Automatic docking system using sonar

Abstract

Since Bangladesh is crisscrossed by rivers, river ports and river ways have been playing a significant role to the transportation of goods here and there. Almost all big cities and commercial centers of Bangladesh have been established by the river-ports. In Bangladesh there are twenty two complete river-ports. Most of them are being used regularly. Among of all the transport system mostly highest useable ones the roadways and secondly comes the water transport system. Because of the water transport system we all are aware of the water vehicles. Most of the water vehicles are being operated by the master driver along with junior master driver. To operate any kind of the water vehicle one of the masters required at least 7/8 years of the experience. Despite having masteries of the skill of driving sometimes they face problem regarding to the docking. It requires time and perfect observation to dock a vehicle. Therefore we have come up with the project of our thesis “Automatic Docking”. In this project we have used a small demo boat to examine the process of the docking. For detecting any kind of object we have used air sonar (HC-SR04), which basically used for detect any kind of object within the air range 2cm-400cm. since our boat is small we have used a small range of distance to docking our boat. It will start detecting dockyard when the boat will be in the range of 50cm.we have used two sonar to measure the distance. When the both of the sonar distance will be same it means that it’s already in the close range of dockyard and done with docking the vehicle. This project is based on the sonar’s detecting system. It does not need the observation skill of the driver. Its more accurate then the skills of the master driver. A driver may not detect the vehicles at night, during rain, and foggy days but our sonar can detect the objects at those days too. So this simple circuit is easy to handle and it’s cost effective. We hope that through our project it will help the driver to avoid any kind of the accidents and risk of loss property also life. Many places like rural village do not have proper road transportation system during the rainy season. That time water vehicles are highly required in everywhere of Bangladesh. If we can ensure the safety of a passenger during their travel by water vehicles, then the water transportation system will become the safest transportation system of Bangladesh. Therefore, then anyone can travel or do business without having any kind of stress of losing property and life.