Natcar

People interested in joining Natcar should read this document (pdf) explaining the previous implementation of the robot's control system.

Natcar is an annual undergraduate design competition hosted by National Semiconductor Corporation. The objective of the competition is to design and construct an autonomous race car that can negotiate a preset course in the shortest time possible. The course is marked by 1-inch-wide white floor tape on a dark-colored background (carpet). In addition, there is a wire under the tape and the wire is driven with a 75 kHz sinusoidal signal (100 mA rms). The competition takes place during the end of May at NSC in Sunnyvale. Students design, build, debug, and optimize all the sensor circuitry, power supplies, motor drivers, and controls.

The Natcar project is great way for undergraduate students to see what they can achieve after 2-3 years of education in UCSD. Under the direction of Dr. Clark Guest the objective of Natcar is to convert an RC car into a smart line following robot. The Natcar team started by developing a car that can take a simple signal (go straight) from the microcontroller, then the team worked on sensor development and additional I/O support.

UCSD entered the Natcar competition for the first time in 2005, competing against schools such as UC Davis, UC Berkeley, and UCLA. In 2006, the Natcar project expanded and UCSD sent three teams to the competition. For 2007, the three original teams have combined into one, which is nearing completion for competition.