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Project # 161
Autonomous Tow Truck
| Team Lead: | Gabriel Murillo |
| Other Team Members: | Malik Ali | Jessie Marshall | Sanjay Muru | Joshua Quezada |
| Faculty Advisor(s): | David Wetz |
| Department: | EE |
| Project Type: | Senior Design |
| Title: | Autonomous Tow Truck |
| Abstract: | This project presents the design and development of an autonomous tow truck capable of approaching, aligning with, and safely towing a disabled vehicle without human intervention. The system is built on a Mecanum wheel robotic platform, allowing holonomic motion for precise maneuvering in tight or hazardous environments. The chassis is constructed from lightweight aluminum extrusion and integrates a custom wheel lift mechanism designed to extend beneath a vehicle and deploy lifting arms using a centralized linear actuation system. The robot is equipped with various sensors including a Raspberry Pi camera, ultrasonic, lidar, and time of flight (TOF) sensors to enable environmental awareness and accurate positioning. A Raspberry Pi serves as the primary computing unit, running computer vision and navigation algorithms, while an Arduino microcontroller manages motor control, encoder feedback, and safety interlocks. Closed loop control ensures accurate alignment and repeatable lift operation. |
| Poster: | View Poster #161 (PDF) |
| Judges Scoring: | Submit Evaluation (judges only) |