Firefighting Robot 1:

Firefighting Robot 2:

Firefighting Robot 3:

Here is more about firefighting robots. I’ve observed that bachelor’s projects done by project centers in India typically don’t actually extinguish any fire. They simply have a robot that can be navigated using a remote control. They cover it up by saying that there would be an imaginary water pipe that would extinguish the flame. Now that’s cheating.

We have started a new video series on Embedded Systems. Through this series, Sridhar Jammalamadaka is going to teach you the basics of Embedded Systems, micro controller programming and techniques to build robotics projects.

This is the first video in the series that introduces you to the topic Embedded Systems.

Indian Students studying Engineering, especially in electrical, computer science, electronics, instrumentation control departments, are interested to learn embedded systems. That’s because they wish to build their own robots and participate in robotics competitions conducted by IITs and other colleges. Engineering Students also like to build micro controller projects on their own to show off to their friends. Nothing wrong in that. The primary purpose of engineers is to innovate and build.

And doing a fully finished, working micro controller project is a great achievement to students. It gives them a proud feeling and a sense of completion of their theoretical study at colleges.

Wikipiedia definition of an Embedded System: a computer system which is designed to perform one or few dedicated functions. It is embedded as a part of a complete device often including hardware and mechanical parts.

This video explains in simple language what Embedded systems means. What makes embedded systems special is that it can perform tasks automatically on its own. All you have to do is, you have to tell the micro controller chip what to do by writing a program. That’s it, the embedded system will perform the tasks that you have asked it to do. Sounds similar to robotics doesn’t it? Well robots are applications of embedded systems.

Where are embedded systems being used in real life? Everywhere

This video also explains few of the most common applications of embedded systems being used in real world.

1. Mobile phone

   

   Nokia mobile phone

   As it performs particular tasks such as sending sms, capturing pictures on cam, displaying call information, placing a call etc. Your phone is a mini computer that stores all your pictures and call information. Mobile can store messages and it gives you functionality to display and delete sms. You can play games on your mobile. All this is possible because of the Digital Signal Processor chips and micro controller chips in your mobile.

2. Microwave Oven

   

   Panasonic Microwave

   Oven automatically knows when the set temperature is being reached. It shuts it off on its own once the set time has elapsed. How does it an oven know? There are micro controller chips inside an oven that are being programmed to do those tasks. There are temperature sensors inside an oven which convert the temperature into a digital signal and are given to a micro controller. This micro controller understands the value of temperature and takes the decision to shut off once the required temperature is reached.

3. Pulsar DTSi Bike

   

   Pulsar DTSi

   Pulsar motorcycle manufactured by Bajaj, has a digital speedometer display. This display shows the speed in meters per sec or kilometers per hour. Also can show amount of petrol available to use. This display is driven using an embedded system. The speed of the bike gets converted into an analog signal first. This signal is then converted to a digital signal and is being fed to a micro controller. The micro controller understands this signal, converts the value to suitable scale and displays it on an LCD display.

4. Aircraft Autopilot

   

   Aircraft cockpit

   How does an auto pilot work in an air craft. Aircrafts have complex embedded systems built that constantly measure height and direction towards which the plane is heading. Autopilot automatically understands the deviation from the required direction and corrects the plane action to go in proper altitude and direction. This embedded system works in real time and takes decisions on its own.

5. Pepsi Cola Manufacture

   

   Pepsi bottle

   How does pepsi manufacture thousands of cola bottles daily? Are there thousands of manual labor who do that? No. They have pre-programmed robotic automation machines that clean the bottles, pour cola into them and seal them. This is another example of application of embedded system.

What is unique about this video series is that we are not going to teach you theory, but we are going to teach you in a practical way how to give life to your micro controller projects.

Keep visiting this website for latest videos and updates.