2024–2025
Awake Challenge — Autonomous Mini-Vehicle
Inter-school Competition · Awake Group
Photos & Illustrations
The Competition
The Awake Challenge (2024) is an inter-school engineering competition organised by Awake Group, challenging student teams from different engineering schools to design, build, and program a miniature autonomous vehicle from scratch. The goal: fastest and most reliable navigation through a defined course.
Mechanical Design
First Prototype
The initial chassis was machined from PVC sheet — lightweight, easy to work with, and dimensionally stable. The drivetrain used:
- A DC motor (MCC) as the single power source
- A belt-pulley transmission to drive the rear wheel axle
- Adjustable geometry for wheel alignment
Second Iteration
The drivetrain was redesigned with a gear train instead of a belt, improving transmission efficiency and reducing slip. Spring suspension was added to all four wheels for ground contact stability on uneven surfaces.
3D-Printed Final Chassis
The final chassis was fully modelled in SolidWorks and 3D-printed. Key design decisions:
- Compact form factor to reduce mass and inertia
- Front-mounted camera recess (fixed viewing angle)
- Lateral ports for ultrasonic sensor alignment
- Integrated Raspberry Pi mounting plate
Electronics & Autonomy
The vehicle used a Raspberry Pi as the main computing unit, connected to:
- Ultrasonic sensors — obstacle detection at multiple angles
- Camera module — lane following and path recognition
- Motor driver board for speed and direction control
The autonomy stack was programmed in Python, with sensor fusion from the ultrasonic array feeding into a simple reactive navigation controller.
Laser-Cut Chassis Plans
Alongside the 3D-printed version, a complete laser-cut design was produced — chassis body, spoiler, side walls, and support brackets — all dimensioned for flat-sheet fabrication. This provided a faster-to-manufacture fallback option.
What This Demonstrates
- End-to-end hardware project: from competition brief to physical working vehicle
- Mechanical iteration: prototype → redesign → final version, each with a specific rationale
- Multi-domain integration: mechanics, electronics, and software in a single system
- CAD-to-fabrication workflow: SolidWorks model → 3D printing + laser cutting