Stuck with line follower robot project (Pololu QTR 8rc)

Hi,

I’m a beginner in robot based project. I found a line follower project tutorial by Mr.Arnabdas https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-ju19RMWlw.

He gave me a diagram and the code for the project. I need help regarding to connection between the components in the project since I got confused with the diagram and how to connect QTR-8RC properly. Here I have attach the schematic diagram that I got from him and a diagram that I used to connect all the components.

I hope some one could tell me what I did wrong in this project. Here is my achievement so far (literally) https://youtu.be/-Q1MztrDLj8.

Here is the schematic diagram:

And here is what I was understood from the diagram (connection that I made to my project):

And here is the code given by him:

/*
* Arduino NANO - QTR-8RC - PID Line Follower Robot V1
*
* Created: 14-07-2021 10:44:58 PM
* Author : Arnab Kumar Das
* Website: http://www.ArnabKumarDas.com/
*/

#include <avr/io.h>
#include "avr_gpio.h"
#include "avr_motor.h"
#include "avr_qtr.h"

#define LFR_MAX_MOTOR_SPEED 255    /**< Sets the Maximum PWM Duty Cycle for Line Follower Robot 0=0% 255=100% */

void LFR_Initialize()
{
    /**< Sets the Pin Mapping for QTR-8RC Sensor ; Change the Individual Pin Macros in avr_qtr.h */
  uint8_t QTR_Pins[] = {QTR_1_PIN, QTR_2_PIN, QTR_3_PIN, QTR_4_PIN, QTR_5_PIN, QTR_6_PIN, QTR_7_PIN, QTR_8_PIN};
  QTR_Init(QTR_Pins, QTR_EMITTER_PIN);    /**< Initializes the QTR-8RC Sensor */    
  Motor_Init();                           /**< Initializes the Motors */
  _delay_ms(2000);                        /**< Pause ; Useful to Align the Robot Manually if Outside the Line */
}

void LFR_Calibrate()
{
  Motor_SetSpeed(90, -90);      /**< Rotates the Robot */
  for(uint8_t i=0; i<40; i++)   /**< Calibrate the QTR-8RC Sensor */
  {
    QTR_CalibrateSensor(QTR_EMITTERS_ON);    
    _delay_ms(20);
  }
  Motor_SetSpeed(0,0);          /**< Stops the Robot */
  _delay_ms(500);
  Motor_SetSpeed(-90, 90);      /**< Rotates the Robot */
  for(uint8_t i=0; i<80; i++)   /**< Calibrate the QTR-8RC Sensor */
  {
    QTR_CalibrateSensor(QTR_EMITTERS_ON);
    _delay_ms(20);
  }
  Motor_SetSpeed(0,0);          /**< Stops the Robot */
  _delay_ms(500);
  Motor_SetSpeed(90, -90);      /**< Rotates the Robot */
  for(uint8_t i=0; i<40; i++)   /**< Calibrate the QTR-8RC Sensor */
  {
    QTR_CalibrateSensor(QTR_EMITTERS_ON);
    _delay_ms(20);
  }
  Motor_SetSpeed(0,0);          /**< Stops the Robot */
  _delay_ms(2000);              /**< Pause ; Useful to Realign the Robot Manually if Outside the Line */
}


int main()
{
  uint16_t LFR_SensorValue[8];       /**< Array to Save Raw IR Sensor values of QTR-8RC */
  uint16_t LFR_Position = 0;         /**< Variable to Save the QTR-8RC Sensor Position */
  int16_t  LFR_Proportional = 0;     /**< Variable to Save the Proportional Output of PID Control Algorithm */
  int16_t  LFR_LastProportional = 0; /**< Variable to Save the Previous Proportional Output of PID Control Algorithm */
  int16_t  LFR_Derivative = 0;       /**< Variable to Save the Derivative Output of PID Control Algorithm */
  int64_t  LFR_Integral = 0;         /**< Variable to Save the Integral Output of PID Control Algorithm */
  int16_t  LFR_ControlOutput = 0;    /**< Variable to Save the Final Control Output of PID Control Algorithm */

  LFR_Initialize();                  /**< Function to Initialize all Peripherals */
  LFR_Calibrate();                   /**< Function to Calibrate QTR-8RC Sensor */

  while(1)
  { 
    LFR_Position = QTR_ReadLine(LFR_SensorValue, QTR_EMITTERS_ON);    /**< Reads the QTR-8RC Line Sensor to Get the Line Position */
    LFR_Proportional = LFR_Position - QTR_LINE_MID_VALUE;             /**< Computes the Proportional Output of PID Control Algorithm */
    LFR_Derivative = LFR_Proportional - LFR_LastProportional;         /**< Computes the Derivative Output of PID Control Algorithm */
    LFR_Integral += LFR_Proportional;                                 /**< Computes the Integral Output of PID Control Algorithm */
    LFR_LastProportional = LFR_Proportional;                          /**< Saves the Old Proportional Output of PID Control Algorithm */

    LFR_ControlOutput = LFR_Proportional/10 + LFR_Integral/10000 + LFR_Derivative*3/2;    /**< Computes the Final Control Output of PID Control Algorithm */

    if(LFR_ControlOutput > LFR_MAX_MOTOR_SPEED)
    {
      LFR_ControlOutput = LFR_MAX_MOTOR_SPEED;    /**< Keeps The Motor Speed in Limit */
    }
    if(LFR_ControlOutput < -LFR_MAX_MOTOR_SPEED)
    {
      LFR_ControlOutput = -LFR_MAX_MOTOR_SPEED;    /**< Keeps The Motor Speed in Limit */
    }

    if(LFR_ControlOutput < 0)
    {
      Motor_SetSpeed(LFR_MAX_MOTOR_SPEED + LFR_ControlOutput, LFR_MAX_MOTOR_SPEED);    /**< Drives the Motor According to the Control Output */
    }
    else
    {
      Motor_SetSpeed(LFR_MAX_MOTOR_SPEED, LFR_MAX_MOTOR_SPEED - LFR_ControlOutput);    /**< Drives the Motor According to the Control Output */
    }
  }
}

I hope someone can help me on this project and sorry for my bad English. Thanks.

Hello.

In general, it is difficult to troubleshoot an entire system like yours, especially when you are trying to replicate someone else’s setup and the problem is so broad. If you are concerned about connections with the QTR sensor, I recommend trying to test it separately from the rest of your system with those same connections. One way you could do this is by uploading one of the example programs from our QTR sensor Arduino library.

Also, it is not clear how you are powering your Arduino Nano. It looks like the first digram you posted is using a separate regulator to provide the 5V source (which is powering the Arduino Nano through its 5V pin), but that seems to be missing in your wiring diagram.

Brandon

Thanks for your reply. I don’t use the separate regulator since the battery that I use is 7.4v and the guy who share this project had used 3.6v (if I’m not mistaken).

It still is not clear to me how you are powering the Arduino Nano; is your diagram just missing a wire between your battery and the controller?

When the robot is calibrating the sensors, are you making sure each sensor passes over the line? As I mentioned before, troubleshooting why your robot isn’t working with code written for someone else’s robot is difficult. There’s a lot that will likely need to change in the code if you are not using the same robot (such as the PID tuning and motor speeds). Have you tried testing the senor array separately from the rest of the system?

Brandon