Mechatronics|2025

WALL-E Autonomous Sorting Robot

An autonomous sorting robot that combines sensing, motor control, and hierarchical embedded logic to perform repeatable physical tasks.

CHierarchical state machinesIR sensorsColor sensorsMotor controlH-bridge driversSystem integration

Project Overview

Implemented the hierarchical state machine in C and used it to coordinate navigation, sensing, object handling, and sorting behavior.

Structured the software into modular sensing, logic, and actuation layers so individual subsystems could be developed and debugged more cleanly.

Integrated IR sensors, color sensors, motor control, and closed-loop behavior into a system that could perform repeatable autonomous tasks rather than isolated demos.

Worked heavily on system-level debugging, tuning, and behavior refinement to make the robot more reliable in real use.

Technical Details

Microcontroller-based control system implemented in C.
IR sensors used for line detection and color sensors used for object classification.
DC motors driven through H-bridge motor drivers.
Behavior coordinated through a hierarchical state machine.
Software structured into sensing, logic, and actuation modules.

Engineering Challenges

Designing state transitions that stayed readable while handling more complex behavior.
Integrating multiple sensors into one decision-making flow without making behavior brittle.
Maintaining repeatable motion and sorting performance under changing conditions.
Debugging embedded behavior with limited runtime visibility.