The Performance of Rocker Bogie Rover in Detecting the

Soil Moisture in Smart Farming Applications

A Research Paper
Presented to Research Faculty – SHS

A Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement

In Research 202

Aguinot, Keith Pierri

Alaba, Charles Ivan
Cabaraban, Marc Rhys Alistaire
Colipano, Shaira Grace
Pelino, Seth Adrian
Telen, Yvonne

Ms. Lolita S. Martinez

Instructor

Grade 12- Cabeo

S.Y. 2019-2020
 CERTIFICATE OF ORIGINALITY

This is to certify that we assume full responsibility over the work

entitled “The Performance of Rocker Bogie Rover in Detecting the
Soil Moisture in Smart Farming Applications” submitted as a requirement for
graduation for Senior High School at Xavier University-Ateneo de Cagayan Senior
High School, that the work is our own research and effort; that this is original except
as specified in the acknowledgements, footnotes or in the references, and that this
has never been submitted to this or any other school for a degree or other
requirements.

Aguinot, Keith Pierri

Alaba, Charles Ivan

Cabaraban, Marc Rhys Alistaire

Colipano, Shaira Grace

Pelino, Seth Adrian

Telen, Yvonne

February 2020
 APPROVAL SHEET

This Research Paper entitled: “The Performance of the

Rocker Bogie Rover Detecting the Soil Moisture in Smart Farming

Applications” prepared and submitted by AGUIÑOT, Keith Pierri, ALABA,

Charles Ivan F, CABARABAN, Marc Rhys Alistaire I, COLIPANO, Shaira Grace

E, PELIÑO, Seth Adrian D, TELEN, Yvonne B, in partial fulfillment of the

requirements for graduation for Senior High School has been examined and is

recommended for Oral Examination.

Ms Lolita S Martinez, MSc (cand)

Research Teacher

PANEL OF EXAMINEES

Approved by the Committee on Oral Examination with a passing mark.

Ms Lolita S Martinez, MSc (cand)

Chair

Ms Gertrude M Garcia, PhD (cand) Mr Jeffrey F Tumampos, LPT

Member Member

Approved and accepted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for

graduation for Senior High School.

Dr Rogelio L Gawahan PhD

Principal
Xavier University Senior High School
February 2020
 Table of Contents

TITLE PAGE……………………………………………………………………………..…I

CERTIFICATE OF ORIGINALITY…………………………………………………….…II

APPROVAL SHEET………………………………………………………………………III

ACKNOWLEDGMENT……………………………………………………………………IV

ABSTRACT………………………………………………………………………..……….V

TABLE OF CONTENTS…………………………………………………………………..VI

LIST OF TABLES……………………………………………………………...………….VII

LIST OF FIGURES……………………………………………………………………..…VIII

CHAPTER 1 THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND

1. Introduction
1.1 Background of the Study………………………………………….………….…...1
1.2 Statement of the Problem …………………………………..……………....……2
1.3 Research Questions………………………………………………………….……3
1.4 Significance of the Study …………………………………………………………3
1.5 Scope and Delimitation……………………………………………………………4

CHAPTER 2 REVIEW OF RELATED STUDIES AND LITERATURE

2. Introduction
2.1 Conceptual Literature…………………………………………………………….……5
2.2 Related Studies………………………………………………………………….…….11
2.3 Conceptual Framework………………………………………………………….……14

CHAPTER 3 METHODOLOGY OF THE STUDY

3.1 Design and Calculation of Rocker Bogie Rover……………………………………15
3.2 Materials……………………………………………………………………………..…18
3.3 Methods……………………………………………………………………………...…19
3.4 Research Design………………………………………………………………………22
3.5 Statistical Treatment…………………………………………………………………..22
CHAPTER 4 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Introduction…………………………………………………………………………………23

Data and Results…………………………………………………………………………..24

CHAPTER 5 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

5.1Summary…………………………………………………………..……………………29
5.2 Conclusion……………………………………………………..…..………….………30
5.3 Limitations……………………………………………………...………..…………….31
5.4 Recommendations…………………………………………...…………..…………...31

REFERENCES…………………….……………………………..……………………….33

APPENDICES

Appendix A : Project Management Plan..……………………..……….……..…...…..36

Appendix B: Project Material Budget Plan..…………………..……………………….39

Appendix C: Software Program Code……..………………..………………………….41

CURRICULUM VITAE.……………………………………..……………………………43
 ACKNOWLEDGMENT

This project becomes a reality with the kind of support and help of many

individuals. The researchers would like to extend their sincere gratitude to every who

made this research study possible.

Foremost, the researchers want to offer their endeavor to the Almighty God for

the wisdom he bestowed upon them, the strength, peace of mind and good health in

order to finish this study

The researchers would like to express their utmost gratitude towards their family

for the encouragement and financial assistance which helped them in completion of

this project. To Mr. Rey Telen, Mr. Pelagio Alaba, Engr. Gunnar Shane

Cabaraban PEE and Dr. Maria Theresa Cabaraban ChE. in making the prototype

and improving the research paper.

The researchers would also like to thank to their research adviser and instructor,

Ms. Lolita Martinez for imparting her knowledge and continuous advises to the

researchers.

This study wouldn’t be possible without the guidance and the supervision of the

XU College of Engineering especially to the following people: Engr. Johanne

Timbal and Engr. Kristoffer Flores for their continuous sharing of their expertise in

this study.

Lastly the researchers would want to give thanks and appreciation to their

colleague and to the people who have willingly helped them out with their abilities.
 Abstract

This study aims to utilize the concept of a Rocker-Bogie Rover in applications

for smart farming in agriculture. The study aims to assess its capabilities in
locomotion as a rover with the added purpose of detecting soil moisture. A rover was
constructed in order to perform the objective. A hygrometer was installed into the
rover to detect soil at different levels, mainly high, low, and none at all. The factors
for locomotion studied were the static stability factor, directional stability, and traction.
The rover’s ability to detect soil and the distance it can cover without losing Bluetooth
connection was also tested. The rover went through tests for each of these factors.
The Static Stability was tested by undergoing ditches at varying angles, mainly 30
degrees and 45 degrees. The traction was tested by having the rover move through
different terrain. The directional Stability was tested by having the rover shift its
direction through different terrain. The distance was tested by having the rover move
forward until it loses connection. The hygrometer was tested by having it scan
different areas of soil with varying amounts of water applied. In each of these tests,
the rover did not fail by falling over, and was able to correctly detect the level of
moisture in each area of soil. In conclusion, the Rocker-Bogie Rover has proven
itself to be a machine that is applicable to smart farming. And if properly
industrialized, can provide increased efficiency to farmers and crop scientists.
 LIST OF TABLES

Table Page

Table 1: Maximum Distance from Bluetooth Controller 24

Table 2: Rover’s Velocity Upon Maneuvering Over Various…. 25

Table 3: Soil Moisture Detection Effectiveness 26

Table 4: Work Breakdown Structure 36

Table 5: Project Work Breakdown 37

Table 6: Overall Project Work Timeline 38

Table 7: Software Material Cost 39

Table 8: Hardware Material Cost 40

 LIST OF FIGURES

Figure Page

Figure 1: Schema of the Conceptual Framework 14

Figure 2: Schematic Design for the Rocker Bogie Rover 15

Figure 3: Planar Design for Rocker Bogie Rover 16

Figure 4: Calculation of Tilt Angle and Wheelbase 16

Figure 5: Calculation of the Length of Links 17

Figure 6: Calculation of Height 17

Figure 7: Software Materials 18

Figure 8: Hardware Materials 18

Figure 9: Hardware Fabrication 19

Figure 10: Circuit Diagram Procedure 20

Figure 11: Prototype Assessment on a 30°Slope 21

Figure 12: Rover’s Trajectory on a 30° Slope 27

Figure 13: Rover’s Trajectory on a 45° Ditch 28

Figure 14: Arduino Program Code 42

 CHAPTER 1

THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

In recent years, the rocker-bogie rover mechanism has become a

3verified mobility application due to its greater vehicle stability and rough
terrain capability (Sinha, A., 2018; Sinha, R., 2018). The system of the rocker-
bogie was first introduced as part of the Mars Pathfinder's Sojourner rover.
Because of its suspension arrangement, the Mars Exploration Rover (MER)
and Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) missions adapted this kind of mechanism
(Jotheess, Hari, Abhilash, & Govendan, 2017). The rocker-bogie mechanism
is one of the most popular linkage mechanisms today. Its locomotion was also
applied not just in space travel vehicles but also in different aspects of mobile
robotics particularly in land-based robotics. Its mechanism is widely known in
terms of its optimization in disaster relief, military, and agricultural based
robotics. Also its current designs for mobility becomes an important aspect in
terms of its application (Birendra et al., 2017).

In the agricultural aspect, many scientists started developing more

rational and adaptable mobile vehicles for agricultural operations. In the field
of agricultural autonomous vehicles, multiple concepts were adapted to use
multiple small but efficient autonomous machines in place of traditional small
and large scale vehicles. Because of this, various researchers are working on
an autonomous vehicle design for precision agricultural mobile robots. More
studies have also been developed in different navigation methods such as an
odometer, vision based, sensor based, inertial, active beacon, GPS, map-
based landmark navigation techniques to operate robots under unified control
space for farming. These methods will be used for various applications like
seed-bed preparation, seed mapping, seed placement, reseeding, crop
scouting, weed mapping, robotic weeding control, micro-spraying, robotics
gantry, and robotic irrigation (Kushwaha, 2016).

1
 Agricultural mobile robots need to perform various functions in
challenging, dynamic, and semi-structured environments. Land-based robots
need to travel on rough, homogeneous, and muddy soil terrain. Current
agricultural robots are mainly designed through the innovations from other
sectors. As such, they may be not fully optimized for their tasks, or may retain
some of the limitations of existing platforms like the system and mechanism of
the robot (Duckett, Pearson, Blackmore, & Grieve, 2018). Following this
problem, the researchers conducted a study on the capability of the rocker-
bogie rover mechanism in detecting the soil’s status through the use of soil
moisture. As this may help in increasing efficiency in smart farming application.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

According to Korup, Clague, Hermanns, Hewitt, K., Strom, & Weidinger

(2007), the soil of the Earth can be dangerous if it has too much moisture as it
can cause many disasters from slipping from it to soil erosion leading to
landslides. According to Meyer (2019) too much moisture can be detrimental
to plants as over-watered plants are likely to get root disease, primarily root
rot. Through proper monitoring of soil, these problems can be solved.
However, because of the length and effort it will take to monitor the soil
regularly, farmers often pour water if the plant seems dehydrated, often
causing over-watering, which can be manually solved by adding holes to the
soil to create oxygen holes. With the development of robotic technology and
computer programming, using a rover to measure moisture content can be
one way to address the problem of over-watering of crops (Kumar, et al.
2007). This study aims to use a “Rocker Bogie Rover”, or simply known as a
rover, that will lessen the human effort of monitoring soil moisture on crops
and will give accurate data on the lack or excess of moisture.

The rover that the study aims to create will be able to scan, monitor,
and analyze the moisture levels of soil within an area. The criteria used to
analyze the efficiency of using a rover as a monitor will be judged by its
accuracy of data and speed of its analysis.

2
 1.3 Research Questions

This study aims to analyze the capability of the rocker-bogie rover

mechanism in detecting soil moisture. Specifically, this study aims to answer
the following questions:

General Question

What are the various capabilities of the rocker-bogie rover in detecting

the soil moisture?

Specific Questions:

1. To what extent is the rocker-bogie rover capable of?

2. What are the design parameters of the system based on the chosen
rover design?
3. What are the benefits of the rocker-bogie rover’s mechanism in
terms of its applicability in agricultural terrain?

1.4 Significance of the Study

The results of the study will be of great benefit to the following:

Small scale farmers. This study will help small scale farmers in
conserving water. By conserving water, water consumption and water
bills of small scale farmers will decrease. By this, the budget allotted for
water bills will go to other expenses such as food, electricity and labour.
Also it will lessen the burden of farmers because of the rover. Farmers
do not need to check the water in every crop. The rover will determine
if the moisture in a given area of a crop is high, low, or none at all.

Department of Agriculture. This study will help the Department of

Agriculture in solving water scarcity. The department will provide
farmers access to the technology to help them in their crops. The
department can also further enhance the features of this rover into a
larger scale and use it in mass production.

3
 Future Researchers. With this research study, it can be created as
one of the foundation and sources of other research which correlates to
a given topic. It can also be beneficial for the future projects particularly
in robotic agriculture.

1.5 Scope and Delimitation

This study focuses on the capabilities of rocker bogie rover in detecting

the soil moisture. This study considers the factors/variables that help in
detecting the soil’s moisture such as the 6-wheeled rocker bogie rover, its
battery power and navigation system. The 6-wheeled rocker bogie rover
should be able to pass through the two classifications of natural terrains, the
positive terrain and the negative terrain. Positive terrain refers to rocks and
steps whereas negative terrain refers to holes and/or craters. The battery life
and its power will determine how long the rover can navigate and its ability to
automatically navigate. The rover’s ability to measure soil will be limited from
measuring moisture to only detecting moisture and indicating if the amount of
moisture within an area is high, low, or none.

The research will be conducted at the Xavier University College of

Engineering Laboratory equipped with materials needed in the construction of
the rocker bogie rover and will also likewise be the place of data gathering.
Data gathering can be done as soon as the rover is built and is ready for
testing. The researchers can gather data through various data testing
methods and different trials with the aim to know the rover’s capability in
detecting soil moisture. This study will be conducted within 4 months and with
a limited amount of financial resources.

4
 CHAPTER 2

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES

2. Introduction

This literature review presents the principles, concepts, and theory

related to the study. The related studies were taken out from books,

dissertations, online journals, theses and unpublished materials. It covers the

concepts that contributed to the understanding of soil moisture measurements

and robot stability. It provides a description of the research gaps in some

related studies which this study can help fill. Lastly it describes the agricultural

model robot which can help in the development of the rover to be used in this

study.

2.1 Conceptual Literature

Precision Agriculture

Precision agriculture or smart farming is about managing field

variations (soil, climate and water) as accurately as possible to grow food with

higher productivity in a sustainable manner, while reducing production costs

and environmental impact (“Basic concepts,” 2017). Since this study also

deals with the condition of the soil it highly requires the knowledge about

some agricultural aspects to guide the research. According to Archila (2014),

precision agriculture is nowadays one of the main strategies to fulfill the

increasing rate of food demand in the world. One of the contributions of

precision farming is to fulfill this demand not just locally, but also globally,

especially since one of the major global problems is the availability of food. In

5
order to increase food supply or agricultural production, innovative and

effective farming management practices must be used. Smart farming

represents the application of modern information and communication

technologies (ICT) into agriculture, leading to what can be called a third green

revolution (Gorli, 2017). Gorli also added that, following the plant breeding

and genetics revolution, this third green revolution is taking over the

agricultural world based upon the combined application of ICT solutions such

as precision equipment, the internet of things (IoT) sensors and actuators,

Geo-positioning system, and big data.

Soil Moisture Estimation Methods

Soil moisture is the temporary storage of water within a shallow layer of

the Earth's upper surface and it plays a vital role in water component

detection and irrigation system. It also can be used as an index in forecasting

natural disasters like floods, drought, and erosion (Sharma, Srivastava, &

Kumar, 2018).

The significance of precise soil moisture data is well understood in the

field of agriculture. Soil moisture is very dynamic and its data must seriously

be monitored continuously. There are several soil moisture estimation

methods, each having advantages and disadvantages in terms of precision.

The soil moisture estimation methods can be categorically divided into two

types, the point measurement methods and remote sensing methods. On the

other hand remote sensing methods focus on a larger agricultural area of soil

moisture detection. In this method, various operating sensors are being used

in obtaining precise data and information over a larger spatial distribution in a

6
farming area. The remote sensing methods provide a better result in a large

area, and it provides spatial and temporal variability of soil moisture but it

needs ground trothing for soil moisture calibration. Some sensing types that

are included in this method are optical, thermal, microwave, and passive

microwave remote sensing method (Srivastava et al., 2015).

In point measurement method, the direct measurement of this

parameter is done in the field or by analyzing a soil sample in a laboratory.

Which means that this method cannot reach out over a bigger area with a

high level of accuracy. There are various methods available for point

measurements like gravimetric methods, nuclear methods, scattering,

electromagnetic methods, tensiometer techniques, hygrometric techniques

and emerging techniques (Verstraeten, Veroustraete, & Feyen, 2008).

In this study, hygrometric techniques were being used for accumulating

the data in a particular area. Hygrometric techniques use a hygrometer,

specifically a probe that would detect and measure the relative humidity of

ambient air for a precise data collection.

Robot Design Parameters

Rocker Bogie Suspension

The rocker bogie suspension uses the climbing capabilities of its

predecessor the Pantograph suspension but increases the rovers’ ability to

traverse bumps. As with Pantograph, this suspension allows the rover to

traverse obstacles 50% greater than the diameter of a wheel (Dudek & Jenkin,

2000).

7
 A rover is considered to have a greater degree of mobility in natural

terrain if it can cross obstacles that are large in comparison to the size of its

wheels. A rover must have enough traction from its rear wheels to push the

front wheels against an obstacle with enough force so that they can climb up it.

Typically, a six wheeled rover can climb obstacles larger than a wheel radius

because the rear wheels have enough traction. Without traction the wheels

will slip and there will not be enough forward thrust to keep the front wheels in

contact with the obstacle. The rocker bogie suspension can surmount

obstacles head on that are larger than a wheel diameter because it uses an

extra set of wheels to provide more forward thrust. The extra wheels also

reduces the normal force on each wheel by about 1/6 the weight of the rover.

Less forward thrust is required because the front wheels only have to lift

(Sandin, 2003).

Locomotion

Locomotion is a mechanism, which moves a rigid body. Mobile robot’s

most essential part is its locomotion system which determines the stability and

capacity while going through rough terrain. The distinction of robotic

locomotion from traditional types in that it is independent without human

intervention. When fabricating a robot, designers must have decided on the

terrain requirements such as the stability criteria, obstacle height, and surface

friction (Dudek & Jenkin, 2000).

There are many types of locomotion mechanisms that were designed

depending on the type of the terrain. Locomotion systems can be divided into

groups as; wheeled, tracked, legged (walking robots), limbless (snake and

8
serpentine robots) and hopping robots. Wheeled rough terrain mobile robots

are called “Rover” (Sandin, 2003).

In nature, insects are the fastest creatures, compared to body/speed

with their numerous legs. There is a far greater possibility that many are going

to use the designs of legged robots more frequently in future with enhanced

leg control algorithms and new lightweight materials. Limbless locomotion is

another terrain adaptive locomotion type for reptile creatures. Snakes can

move very fast on irregular terrain, additionally, they can quickly climb on a

tree by their highly flexible body structure.

Although animals and insects do not use wheels, wheeled locomotion

has several advantages for human-made machines. Rovers can carry more

weight with greater speed compared to walking robots and snake robots.

Another advantage of wheeled locomotion is navigation. Wheeled robot’s

position and orientation can be calculated more precisely than tracked

vehicles. While legged locomotion demands complex control algorithms for

positioning.

Static Stability Factor

The static stability factor of a robot is its ability to withstand and resist

external forces, and to remain upright when at rest or when accelerating or

decelerating (“What is static stability factor?” 2009). Since this robot requires

no movement in its soil scanning process, stability when it is not in motion is a

must. According to Fu (2012), by considering static analysis of forces

distribution, the researchers can assume that the rover stability is maximum

when the vertical component of contact-forces is equal on each leg. Unequal

9
vertical component and distribution of contact forces will cause the robot to fall.

Static stability can be maintained as long as its center of gravity remains

inside its convex hull of the support with the legs in touch to the ground

(Dudek & Jenkin, 2010). According to Roditis, Nitsos, et al. (2016), the

locomotion of the body is adjusted through a correction algorithm that

facilitates smooth body motion following the variation of the terrain while static

stability is maintained. The goal for the robot in order to have static stability

while at rest, accelerating or decelerating, is to be able to maintain its center

of gravity while having its legs and base adjust to the varying terrain.

Directional Stability

Directional stability refers to the stability of a moving body or vehicle

about an axis which is perpendicular to its direction of motion. Stability of a

vehicle concerns itself with the tendency of a vehicle to return to its original

direction in relation to the oncoming medium when distributed away from that

original direction. If a vehicle is directionally stable, a restoring moment is

produced which is in a direction opposite to the directional disturbance. This

pushes the vehicle so as to return it to the original orientation, thus tending to

keep the vehicle oriented in the original orientation. In this study, the concept

of directional stability is very vital in the making of the rover (“Directional

Stability”, n.d.).

The robot in this study will use a framework called a rocker bogie

suspension. According to Shiller & Mann (2004), bogie assembly is simply a

link that has wheels at each end and connected to another link with a revolute

joint. When working on uneven ground, the bogie rotates to distribute the load

10
between the axles. With the use of this type of suspension system, the

project’s rover can be ensured to maintain directional stability and have

accurate movements, particularly in rough terrain, while detecting soil

moisture when in use.

Traction and Slip

Traction is the grip of a tire on a road or a wheel on a rail. A robust

wheel slip control system based on a sliding mode controller is proposed for

improving traction-ability and reducing energy consumption during sudden

acceleration for a personal electric vehicle (Hori, Lee & Nam, 2015). This

study demonstrated how traction ability is a huge help in enabling the rocker

bogie to perform better when there is a better grip on it. According to Konduri,

Torres, and Pagilla (2017), wheel slip severely affects the ability of differential

drive robots to track a desired motion trajectory and the problem is

exacerbated when differential drive robots are used in applications involving

coordination of multiple robots.

2.2 Related Studies

Land Survey by Robot

Morab, Thazeen, Morab, and Saqhib (2014) developed a robot to

calculate the area of a given land and divide it into subplots. There were two

parts involved in this process, the survey robot whose distance travelled was

calculated by timer concept and the value is transmitted to the PC, and the

area measurement module that allows the user to effectively determine the

area of a plot.

11
 The designed survey robot specializes in area measurement that is

expected to become an advantage for those who are involved in large

property dealings across urban cities. Its major advantages of the use of the

survey robot include a reduction in manpower required and equipment used,

decrease in the amount of time spent in land surveys, and greater accuracy

compared to the conventional techniques. Additionally, robots have a major

part in today’s technological advancement thus the designed robot is believed

to be able to solve the disadvantages of today’s traditional surveying

techniques and will reduce manual labor associated with these techniques.

AgriRover

According to Manderson and Hunt (2013), the usually recommended

high technology opportunity to manage the variability in agricultural production

is called precision agriculture (PA). This approach to farming is likely to

improve production efficiencies through observing, measuring and managing

the variability in crops (Schellberg et al., 2008; Trotter, 2010). In line with this,

Manderson and Hunt (2013) introduced and initiated the AgriRover project to

test the practicality of an agricultural rover designed to independently gather

comprehensive real-time spatial data, provide on-the-spot treatments for the

problems encountered, and produce prescription maps of the dairy farm

paddock. The project successfully demonstrated the usefulness of the

AgriRover, since it can report results as needed to a cell phone or computer in

all types of weather at all times without giving farmers extra workload.

12
 Smart Farming using Agribot

Gowthami, Greeshma, Supraja, & RajBharath (2019) presented the

status of the current trends and uses of agricultural and autonomous systems

like the Agribot, and outlined its potential for future applications. The

agricultural robot, or Agribot, can be used in the 3 main operations in farming,

namely, crop institution, plant care and selective harvesting, without human

intervention. The advantages of using this robot is that it allows for a hands-

free operation and quick information input. The Agribot is controlled by an

Android application interfaced with hardware through bluetooth. The system

was found to be capable of performing seeding operations, with uniform

depths for seed placement and uniform distances between two successive

seeds.

Building on the successes of the survey robot, the AgriRover and the

Agribot, this study will use a robotic mechanism that is controlled through a

cellular phone and connected via bluetooth, to gather soil moisture data.

2. Synthesis

The literature on robot design parameters, as well as on the successful

design of the survey robot, the AgriRover and the Agribot, provided important

information that will guide the researchers design the rocker bogie mechanism

that will serve as the vehicle for the soil moisture measurement device.

Knowledge gained from these literatures will serve as a guide when designing

a rover that can efficiently move through rough terrain without toppling over.

13
2.3 Theoretical and/or Conceptual Framework

The study is generally aimed at using a mechanism similar to “Rocker

Bogie Rover” that is directionally and statically stable as a platform for

measuring soil moisture. The design will use a framework called a rocker

bogie suspension which has a link that has traction wheels connected to

another link with a revolute joint. This design has been demonstrated to

maintain the intended direction on both even and uneven ground without

overturning. The parameter this study aims to measure is the static stability of

the robot, which can be by its frequency of being unbalanced in 50 meters of

rough terrain. The direction, motion, and movement of the rover will be

remotely controlled via radio waves. The hygrometer, which will be attached

to the rover, will be the measuring tool for measuring soil moisture.

Fabrication of Hardware and

Software Materials
Utilization of the Efficiency of
Prototype Rocker the Machine
Bogie Rover
Applying the Stability state of the

Rocker Bogie Rover

Figure 1: Schema of the Conceptual Framework

14
 CHAPTER 3

METHODOLOGY OF THE STUDY

In this chapter, the design and the process in making the prototype

rocker-bogie rover has been discussed. The selection of the research design

and the statistical has also been tackled for the gathering and analyzing of

data.

Design and Calculation of Rocker Bogie Rover

Figure 2 shows the schematic design for the hardware system. The

rover consists of several joints. By adjusting the joints of the rover its

locomotion will become flexible. The rover has six independently driven

wheels which are attached on an articulated passive suspension system. The

wheels also have similar sizes.

The suspension system consists of two rocker linkages which are then

connected on the system body through a differential joint. Each rocker has a

rear wheel connected to one end a bogie connected to the front part of the

rover. The bogie is connected to the rocker through a free pivoting joint. In

each end of the bogie there is a drive wheel.

Figure 2: Schematic Design for the Rocker Bogie Rover

15
 Figure 3 shows the planar design of the rocker bogie rover. In the

illustration point A, B, C are the center of the wheel axles and the point E

represents the free pivot joint between the rocker and the bogie. While point D

is the differential joint between the rocker and the body. The system is defined

by the constant lengths of AE, BE, CE, and DE.

Figure 3: Planar Design for Rocker Bogie Rover

In Figure 4, it shows the calculation of the tilt angle for the rover and

its desired wheelbase. The calculated tilt angle is 26.57 °, this is the angle at

which the rover can travel diagonally across a slope without tipping over. The

wheelbase is 24 cm, this is the distance from the front wheel to the rear wheel

of the rover.

Figure 4: Calculation of Tilt Angle and Wheelbase

16
 Figure 5 shows the length of links in the rocker and bogie. The

calculated length of link AE or the rocker as shown in Figure 4 is 21 cm. While

the length of the BD and CD (bogie) is 11 cm.

Figure 5: Calculation of the Length of Links

In Figure 6, it shows the height of the rover from the base to the middle

top of the rover. The calculated net height of the rover vertically from point B

to point E is 28 cm.

Figure 6: Calculation of Height

In summary, the tilt angle of the rover is 26.67 °. Its wheelbase

from the front wheel of the bogie to the rear wheel in the rocker is 30 cm. The

length of the link of the rocker is 21 cm while the length of the bogie is 11 cm.

Lastly, the calculated height from the base to the body of the rover is 15 cm.

17
Materials

These are the following materials that will be used in the study:

For software system, the researcher used 2 pcs of Arduino Uno R3, 1

pc L293D motor driver, 1 pc HC-05 Bluetooth module, 6 pcs of 12v 30 rpm

electric motor, 1 pc of 12 V battery, 1 pc of 9 V battery, 1 pc battery holder, 1

pc of servomotor, 1 pc of soil moisture sensor, 1 pc of 2 meters 0.5 inches

wire.

Arduino Uno
L293D Motor
Driver
Bluetooth
Module

Figure 7: Software Materials

For the hardware system, the researchers used 6 pcs 1ft square

tubing, 4 pcs bolt, 1 aluminum box. and 6 pcs of 6 cm diameter wheels.

12v DC Wheel
Chassis (Aluminum
Square Tube)

Figure 8: Hardware Materials

18
Methods

The project fabrication was conducted at the Xavier University College

of Engineering Laboratories. In making the prototype of the rocker bogie rover,

the researchers followed the several steps after gathering all materials. These

are the following methods to make the prototype: First, the researchers

focused on the software aspects as they program the code for a particular

functionality. The Arduino software was used for the particular programming

of the code. 2 Arduino Uno R3 were used one for the Bluetooth remote control

where the motor driver and Bluetooth module were connected in this part. And

the other one (Arduino) for the soil moisture detection, servomotor was also

used for the movement of the soil moisture module.

Figure 9: Hardware Fabrication

19
 Figure 10 shows the circuit diagram of the software system in which

the soil moisture and the motor driver are connected to the Arduino Uno.

Figure 10: Circuit Diagram Procedure

Then for the locomotion, the researchers assembled the hardware

system such as the chassis, linkages, and motors. First the linkages were

being assembled through the use of aluminum sheets. After that the electric

motors were being attached to the tip of the aluminum sheets through the use

of metallic clamp.

And lastly the researchers assembled the software and hardware

system such as the chassis, soil moisture sensor and the Arduino. With that

the researchers tested the effectiveness of the rocker bogie rover for its

performance in soil detection.

20
 Figure 11: Prototype Assessment on a 30°Slope

This was the rover the researchers constructed using all the mentioned

materials and following the circuit diagram indicated. This rover will undergo

tests to assess its locomotion, and soil measuring ability.

21
Research Design

The researchers used experimental research design. This research

design helps the study in analyzing and evaluating the performance of the

rover. In addition, the researchers used purposive sampling design in

gathering the materials required for the study.

Statistical Treatment

In recording and evaluating the data, the following are the statistical

tools used in the analysis of this study.

1. The Mean will be used to quantitatively measure the arithmetic average

of the sets of data.

2. The Frequency and Percentage distribution were used in this study as

a basis for the efficiency of the rover.

22
 CHAPTER 4

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

In this chapter, the results from data collection will be analyzed, interpreted, and

discussed. The data collected studies factors regarding the locomotion of the rover,

and its capability to detect soil. These factors include the Static Stability Factor,

Directional Stability, and Traction, and Distance from the controller. The rover went

through different tests to assess these factors. To test its locomotion, its speed was

measured in different types of ground such as loam and clay, and it was controlled to

move through ditches at different angles. The hygrometer was tested to detect

moisture in soil at different amounts of water applied. The distance it can cover while

being maintaining connection with the Bluetooth Controller was also tested.

The statistical analysis that has been used is through the use of central

tendencies where mean, median and mode are very essential in finding out the

efficiency of the rocker bogie rover.

23
 Table 1 indicates the maximum distance the rover can reach before

losing connection from the Bluetooth Controller. From the data, the rover

responds properly when it is within 4.4m from the controller, but as it

approaches 3.6m away, the response becomes slower. When it reaches 4.8m

above, the rover becomes unresponsive, indicating that the rover has lost

connection with the controller.

Number of Distance Result

trials (m)
1 0.4 Fast and Responsive
2 0.8 Fast and Responsive
3 1.2 Fast and Responsive
4 1.6 Fast and Responsive
5 2.0 Fast and Responsive
6 2.4 Fast and Responsive
7 2.8 Fast and Responsive
8 3.2 Fast and Responsive
9 3.6 Slow and Responsive
10 4.0 Slow and Responsive
11 4.4 Slow and Responsive
12 4.8 Unresponsive
13 5.2 Unresponsive
14 5.6 Unresponsive
15 6.0 Unresponsive

Table 1: Maximum Distance from Bluetooth Controller

24
 In Table 2, the surface material column indicates various soil types that

were being used in agriculture. The straight drive column shows the velocity

of the rover across a 2 meters of a specified surface material. And in the skid

turn column, it shows the velocity of the rover on a 360° skid turn. As seen on

the data, the loam is the fastest and the most compatible soil type to drive the

rover. While the packed sand is the slowest because of its soil components.

The soil type that has the highest skid turn velocity is the loam while the

slowest is the packed sand. Due to the fact that the wheel will bulldozer the

surface of the packed sand thus more power will be consumed and it will slow

down the rover.

Surface Material Straight Drive Velocity (m/s) Skid Turn Velocity (m/s)

Coarse Gravel 0.53 0.46

Loam 0.67 0.48
Clay 0.54 0.44
Packed Sand 0.34 0.23
Peat 0.51 0.42
Chalk 0.49 0.38
Table 2: Rover’s Velocity Upon Maneuvering Over Various Surface Material

25
 Table 3 Indicates the capability of the rover in detecting the moisture or

humidity in soil. To test its capability, the rover was placed on three locations with

soil, one where there is 25-50ml of water added, another where 1-24ml water is

added, and one where the soil is dry. A soil moisture sensor was inserted to the

rover through a servo motor so that the sensor will automatically attach to the soil.

The amount of moisture within the soil according to the rover is not specified. In all

tests, the rover successfully detected moisture in soil where moisture is present.

Amount of Water Moisture According

Trial Remarks
Added on Soil (ml) to Rover

1 50 High Success

2 45 High Success

3 40 High Success

4 35 High Success

5 24 Low Success

6 20 Low Success

7 15 Low Success

8 10 Low Success

9 0 None Success

10 0 None Success

Table 3: Soil Moisture Detection Effectiveness

Legend:
High- 25-50ml water added on soil area
Low- 1-24ml water added on soil area
None- No water added on the soil area

26
 Figure 12 Shows the rover’s trajectory on the wheels and the body at a 30°

slope. Figure 12(a) shows the front wheel trajectory, figure 12(b) shows the middle

wheel trajectory, figure 12(c) shows the rear wheel trajectory and figure 12(d) rover

body trajectory. In this test, a 30° slope was used for the rover’s trajectory. With

these figures, assuming that the center of the gravity is near the top of the body one

can conclude that the rover can move at a slope of 30° without tipping over.

Figure 12: Rover’s Trajectory on a 30° Slope

27
 Figure 13 Indicates the rover’s trajectory on a 45° ditch. Figure 13(a)

shows the trajectory of the front wheel, figure 13(b) shows the trajectory of the

middle wheel, figure 13(c) shows the trajectory of the rear wheel and figure 13(g)

shows the trajectory of the rover’s body. From the data shown, the rover can move at

a 45° inclined plane.

Figure 13: Rover’s Trajectory on a 45° Ditch

28
 CHAPTER V

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

5.1 Summary

Through data gathering and experimentation, the researchers aimed to find

the capability of the locomotion of the rover in various terrain and detecting soil

moisture. The locomotion of the rover was tested in various ways. The researchers

aimed to study its Static Stability Factor, Directional Stability, and traction in various

terrain. Its capability in detecting soil was performed with only a single type of test.

The static stability factor was tested by having the rover pass through ditches

at 30° and 45° slope. The positions of each wheel were stable at each point.

The Directional Stability and traction was tested by having the rover undergo

various terrain such as loam, clay, and chalk. The rover was able to move and shift

its direction through different terrain.

The distance the rover can cover was also tested by having the rover move

until response from the rover was blurry until eventually, it stopped responding. It

had a fast response until it reached 3.6m away and eventually stopped responding at

4.8m away.

The soil moisture detector was tested by having it scan through soil that had

water at high, low, and zero levels. It was able to detect and indicate the level of

moisture within the soil.

29
5.2 Conclusion

5.2.1. Conclusion

This study aims to utilize and assess the capability of the Rocker- Bogie

Rover as medium for detecting soil moisture. This is to increase efficiency for

farmers and crop scientists alike in analyzing the soil moisture and humidity within a

specific area. Through experimentation and testing, the data suggests that the rover

is capable of being utilized in smart farming applications.

The data the researchers collected shows that the rovers capabilities

regarding its locomotion and soil moisture detection. The rover is capable of

transporting itself through different terrain, rough and smooth. It has also shown its

capabilities in maintaining directional stability and static stability when it went through

different terrain and ditches at a given angle. It has also shown that it is able to reach

far distances without losing connection. The rover is able to detect moisture with high

and low levels.

The Rocker-Bogie Rover, while having its limitations in this study, is an

effective medium for measuring soil moisture for smart farming applications with its

ability to withstand different terrain, distance it can cover without losing connection

and ability to detect soil moisture.

5.3 Limitations

Various limitations were considered before the study was conducted. These

limitations include:

30
 Lack of Time

The study was conducted for 10 months but data gathering began when only

3 months was left. This implies that data gathering and construction of the rover was

rushed within 3 months.

Lack of Materials

Most of the materials, such as the motor driver and wheels, were obtained

online and had to be delivered for several weeks, limiting the time for construction of

the rover. The chassis for the rover is simply just an aluminum box tray for cooking

cut and remodeled into a chassis. This limits the sturdiness of the rover’s chassis.

Lack of Experience

The curriculum for Senior High does not provide Robotics as a class. Some of

the researchers had past experience regarding robotics but others have none. This

limits the team effort regarding the construction.

5.4 Recommendations

This study shows the ability of using the design of the Rocker-Bogie Rover in

increasing efficiency in smart farming. While the study is limited due to time

constraint and other factors, the design and ability of the rover can be improved if

given more time. First, more data should be gathered to increase accuracy of data.

Collecting more data would provide ideas on how to improve the design of the

rover. One factor that can be improved is the ability of the rover to detect soil

moisture. Instead of just detecting soil moisture, it could instead measure moisture

with numerical values instead of description. It could also improve if the rover is not

limited to detecting water only, but also able to detect minerals, phosphates and

31
other content in soil. Another factor is the sturdiness of the Rover’s chassis. It is

made of aluminum, which is considerably flimsy. A good material to replace the

chassis is the alloy duraluminum, which is as durable as steel and lightweight, but

expensive.

In agriculture, the Rocker- Bogie Rover is recommended for smart farming

application. The rover is shown to be capable of undergoing rough terrain and if

improved based on the recommendations, could provide an alternative way of

measuring soil moisture and could improve work efficiency for farmers.

32
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Carlos, Brazil. DO! /0.1109/SBR.LARS.Robocontrol.2014.30

Basic concepts of precision farming. (2017). Retrieved from

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and fabrication of rocker-bogie mechanism (Thesis). Aditya College of
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Jotheess, S., Hari, R., Abhilash, K., & Govendan, M. (2017). Design and optimization
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35
 APPENDICES

Appendix A

Project Management Plan

The work can be broken down into several portions based on the
objectives of the project

Prototype Design Fabrication Kinematics and mechanical design for the

rover

Small Scale Prototyping Construction and design of a scaled

prototype

Frame and Rocker-Bogie Construction Construction of the prototype’s chassis

Control Systems Programming Coding and uploading the algorithmic system

for the controller

Motor Controller and Electrical Work Testing of motors, servo, wiring and
bluetooth control

Testing Testing of the rocker-bogie mechanism

Table 4: Work Breakdown Structure

36
TASKS Hours

Prototype Design Fabrication 9 Hours

Small Scale Prototyping 7 Hours

Frame and Rocker-Bogie Construction 52 Hours

Control Systems Programming 8 Hours

Motor Controller and Electrical Work 26 Hours

Testing 13 Hours

TOTAL 115 Hours

Table 5: Project Work Breakdown

37
 Start Date End Date Number of Days

Prototype Design 02-May-19 03-May-19 1

Fabrication

Small Scale 08-Aug-19 12-Aug-19 4

Prototyping

Frame and Rocker- 27-Dec-19 13-Jan-20 17

Bogie Construction

Control Systems 10-Jan-20 12-Jan-20 2

Programming

Motor Controller 16-Jan-20 22-Jan-20 6

and Electrical Work

Testing 24-Jan-20 29-Jan-20 5

Table 6: Overall Project Work Timeline

38
Appendix B

Project Material Budget Plan

Software Materials No of Materials Price (₱)

Arduino Uno 2 1020

HC-05 Bluetooth Module 1 350

L293d Motor Driver 1 250

Dupont Wires 25 175

9v Battery 3 240

TOTAL: 2,035

Table 7: Software Material Cost

39
 Hardware Materials No. Of Materials Price (₱)

1 ft. Aluminum Square Tube 8 352

12v DC Motor 6 538

12x5 inches Aluminum Box 1 135

5inches Bolt 4 36

TOTAL 1,061

Table 8: Hardware Material Cost

40
Appendix C

Software Program Code

41
Figure 14: Arduino Program Code

42
 CURRICULUM VITAE

NAME Yvonne B. Telen

PERSONAL DATA

Nationality Filipino

Birthday May 16, 2001

Birthplace Mother Care Birthing Home

12th-22nd St. Nazareth Cagayan de Oro City 9000

Address Tibasak, Macasandig, Cagayan de Oro City

EDUCATION

Senior High School Grade 12

Senior High School

Xavier University – Ateneo de Cagayan

Corrales Avenue, Cagayan de Oro City 9000

Secondary Lourdes College

Macasandig, Cagayan de Oro City 9000

St. Rita’s College of Balingasag

Brgy. 3, Balingasag, Misamis Oriental 9005

Elementary St. Rita’s College of Balingasag

Brgy. 3, Balingasag, Misamis Oriental 9005

Primary Mis. Or. Institute of Science and Technology

Cogon 9005 Misamis Oriental

43
 CURRICULUM VITAE

NAME Shaira Grace E. Colipano

PERSONAL DATA

Nationality Filipino

Birthday January 6, 2002

Birthplace Maramag, Bukidnon 8714

Address Brgy. Milaya, Wao, Lanao Del Sur

EDUCATION

Senior High School Grade 12

Senior High School

Xavier University – Ateneo de Cagayan

Corrales Avenue, Cagayan de Oro City 9000

Secondary Mindanao State University Wao Community

High School

Wao, Lanao Del Sur 9716

Elementary Wonderland Adventist Elementary School

Wao, Lanao Del Sur 9716

Primary Milaya Elementary School

Wao, Lanao Del Sur 9716

44
 CURRICULUM VITAE

NAME Seth Adrian Pelino

PERSONAL DATA

Nationality Filipino

Birthday November 1, 2001

Birthplace Cagayan de Oro City 9000

Address Quinasanghan, Iponan, Cagayan de Oro City

9000

EDUCATION

Senior High School Grade 12

Senior High School

Xavier University – Ateneo de Cagayan

Corrales Avenue, Cagayan de Oro City 9000

Secondary Blessed Mother College

Iponan, Cagayan de Oro City 9000

Elementary Merry Child School

Bulua, Cagayan de Oro City 9000

Primary Merry Child School

Bulua, Cagayan de Oro City 9000

45
 CURRICULUM VITAE

NAME Charles Ivan F. Alaba

PERSONAL DATA

Nationality Filipino

Birthday December 29, 2001

Birthplace Cagayan de Oro City 9000

Address Pag-ibig Citihomes, Malanang, Opol,

Cagayan de Oro City 9000

EDUCATION

Senior High School Grade 12

Senior High School

Xavier University – Ateneo de Cagayan

Corrales Avenue, Cagayan de Oro City 9000

Secondary Misamis Oriental General Comprehesive High

School

Don Apolinar Velez St.

Cagayan de Oro City 9000

Elementary City Central School

Don Apolinar Velez St.

Cagayan de Oro City 9000

Primary Gusa 3A Day Care Center

Gusa, Cagayan de Oro City 9000

46
 CURRICULUM VITAE

NAME Marc Rhys Alistaire I. Cabaraban

PERSONAL DATA

Nationality Filipino

Birthday March 5, 2002

Birthplace Cagayan de Oro City 9000

Address Scions, Kauswagan, Cagayan de Oro City 9000

EDUCATION

Senior High School Grade 12

Senior High School

Xavier University – Ateneo de Cagayan

Corrales Avenue, Cagayan de Oro City 9000

Secondary Xavier University Junior High School

El Camino Real, Pueblo de Oro

Cagayan de Oro City 9000

Elementary Xavier University Grade School

El Camino Real, Pueblo de Oro

Cagayan de Oro City 9000

Primary Xavier University Grade School

Macasandig, Cagayan de Oro City 9000

47
 CURRICULUM VITAE

NAME Keith Pierri Aguinot

PERSONAL DATA

Nationality Filipino

Birthday October 3, 2002

Birthplace Cagayan de Oro City 9000

Address Block 38 Lot 8, Xavier Heights Subdivision,

Cagayan de Oro City 9000

EDUCATION

Senior High School Grade 12

Senior High School

Xavier University – Ateneo de Cagayan

Corrales Avenue, Cagayan de Oro City 9000

Secondary Xavier University Junior High School

El Camino Real, Pueblo de Oro

Cagayan de Oro City 9000

Elementary Xavier University Grade School

El Camino Real, Pueblo de Oro

Cagayan de Oro City 9000

Primary Xavier University Grade School

El Camino Real, Pueblo de Oro

Cagayan de Oro City 9000

48