Letter of Motivation
The first time that I decide to pursue a master degree in Robotics was during the period as a research assistant to Professor Fu Xiuhui in Robotics Lab. In that period, participating in developing a multi-sensor based mobile robot, I was in charge of developing the sub PCB for sensors and analogy-digital data processing. The project was to design and develop a multi-sensor based mobile vehicle for research on how to escape obstacles effectively by utilizing optimal algorithm. The mobile robot contains an Ultrasonic Sensor and a Fiber Optic Gyro (FOG), MCU 89C51, LCD, two motors, and some other ICs. The idea is that: If the Ultrasonic Sensor detects obstacles, the vehicle turns by making the two motors on both sides run on different direction, otherwise, the vehicle advances. While it turns, the FOG detects deflection till the vehicle turns to the set degree.
After developing the mobile robot, a team consisted by another two undergraduates was established. Surprisingly, I was nominated team leader and my team was selected to 7th "Challenging Cup" National Contest of College Students' Scientific and Technological Work.
Before the contest, we found out that the robot vehicle failed to duck the obstacles in unstructured environment or complicate conditions. After weeks of experiment, I found the answers: The degree that the vehicle turns every time is inflexible, and the Ultrasonic Sensor and the FOG seemed conflict with each other. Customarily, the vehicle turned exaggerate and meet another obstacle, thus, its trajectory was much longer than the theoretical best locus. I tried to decrease the degree that it turns every time, but the situation got worse. The MCU of the vehicle took too much time to process, and lagged severely. Because its shortages, my team just won the second prize “Challenging Cup”.
After the contest, to gain more insight and knowledge, I attended a three months’ special training program of Embedded System and IC design. This experience uplifted me and offered me a great enlightenment about IC design, programming skills, and PCB design.
My graduation project was to research on sensor-based mobile robot trajectory control. To pursue a highly effective robot and get rid of the problems earlier, with previous background, I rebuilt the whole system, and add new algorithm aiming at solving its flaws. I get rid of the FOG. Thus, the locus was judged only by whether the Ultrasonic Sensor “sees” any obstacles. In order to make its motion more precisely, I adapted step-motors and drivers. I chose a faster and larger capacity MCU 89S52 and plus a LCD screen which indicates the status of the vehicle. Finally, flaws were no more existing, and my dissertation was highly evaluated.
Thanks to my research experience, it evokes my interest which acts as driving force of my study. And it let me know that a robot is a complex system, which is integrated in several subsystems of different fields such as control, signal processing, vision and computer science, electronics. About one year ago, I was really dreamed to study DSP Design with HDL. But now I understand that, alike the programming MCU 51 chip with C, it is just one of the tools for developing a robot. The key is the algorithm!
The reason why I apply for *** is that it is the best university in Sweden, and Robotics is one of my favorite fields. I hope that I will become an engineer and devote myself into research and development. It is the happiest thing in the world to work for my hobby. I also hope that in the following two years of study at ***, I can do more research, make some publications, and continue study in *** for Ph.d if possible.
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This is a letter of motivation for graduate school, major in Robotics.
My mother language is not English, so there must be some mistakes. Please take a look at it and give some advices. Thank you.
Thank you for your patience, I appreciate it very much !