Automatic robot library Geel

RobotLibrary: Automated Robot for the Library of Geel

Project Overview

Like many libraries, the library of Geel faces declining visitor numbers, especially among younger generations. To address this trend and make the library more attractive, we developed the an automated system where robots deliver magazines to reading areas. Our goal was to put the library back in the spotlight and generate media attention by offering a unique experience.

The Concept

Our robot-powered library experience focuses on the magazine section, which is often overlooked. The robots continuously loop through various reading corners, allowing visitors to interactively select and return magazines via a digital system. This not only modernizes the process but also makes it more engaging.

Functionality and User Scenarios

• Selecting Magazines: Visitors can browse a digital catalog on a tablet in their seating area. They can view available magazines in the robot, with details such as the name, description, and publication date.
• Borrowing Magazines: Once a magazine is selected, the visitor can have the robot deliver the chosen magazine to their seating area. The robot will stop for a few moments, allowing easy retrieval of the magazine.
• Returning Magazines: After reading, visitors can use the same system to return the magazine by placing it back into the robot.

Technologies Used

• Hardware: Arduino UNO was used to program the robots in C++ through Visual Studio Code. The Arduino allowed the robots to autonomously navigate and perform tasks without being connected to a PC.
• Interface: The user interface on the tablets was developed using HTML, CSS, MySQL, and ASP.net. MySQL acted as the database for managing magazines, while ASP.net powered the backend to manage interactions with the robot. The entire system was developed in Visual Studio using C# and integrated with GitHub for team collaboration.

Challenges and Lessons

Due to a tight deadline and limited support, we weren’t able to fully complete the project as initially planned. While the core functionality of the robots was operational, there were still some bugs and improvements that we would have addressed with more time.

Explanation video

Github link

https://github.com/GiosSiebe/RobotBibliotheek

Conclusion

Although the project wasn’t 100% finished, it provided us with valuable experience in robotics, software development, and teamwork on an innovative concept. This project highlights our creative approach to using technology to solve practical problems.