Matteo Ruzdijic
Skidsteer robot with a red chassis, black wheels, breadboard electronics, and a claw arm, on a white track with a black line

Line-Following Autonomous Skidsteer

Controls · Autonomous Systems · 2025

Role
Controls Programmer
Timeline
Jan 2025 – Apr 2025
Team
Team of 2
Tools
PI Control, Sensor Integration, Embedded Programming

Programmed a fully autonomous skidsteer that follows a track, turns at track divisions, and picks up and drops off objects using a tuned PI controller.

The Problem

For MREN 103, the assignment was a fully autonomous skid-steer robot. It had to follow a defined track, take turns correctly at track divisions, and pick up and drop off objects at set locations, with no operator input.

My Approach

I split the work with one teammate. I programmed the control logic that reads the robot's exteroceptive sensors to track the line, and built a PI controller to apply corrective steering whenever it drifted off course.

Outcome

The skidsteer held the line reliably, took accurate turns at each division, and completed the pickup-and-dropoff task as specified.

Placeholder image: skidsteer robot on the test track
Skidsteer on the test track
Placeholder image: PI controller response plot
PI controller correcting a track deviation
Close-up of the skidsteer's claw mechanism picking up wire nuts used as track objects
Object pickup at a track waypoint