Project Atlas
A modular Natcar designed as an educational platform — built from an analog front end, a full-featured BLDC motor controller, a power board, and a microcontroller board so other students can extend and redesign it.
- Embedded Systems
- BLDC Motor Control
- Analog Front End
- PCB Design
Project Atlas is my attempt at designing a modular Natcar that works as an educational tool and can be easily improved and redesigned by other students. The project consists of an analog front end to detect a signal, a full-featured BLDC motor controller, a power system, and a microcontroller board.
Each year, UC Davis and UCSD host an annual Natcar competition.
Analog Front End
The analog front end is an LC tank with a resonant frequency of 75 kHz. Filtering and gain control are needed to process the received signal from the LC tank into a DC analog signal that an onboard ADC can read.
BLDC Motor Controller
The BLDC motor controller is a board that allows for full-featured, independent control of a BLDC motor.
Power Board
The power board monitors the battery’s voltage and current usage and provides the microcontroller with safeguards in the event of a low battery or a short in the system.
Microcontroller Board
The microcontroller board provides lead-ins to various sensors and inputs. The main control board consists mainly of connectors, displays, and auxiliary ports for the sister boards.