O_range: Self-balancing Mobile Robot - PID Control using AI

Hi hacksters, Long sweet summer here! anyways I kinda found something awesome and I would love to share it with ya all!.

Self-balancing mobile robots are advanced robotic systems designed to maintain stability on two wheels using dynamic balancing techniques. They rely on sensors (like gyroscopes and accelerometers) and control algorithms (often based on PID or state-space methods) to adjust their posture and motor outputs in real-time. This showcase project is inspired by the inverted pendulum principle, where the center of mass is kept above the pivot point through continuous correction. During this summer season I managed to squeeze time and build one and in the house we named it O_range (just because some of the parts were printed in orange filament and my kids called it orange). :)

O_range Key features:

• Sensors: Detect tilt, speed, and orientation.
• Motors and Wheels: Provide the necessary torque for balance and movement.
• Control Systems: Process sensor data to adjust wheel speeds, ensuring stability.

O_range uses an MPU6050 IMU for tilt detection, BTS7960 drivers for powerful motor control, and WiFi for wireless communication with a sci-fi-themed Processing GUI for real-time monitoring and manual tweaks.

This makes tuning smarter and faster, blending traditional PID with AI optimization. Ideal for robotics learners exploring control theory, IoT, and machine learning. The robot self-corrects tilts and stays upright now with AI! Let m give you a quick tour of the additions.

After wireless tuning worked great, I wanted to automate the PID hunt. Manual slider adjustments in Processing are fun, but trial-and-error gets tedious. I simulated the robot as an inverted pendulum in Python using the control library, then used SciPy's Differential Evolution to optimize PID params by minimizing ITAE (Integral of Time-weighted Absolute Error). This GA-like (Genetic Algorithm) evolves a population of PID candidates, evaluating their performance in simulation.

Running the optimizer yielded Kp ≈ 200, Ki ≈ 0, Kd ≈ 1.6—values that stabilized the simulator quickly. Transferring them to the real ESP32 robot (with minor tweaks for hardware variances) improved balancing out-of-the-box. Combining this with the wireless GUI lets me auto-tune virtually, then fine-tune live. I think this is a game-changer for rapid prototyping!

Processing Sketch

Use this WiFi-adapted Processing code (with Client instead of Serial). Install processing.net and controlP5 libraries.

Update the code with esp32 IP with your ESP32's address.This GUI features neon graphs, sliders, and status indicators for wireless tuning.

// Processing GUI for Self-Balancing Robot IMU Calibration and PID Tuning (WiFi Version)
// Visualizes raw tilt, smoothed tilt, PID output with a sci-fi themed interface
// Features: Neon color palette, grid-based graphs, status texts in left panel
// Updates: Uses TCP over WiFi instead of Serial, maintains original functionality
// Communicates with ESP32 via TCP (BalancingRobotWiFi.ino)
// Requires controlP5 and processing.net libraries, Orbitron font (or fallback to Consolas)
// Check out my GitHub https://github.com/migit/O_Range for full implementation 
import controlP5.*;
import processing.net.*;
ControlP5 cp5;
Client client;
PFont sciFiFont;
boolean clientInitialized = false;
float tilt = 0.0, rawTilt = 0.0, pidOutput = 0.0, tiltOffset = 0.0;
float[] tiltHistory = new float[400], rawTiltHistory = new float[400], pidHistory = new float[400];
int historyIndex = 0;
long lastDataTime = 0;
String lastRawInput = "";
float lastTilt = 0.0;
int oscillationCount = 0;
float oscillationThreshold = 1.0;
color dataIndicatorColor = color(255, 64, 64);
String esp32IP = "192.168.1.100";  // Replace with your ESP32's IP address
int esp32Port = 80;

void setup() {
  size(1000, 700);
  cp5 = new ControlP5(this);
  
  sciFiFont = createFont("Orbitron", 12, true);
  if (sciFiFont == null) sciFiFont = createFont("Consolas", 12, true);
  textFont(sciFiFont);
  
  // Attempt to connect to ESP32 via TCP
  println("Attempting to connect to ESP32 at " + esp32IP + ":" + esp32Port);
  for (int i = 0; i < 5; i++) {
    try {
      client = new Client(this, esp32IP, esp32Port);
      if (client.active()) {
        clientInitialized = true;
        println("Connected to ESP32 at " + esp32IP);
        break;
      }
    } catch (Exception e) {
      println("Attempt " + (i + 1) + ": Error connecting to ESP32: " + e.getMessage());
      if (i < 4) delay(2000); else println("Failed after 5 attempts.");
    }
  }
  
  // Set up sliders
  cp5.addSlider("Kp").setPosition(20, 50).setSize(200, 20).setRange(0, 50).setValue(10.0)
     .setLabel("Kp").setColorForeground(color(0, 255, 255)).setColorBackground(color(50, 60, 90))
     .setColorActive(color(0, 128, 255)).setColorLabel(color(200, 220, 255));
  cp5.addSlider("Ki").setPosition(20, 80).setSize(200, 20).setRange(0, 1).setValue(0.0)
     .setLabel("Ki").setColorForeground(color(0, 255, 255)).setColorBackground(color(50, 60, 90))
     .setColorActive(color(0, 128, 255)).setColorLabel(color(200, 220, 255));
  cp5.addSlider("Kd").setPosition(20, 110).setSize(200, 20).setRange(0, 10).setValue(5.0)
     .setLabel("Kd").setColorForeground(color(0, 255, 255)).setColorBackground(color(50, 60, 90))
     .setColorActive(color(0, 128, 255)).setColorLabel(color(200, 220, 255));
  
  // Initialize history arrays
  for (int i = 0; i < 400; i++) {
    tiltHistory[i] = rawTiltHistory[i] = pidHistory[i] = 0.0;
  }
}

void draw() {
  background(20, 24,36);
  fill(30, 36, 54, 200);
  noStroke();
  rect(10, 10, 240, 680, 10);
  fill(200, 220, 255);
  textAlign(LEFT);
  text(String.format("PID:\nKp=%.2f\nKi=%.2f\nKd=%.2f\nOffset=%.2f",
                     cp5.getController("Kp").getValue(),
                     cp5.getController("Ki").getValue(),
                     cp5.getController("Kd").getValue(),
                     tiltOffset), 20, 200);
  text("Connection: " + (clientInitialized && client.active() ? "Connected" : "Disconnected"), 20, 300);
  String lastData = lastRawInput.length() > 20 ? lastRawInput.substring(0, 17) + "..." : lastRawInput;
  textSize(10);
  text(String.format("Last: %s\nTime: %d ms", lastData, millis() - lastDataTime), 20, 310);
  textSize(12);
  fill(abs(tilt) < 2.0 ? color(0, 255, 128) : color(255, 64, 64));
  rect(20, 350, 30, 20, 5);
  text("CoG: " + (abs(tilt) < 2.0 ? "Stable" : "Adjust"), 60, 365);
  text("Wheels: " + (tilt > 0 ? "Backward" : tilt < 0 ? "Forward" : "Stopped"), 20, 400);
  fill(oscillationCount > 50 ? color(255, 64, 64) : color(0, 255, 128));
  rect(20, 410, 30, 20, 5);
  text("Jitter: " + (oscillationCount > 50 ? "High (Tune)" : "Stable"), 60, 425);
  if (oscillationCount > 50) text("Tip: Lower Kp, inc Kd", 20, 445);
  fill(dataIndicatorColor);
  rect(20, 470, 30, 20, 5);
  fill(200, 220, 255);
  text("Data: " + (lastDataTime > 0 ? "Real" : "None"), 60, 485);
  drawGraph(300, 20, 670, 200, rawTiltHistory, color(0, 255, 255), "Raw Tilt", rawTilt, -90, 90);
  drawGraph(300, 250, 670, 200, tiltHistory, color(0, 128, 255), "Smoothed Tilt", tilt, -90, 90);
  drawGraph(300, 450, 670, 100, pidHistory, color(255, 0, 255), "PID Output", pidOutput, -100, 100);
  
  // Check for incoming data
  if (clientInitialized && client.active() && client.available() > 0) {
    processClientData();
  }
}

void drawGraph(float x, float y, float w, float h, float[] data, color lineColor, String title, float currentValue, float minVal, float maxVal) {
  fill(30, 36, 54, 200);
  stroke(50, 60, 90, 150);
  strokeWeight(1);
  rect(x, y, w, h, 10);
  int gridLines = 5;
  float yStep = h / gridLines, valStep = (maxVal - minVal) / gridLines;
  for (int i = 0; i <= gridLines; i++) {
    float gy = y + i * yStep;
    line(x, gy, x + w, gy);
    fill(200, 220, 255);
    textAlign(RIGHT);
    text(String.format("%.1f", maxVal - i * valStep), x - 5, gy + 5);
  }
  noFill();
  stroke(lineColor, 150);
  strokeWeight(3);
  beginShape();
  for (int i = 0; i < 400; i++) {
    int idx = (historyIndex + i) % 400;
    float val = data[idx], gy = map(val, minVal, maxVal, y + h, y);
    if (!Float.isNaN(gy)) vertex(x + i * w / 400, gy);
  }
  endShape();
  stroke(lineColor);
  strokeWeight(1);
  beginShape();
  for (int i = 0; i < 400; i++) {
    int idx = (historyIndex + i) % 400;
    float val = data[idx], gy = map(val, minVal, maxVal, y + h, y);
    if (!Float.isNaN(gy)) vertex(x + i * w / 400, gy);
  }
  endShape();
  fill(200, 220, 255);
  textAlign(LEFT);
  text(title, x, y - 10);
  text(String.format("Val: %.2f", currentValue), x, y + h + 20);
}

void processClientData() {
  try {
    String input = client.readStringUntil('\n');
    if (input == null || input.trim().isEmpty()) return;
    input = input.trim();
    lastRawInput = input;
    lastDataTime = millis();
    println("Received: [" + input + "]");
    if (input.startsWith("DATA")) {
      String[] data = input.split(",");
      if (data.length >= 3) {
        try {
          tilt = parseFloatSafe(data[1], 0.0);
          pidOutput = parseFloatSafe(data[2], 0.0);
          rawTilt = (data.length >= 4) ? parseFloatSafe(data[3], 0.0) : 0.0;
          dataIndicatorColor = color(0, 255, 128);
          if (abs(tilt - lastTilt) > oscillationThreshold) oscillationCount++;
          else oscillationCount = max(0, oscillationCount - 1);
          lastTilt = tilt;
          tiltHistory[historyIndex] = tilt;
          rawTiltHistory[historyIndex] = rawTilt;
          pidHistory[historyIndex] = pidOutput;
          historyIndex = (historyIndex + 1) % 400;
          if (data.length < 4) println("Note: rawTilt missing, defaulting to " + rawTilt);
        } catch (Exception e) {
          println("Parse error: [" + input + "], " + e.getMessage());
          dataIndicatorColor = color(255, 64, 64);
        }
      }
    } else if (input.startsWith("Calibration Complete")) {
      try {
        tiltOffset = parseFloatSafe(input.split(":")[1].split(" ")[1], 0.0);
        println("Tilt Offset: " + tiltOffset);
      } catch (Exception e) {
        println("Calibration error: [" + input + "], " + e.getMessage());
      }
    } else if (input.startsWith("Updated PID")) {
      println("PID updated: [" + input + "]");
    }
  } catch (Exception e) {
    println("Client error: " + e.getMessage());
    dataIndicatorColor = color(255, 64, 64);
    clientInitialized = false;
    // Attempt to reconnect
    try {
      client = new Client(this, esp32IP, esp32Port);
      if (client.active()) clientInitialized = true;
    } catch (Exception reconnectEx) {
      println("Reconnect failed: " + reconnectEx.getMessage());
    }
  }
}

float parseFloatSafe(String s, float fallback) {
  try {
    return Float.parseFloat(s.trim());
  } catch (NumberFormatException e) {
    println("FloatទFloat error: [" + s + "], using " + fallback);
    return fallback;
  }
}

void controlEvent(ControlEvent event) {
  if (!clientInitialized || !client.active() || !event.isController()) return;
  float kp = cp5.getController("Kp").getValue();
  float ki = cp5.getController("Ki").getValue();
  float kd = cp5.getController("Kd").getValue();
  client.write(String.format("PID,%.2f,%.2f,%.2f\n", kp, ki, kd));
  println("Sent PID: Kp=%.2f, Ki=%.2f, Kd=%.2f", kp, ki, kd);
}

AI-Based PID Tuning

Run this offline to simulate and optimize PID before uploading to ESP32. Adjust model params (l, J) to match your robot.

import control
import numpy as np
from scipy.optimize import differential_evolution

g = 9.81  # Gravity
l = 0.3   # Pendulum length (m)
J = 0.006 # Moment of inertia (kg m^2)

def cost(params):
    Kp, Ki, Kd = params
    try:
        A_closed = np.array([
            [0, -1, 0],
            [0, 0, 1],
            [Ki / J, g / l - Kp / J, -Kd / J]
        ])
        B_closed = np.zeros((3, 1))
        C_closed = np.eye(3)
        D_closed = np.zeros((3, 1))
        sys_closed = control.ss(A_closed, B_closed, C_closed, D_closed)
        
        t = np.linspace(0, 5, 500)
        X0 = [0, 0.087, 0]  # Initial: integral=0, theta=5° (rad), dtheta=0
        
        t_out, y_out = control.forced_response(sys_closed, T=t, U=0, X0=X0)
        
        theta = y_out[1, :]  # Theta state
        
        if np.any(np.isnan(theta)) or np.max(np.abs(theta)) > 10:
            return 1e6
        
        itae = np.trapz(t * np.abs(theta), t)
        return itae
    except:
        return 1e6

bounds = [(0, 200), (0, 50), (0, 100)]  # Kp, Ki, Kd ranges
result = differential_evolution(cost, bounds, maxiter=50, popsize=15)

print("Optimized PID: Kp=%.2f, Ki=%.2f, Kd=%.2f" % tuple(result.x))

Have fun! to be continued...