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INTERNSHIP SMART DOCKING STATION

Prime Vision is one of the leading mid-scale systems integrators and a pioneer in postal technology innovation. Our company is all about innovation in IT. We converge the knowledge from our long history and experience in deep learning and the latest IoT and Robotics capabilities to create a fertile ground for innovative thinkers and problem solvers.

We are passionate about what we do and are looking for someone with a similar attitude to support us in creating the right solutions for our international customers.

For our Innovation department we are looking for an intern that can design a prototype smart docking station, capable of automatically charging a robot.

WHAT WILL YOU BE DOING?

Docking station

Your tasks can be described as follows:

Mechanical / Electrical / PCB design:

  1. Mechanical design of a docking connector for connection to the robot.
  2. Being able to dock a robot spark free (so no electrical sparking while connecting the robot).
  3. PCB design AC / DC and DC / DC converter to connect to the 230VAC mains. The PCB must be able to switch between fast and normal charging of a 24 VDC battery. This requires research into the correct circuits / electronics and must then be implemented in the PCB design. The 230VAC converter can be bought as a standard off-the-shelf component.
  4. Power monitoring (switching the charger off when the power intake becomes too big).
  5. It must be possible to set an MCU with how much C (fast or normal) the robot should be charged.
  6. Interfacing with a central server over WiFi.
  7. Investigate and implement sensor technology to detect if the robot is connected.
  8. External signaling (light, sound) that a robot has been docked correctly and charging status. The light signal could, for example, be a LED strip that illuminates the floor under the robot.
  9. Investigate how a specific battery ID could be read (think of RFID stickers, etc.) which is connected to the docking station. This feature is for future determination of degradation and balancing of how often the different batteries are fast charged (database management etc. falls outside the scope of the assignment).
  10. Battery temperature monitoring. The batteries already contain a BMS that measures the battery temperature and can communicate the value over I2C.

Embedded software:

  1. Interfacing via WiFi with a central server. The following messages must in any case be facilitated:
  2. Battery ID
  3. Docking station ID
  4. Choice of battery fast / normal charging
  5. Battery charging percentage
  6. Battery temperature
  7. Control the previously described electrical functionalities (fast/normal charging, light and sound signals, read out of battery ID, docking station ID, etc.)
  8. Being able to switch off the docking station (temporarily stop charging) if too many robots are docked. This could be due to the available capacity of an electrical group within the building. This message only needs to be listened to and acted upon (remotely choosing which docking station(s) should be switched off is sufficient during the internship).

Deliverables

  1. A fully functioning prototype.
  2. Design documentation.

YOUR BACKGROUND?

  • You are in the final stages of your degree in mechanical, electrical or mechatronics engineering or a similar degree and have some track record in the field of mechatronics, CAD and PCB design. You have experience in programming in C++ and/or Python.

    You are hands-on and ambitious, self-starting with a responsible and flexible attitude, you love to be challenged analytically and you are a team player with an independent and customer-oriented approach.

    You can start your internship in September 2019, for a period of at least 5 months.

WHAT CAN YOU EXPECT FROM US?

Our company is all about innovation in IT. We converge the knowledge from our long history and experience in deep learning and the latest IoT and Robotics capabilities to create a fertile ground for innovative thinkers and problem solvers.

At the innovation department, you will work with some of the best brains in the industry busy concocting new hard- and software. You will be properly supervised during your work placement and be given the scope for you to get the best out of yourself. Naturally, we provide suitable work placement compensation.

ARE YOU INTERESTED?

Are you interested? Then please feel free to apply on this vacancy. For further questions don’t hesitate to contact us via our website or linkedin page.

Please send your job application, accompanied by your c.v. and motivation, citing “Internship

Smart Docking Station” to Peggy Kosters at sollicitaties@primevision.com.

 

The Netherlands

Olof Palmestraat 10
P.O. Box 6034, 2600 JA Delft

USA

3472 Indian Springs Road
Doylestown, PA 18902

Prime Vision is ISO 9001 and ISO 27001 certified.

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