Mobile Controllers for Naval Robotic Systems

The goal of this project is to design, build, and test a robust tablet with an application for controlling a robot unit onboard a naval vessel. The final design has a ruggedized iPad Mini using the Triton’s Link robot-control application, which sends a signal to the robot telling it where to go and how to get there. The application contains control test procedures and monitors output data such as the robot speed, direction, and force of collision. Because security is paramount, a code generator was developed to provide a code to input into the robot application. To ruggedize the tablet, a 3-D shell case was designed and printed for the iPad Mini. The case is held together using HeliCoils and screws, contains thick foam for insulation and shock proofing, and is fitted with a watertight gasket. The case was developed to survive water, wind, and fluctuating temperatures, and to ensure that the iPad Mini still functions after hitting the deck from a great height. This ruggedized tablet and robot-control application could be a cheaper and more technologically advanced alternative to current U.S. Navy systems, which are old and expensive to replace.