sent information about the arrival of the train before reaching the gate, to the microcontroller through a Bluetooth device. As the microcontroller receives this signal, it accordingly sends proper logic signals to the motor driver to close the crossing gate. The microcontroller is programmed in such a way that it sends the signals for a fixed amount of time for closing the gate (indicating the time for which the train will cross the tracks). After that particular amount of time, appropriate logic signals are sent to the motor driver to automatically open the crossing gate.

For details click here: Railway Level Crossing Gate Control by Android Application

7. Remotely Controlled Android based Electronic Notice Board

Notice boards are required at many places like educational institutions, organizations, malls, etc. It is not feasible and convenient to manually stick notices on the board every time.  Instead of using an electronic way of displaying the message is more convenient and time-saving. This project defines an electronic notice board wherein the message is sent from the GUI application of a smartphone wirelessly and is displayed on the display unit.

The Android-based application is connected to a Bluetooth device and consists of a touch screen panel activating the inbuilt keypad. When the message is entered (by touching the appropriate button on the touch screen panel) and the sent button is pressed, the ASCII code developed by the program gets converted to serial data and is then transmitted to a Bluetooth device. This Bluetooth device is interfaced with a microcontroller and after proper processing, the microcontroller (as per the program) displays the message on an LCD module interfaced with it.

For details click here: Remotely Controlled Android based Electronic Notice Board

8. Density-Based Auto Traffic Signal Control with Android Based Remote Traffic Override

With the growing usage of vehicles in metro cities, traffic congestion is the major problem faced every day. This system defines a solution to this problem by developing a dynamic way of controlling traffic lights based on the density of the traffic. In addition to this, vehicles like ambulances, fire brigade vehicles are given emergency exit from the junction, based on the control signals given to the control unit from a GUI based application on the Android operated smartphone.

Different sensors are placed at each side of the junction to sense the density of traffic at each side. As the traffic density on all sides is equal or low, the traffic lights are made to glow green for a fixed time interval. If at one of the sides, the traffic density is more, the sensors sense this information, and accordingly as per the program, the microcontroller sends logic signals to the green LED of that side such that the green light glows for a longer duration of time. A touch screen panel on the GUI based application of the Android-based smartphone consists of buttons to define each direction from the junction. While an emergency vehicle approaches the junction, the control signal is sent by touching the appropriate button (corresponding to the direction in which the emergency vehicle is supposed to go). This signal is transmitted to the Bluetooth device and as the microcontroller receives this interrupt signal (from the Bluetooth device), it sends logic signals to the LEDs such that the red LED signals at all other sides of the junction are switched ON excepting that particular side which is switched ON Green. This allows the emergency vehicle to pass through even if other vehicles are ahead of it.

For details click here: Density-Based Auto Traffic Signal Control with Android Based Remote Traffic Override

If any of the projects described above interests you, you are free to view further details about the same by clicking on the appropriate links.

For all those eager to implement these projects as soon as possible, just answer this basic question – Can you use Android application for automatic operation of a robot without any human intervention? If yes, do tell me how in the comments section below.