Start with pencil and paper. When you say you have a "mobile robot", what are its capabilities? [This means "make a list of what it can do" -- "Move in a straight line for distance X at velocity Y. Change velocity (how?). Turn (which direction, how fast?). Turn while translating (i.e. "draw a circle" as opposed to "spin in place".]
Do you want the Robot to sense its surroundings to avoid obstacles, or just move along a pre-programmed path as accurately as you can make it? If sensing is involved, how would you like to do this? What kind of sensors? How will you program them?
You might consider a compromise -- "program a path" and "allow for (some) user "tweaks" to "correct" small deviations. You could also design some sensors to let the robot "follow the dotted line on the road" (though if you get into LabVIEW Vision, that is a very advanced topic that will probably take months (many) to master).
Colleagues/mentors are going to be a major asset and help!
Bob Schor
