VVE LA CIENCIA, VOL. 02, NO.

1, JUNIO 2015

Design and Construction of a Messenger Robot of Office

with Myrio and Labview
Autor-Gabriela Gavilima.1, Autor-Roger Martnez.2, Autor-Edison Valles.3, Autor-Christian Viteri.4,
Coautor-Ing. Cosme Meja 5, Coautor- Ing. Carlos Obando 6
Mechatronics, FICA, Universidad Tcnica del Norte, Av. 17 de Julio, Ibarra, Ecuador
Electronics , Automation and Control Control, Escuela Politcnica del Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador
6
Mechatronics, FICA, Universidad Tcnica del Norte, Av. 17 de Julio, Ibarra, Ecuador

1, 2, 3, 4
5,

jgabygaviv@gmail.com, rogeiro9115@hotmail.com, edisonvalles18@gmail.com, christian_sjs@hotmail.com,

cdmejia@utn.edu.ec, andress.obando@gmail.com

Abstract. The robot is built with an acrylic shell , driven by

two servo motors, controlled by a MyRO card and LabVIEW
platform, a web camera for computer vision and this is
powered by a 12V battery at 1.2 A. The robot is able to move
from office to office by a particular pattern, it is guided
through the recognition of primary colors with their
respective PWM control for changing rotation of the
servomotors to receive the signal and this is able of carrying
up to 1 / 2 kg. The robot is designed with the ability to move
on a flat surface and in a common office floor, for example:
ceramic tile, laminate or wood floor.

Keywords
MyRIO, LabVIEW, PWM, Computer Vision, Duty
Cycle.

1. Introduce
Today the business world sending information is very
important is why in the Technical University of North
located in the city of Ibarra Imbabura province with the help
of Ing. Cosme Meja, Ing. Carlos Obando guardian in
matters of Robotics and mechatronics design II, we saw the
need for a low-cost Messenger Robot for conveying objects
between the offices of the company, able to move between
an office and another that can avoid obstacles and make it
fast enough to take things efficiently.
We live in a time when almost everything is digitized
and can send information usually sent in digital form:
images, audio, video, files, etc. and all this is covered by
many services provided by different companies, but business
is not only necessary to send digital information but physical
things as paper, office utensils, accessories, etc. and through
computer it is possible to carry from one office to another
which we have seen in the need for a messenger robot, which

allows us to eliminate the company time and to use them

productively and every second is productive.
As students of engineering and with the contribution of
NI Myrio cards carry a messenger robot with machine vision
inexpensive able to move from point A to point B that can
avoid obstacles and make it fast enough to carry a document,
scissors , tape, etc. to another agency properly.

2. Materials and methods

Control of a vehicle designed in acrylic artificial
intelligence which is guided by the detection of colors
acquired from a connected to a Myrio device webcam with
programming block diagrams which consists with PWM
control was implemented motors together with the Duty
Cycle engine, the whole process by the Myrio is monitored
from a computer where you can review the actions taken by
the system.
Blocks diagram:
Acrylic resistance
System structure for a rigid impact resistant
thermoplastic acrylic called which has a breaking energy of
13.34 N on each area of 2.34 cm allowing a stable support
for the components must carry on its structure was
implemented, not They used materials such as wood or MDF
(medium density fiberboard) which to have a thickness so
small they tend to bend or strain to present some factors like
the sun and water.
Operation of the servomotors
The actuators can detect the range depending on your
work in this case implemented 2 servomotors for control tire
which support a load of 4 kg with what is the ideal support
for all components that should drive the vehicle position
They not used DC motors that do not have enough torque
necessary for the implementation of our system.

G. GAVILIMA, R. MARTNEZ, E. VALLES, C. VITERI.

The tires are applied to the actuators of a special

polymer primarily to allow us a correct movement of the
vehicle and there is no loss of track during their
Start

Information work cycles

Camera

Go

Duty cycle (duty cycle) engines which is what allows

us to control the motors in conjunction with the PWM signal
sent to us from the Myrio used

Detect Color

Device functionality Myrio

Ser. 1 Ser. 2
eneable
Rigth

The Myrio device has analog inputs and outputs which

can be programmed depending on user needs in turn also has
digital inputs and outputs, accelerometer and audio and
video inputs for developing applications which offer many
advantages the development, a major is the use of the device
wirelessly between the vehicle and the computer which can
receive data and signals steadily; allowing monitoring at
each instant of operation of the vehicle, here the program
designed in the LabVIEW platform to work together with
the Myrio was implemented.

Left

Ser. 1 enable

Ser. 2 enable

Ser. 2 disable

Ser. 1 disable

Figura 2 System flowchart

3. Results
The results are presented in the following tables.

Camera (Artificial vision)

COLOR

Figure 1 Robot

Labview programming interface

It is a software program used type is graphic visual
language; also other types of programming C ++ and JAVA
can be used. This interface allows interactive and
comfortable for recording display signals, the signals are
acquired directly from the Myrio used. In machine vision
platform was configured to identify colors with their
corresponding decision-making and mobility of the vehicle,
the PWM is set up within it to have control over the engines
more efficiently and without errors the system

COLOR
SPECTRUM

LEVEL
CLEAR

DARK
LEVEL

Yellow

0,8

0,5

Red

0,7

0,4

Green

0,9

0,3

Blue

0,75

0,6

Purple

0,95

0,6

Orange

0,4

0,1

Table 1 values to place in the VIs In Range and Coerce.

Servomotors
POSITION

MARK

VOLTAGE

DUTY
CYCLE

Left

5V

0,1

Right

5V

0,05

Table 2 values of the Duty Cycle for each motor.

Response time

VVE LA CIENCIA, VOL. 02, NO. 1, JUNIO 2015

COLOR

MOTOR

RESPUESTA (s)

Amarillo

Right

1,5

Left

1,4

Right

1,3

Left

1,3

Right

1,6

Left

1,5

Right

1,5

Left

1,5

Right

1,4

Left

1,5

Right

1,5

Left

1,5

Rojo

Azul

Morado

Naranja

Verde

Table 3 values that are placed on the Time Elapsed

With each of the performed processes, values that were

necessary for the coordination of the engines with the
camera and WI-FI communication could be found.
In table 1 we find that the values with which the
webcam identified each of the colors. Block or VI Color
Spectrum allows us to assign each color that is recorded in
the ROI (Region of interest) a range of values between the
level clear (highest value) and the dark level (lowest value)
in this way the program can identify each color. The block
Color Sensitivity gives us the option to increase the range of
colors from the LOW position to one higher amount in the
HIGH position.
The servomotors used, should operate with a Duty
Cycle, which represents a rotation of the engines, but in our
work, because it is unlocked servomotors, represented us the
speed we were going to use. In table 2 we can see that the
Duty Cycle is different for each engine, but the reason is the
way in which placed engines, since while a motor rotated
shape form time anti the other engine did form time. Each
engine comes with its range of Duty Cycle and for our
Motors they ranged from 0.034, as maximum speed in a
clockwise direction, to 0,119, as maximum speed in
counterclockwise sense.
Let's try the response of engines and their behavior by
means of wireless communication was necessary after
having found the values with which are represented by each
of the colors we use. To be in wireless communication, the
first problem which arose was the delay in response then
that, due to the rotation of the robot, the color came out of
camera range. This delay showing table 3, helps the robot to
give the full 90 degree turn.

At the end of the present work, we have concluded the

following:
Wireless communication presents a great
contribution, since no wiring is necessary and there is an
armed conflict, but there is also the disadvantage that
response presents a delay, so the cost/response relationship
that represents the use of a WI-FI signal should be discussed
well.
For reasons of time we used a webcam business, and
even though LabVIEW and especially MyRIO card present
a great compatibility with cameras, a camera suitable for the
work to be performed, since the definition that can give us
an industrial webcam is very important in machine vision
applications should be used depending on the application.
Servomotors used were plastic shaft and showed no
major failures, but if you were to carry out work to which
will see more time would be more feasible to use servo with
metal shaft.

Gratefulness
A company NATIONAL INSTRUMENTS (English)
for facilitating the device NI Myrio which accompanied with
NI LabVIEW software, allows us to develop innovative
ideas to improve the learning of all students in different areas
of robotics, mechatronics, control and embedded systems,
and to encourage the design of projects in less time than with
other tools, providing opportunities for advancement that
ensures success in engineering education.
And a special NORTH Technical University who has
managed the acquisition of equipment for the laboratories of
the Faculty of Engineering- FICA, especially Mechatronics
Career practically possible to reach our training on a
professional level thanks.
Ing. Cosme Meja, Ing. Carlos Obando, who has led the
working group to contribute permanently in the project by
providing guidelines for development of pedagogical and
didactic, and also for your confidence granted.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
1.
2.

3.
4.

4. Conclusions

National Instruments Available :

http://www.ni.com/tutorial/10867/es
CENTER INTEGRATED POLYTECHNIC . ( S.F. ) .
ARTIFICIAL VISION. Retrieved from machine vision. Available
in
:
16/2010/04
www.etitudela.com/celula/downloads/visionartificial.pdf
Snche , JA Advances in robotics and computer vision .
University of Castilla La Mancha, pp . 34- 45 , 2002 .
Salesian University . VISION , 2010. Available at :
http://dspace.ups.edu.ec/bitstream/123456789/220/2/Capitulo
%201.pdf

G. GAVILIMA, R. MARTNEZ, E. VALLES, C. VITERI.

5.
6.

Fundamentals of Machine Vision - RHODES , Prof. Dr.

Francisco Gmez Rodrguez , 2010 , pp . 17-28.
Retrieved from WLAN wireless LAN Kioskea . (June 2014) .
WLAN wireless LAN . Available on :
http://rodas.us.es/file/26a3632e-7124-4e72-b045d9ae3edd3938/1.

Author-Gabriela GAVILIMA Primary studies in Maria

Angelica Idrobo School. Secondary studies in Nacional
Ibarra high school with the specialization in Computer
Science. Currently is in eighth semester in Mechatronics
Engineering at the Faculty of Engineering of Applied
Sciences belonging to the "Universidad Tcnica Del Norte.

Author-Roger Martnez. I am a student of the ninth

semester of Mechatronics Engineering at University North
technique in which I have seen many interesting aspects of
research particularly in the area of Robotics and automation,
developing ideas and applications in aid for people who
suffer from certain diseases, working on computers for
investigations into matters of Robotics and artificial
intelligence, and Mechatronics.
Author - Christian VITERI
Student of engineering in mechatronics, attending the 10th
semester of the Technical University of the North of Ibarra
Ecuador. He graduated as Bachelor of physical
mathematical of the Unidad Educativa Experimental
Teodoro Gmez de la Torre. With studies in AutoCAD,
Inventor, SolidWorks, Dreamweaver, Flash and LabVIEW,
in addition to management of the English language.