Robo-Magellan
Main Computer
Concept
Early on in the project, it was decided that the inclusion of a full PC would afford us the processing power and memory required to implement all of the artificial intelligence we could ever hope for. As such, a VIA Epia Mini-ITX motherboard was selected for the task. It manages to fit the power of a typical desktop computer into a small 6.7" square form factor, perfect for integration into a mobile robot. Not only are they small, but they have low power requirements as well. Even loaded with a harddrive and the CPU running at maximum utilization, the motherboard we have selected consumes under 30W of power. This is well within the capabilities of our power system. Final specifications for the central computer are as follows:
- Mainboard: VIA Epia M10000
- CPU: 1GHz VIA Nehemiah
- RAM: 512MB DDR-SDRAM
- Storage: 40GB 4200RPM 2.5" laptop harddrive
- PSU: 80W ATX power supply with 11-30VDC input
- WiFi: D-Link 802.11b PCI card with external antenna
The computer is now securely mounted in a custom acrylic case. All of the above components fit within a 9"x7"x3" cube.
