Automatic Bookshelf Managing System (ABMS)

A 24-671 EMSD project: a Cartesian gantry + rack-and-pinion gripper + QR-based vision system that automates book storage and retrieval.

Electromechanical Design Cartesian Gantry Rack-and-Pinion Gripper FSR Safety OpenCV / QR Arduino + Python

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Links

Main Portfolio Code Repository Demo Videos

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Objective & Metrics

ABMS aims to reduce manual shelving effort by automatically identifying books (QR), moving to shelf coordinates (gantry), and safely gripping/placing books (gripper + FSR).

Primary objective

Automated store & retrieve workflow

Handling envelope

1–10 cm thickness, up to 2.5 kg

Safety metric

Force-limited gripping (FSR)

System metric

Correct CSV inventory mapping

Introduction

Libraries and large collections spend significant time on sorting and reshelving. ABMS automates the physical handling loop: scan → plan placement → move → grip → insert → log; and later retrieve using the stored location.

System Pipeline

Identify: camera reads QR code; map book ID to shelf coordinates.
Plan: find free slot (gap) and compute placement pose.
Move: Cartesian gantry navigates to target shelf location (with homing + limits).
Handle: rack-and-pinion gripper clamps with FSR-limited force.
Log: update CSV database (ID, layer, x-position, thickness).

Methods

Hardware

3-axis gantry built from 20×20 mm aluminum extrusion.
NEMA 17 stepper motors (TB6600 drivers) for axes; servo for gripper actuation.
Limit switches for safe homing; FSR for grip-force limiting.

Software

Python orchestration + serial control; Arduino firmware for low-level motor control.
OpenCV-based QR detection to index books.
CSV inventory map to track placement and retrieval.

Results

End-to-end demo: store → log → retrieve cycle demonstrated with QR + CSV updates.
Repeatability: gantry returns to shelf coordinates reliably after homing.
Safety: FSR prevents over-clamping during pickup and insertion.
Limitations: very heavy/oversized books and structural compliance reduce robustness.

If you have numbers (cycle time, success rate, error), replace these bullets with concrete metrics.

My Contribution

Mechanical design iterations for gantry–gripper integration under shelf constraints.
Rack-and-pinion gripper design and validation support (including stress/deflection checks).
Integrated sensing constraints (limit switches, FSR) into system interface requirements.
Testing/debug support for store/retrieve sequences and demo preparation.
Authored this project webpage and curated artifacts.