LEGO Robotics Workshop Copyright © Leland Robotics Team 604, 2017. All rights reserved

Overview Day 1 - Hardware and Robot Parts Day 2 - Software and Programming Day 3 - Complete Challenges! Goal: Prepare you to be successful in FLL

Robot Parts and Design Day 1

The Brick This is the robot’s brain! It stores instructions for the robot, which is what you’ll be programming! Wires connect the brick to motors and sensors.

Brick Functions Display On/OK Button Off/Back Button Up/Down Buttons Left/Right Buttons

Brick Functions

The Brick (cont.) Ports A,B,C,D are for motors, motors can be connected to any of these ports Underneath is the battery compartment; battery level affects how the robot runs Ports 1,2,3,4 are for sensors, any sensor can be connected to any of these ports

Motors Motors: These control robot movement and have internal sensors that can detect how much the motor has rotated. Large Motor: Better for heavier, larger things Medium Motor: Better for lighter things, rotates more quickly

Sensors Sensors: Ultrasonic Sensor: Used to measure distance Touch Sensor: Used to sense pressure (like a button) Light/Color Sensor: Used to detect color or light Gyro Sensor: Used to measure rotation

Pegs and Connectors Basic pegs/pins and connectors used in building. Used to connect things together, mostly to fasten them.

Axles Axles can be used to connect things that should not spin relative to the axle

Spacers Spacers are used on axles to keep things a certain distance apart, or to hold things in place

Beams Beams are used to create support structures, and are usually connected by pegs

Gears Gears can be used to translate motion into different directions

Gears Gears can be used to speed things up.

Gears Gears can be used to increase the strength of motors.

When Designing Your Robot, Make Sure It... Has reasonable dimensions Generally, a smaller, simpler robot is better Is balanced The best way to do this is to put the brick on top of the motors You don’t want this to happen: Has a low center of gravity You know that your robot has a high center of gravity if you can push it over easily Is adaptable Bonus points if you can use the same robot for different tasks!

3 Wheel Design Very easy to turn, Less friction (fewer points of contact with floor), Not as stable or balanced as other designs

Tread Design: Lots of traction/friction, Very balanced and stable, Easy to turn, Slow

4 Wheel Design Balanced weight distribution, stable (4 points of contact), Good speed, More Friction, Harder to turn

Some Ideas...

Build a Robot Base! There are many different ways to use the parts provided in the kits!

Basic Programming Concepts Day 2

Programming Environment The EV3 Programming Environment uses colorful blocks to create programs, but most languages use text. For the robot to understand the program, it must first be converted into a different kind of code that it can read; this is called compiling. This code is then downloaded from the computer to the robot to be executed or run. (see the button on the lower right window) Each block has parameters, or settings, which control many different functions in the robot. These are move blocks Which ports the motors are connected to How many times your robot will do the action These are Parameters How fast you want your robot to move

Store multiple programs into one file Don’t forget to save your program! This starts a program

Motor Blocks Sensor Blocks Variables and Operations Press to download the program onto the EV3 brick Flow Blocks The different types of blocks used in basic programming

Move Blocks Choose how much to turn Start Choose power of each motor Choose power of both motors Move Tank: This block also allows you to control 2 motors at once, but instead of choosing how much to turn, you choose how fast each motor turns Move Steering: This block allows you to control 2 motors at once, and lets you choose how much you want the robot to turn

Motor Blocks These motor blocks are used when you want to move only 1 motor at a time. Motor Ports Modes Large Motor Block Medium Motor Block Modes: # Rotations, Degrees, Seconds, On, Off

Wait Blocks Wait Block: Used to pause your program until a certain condition is met Condition Parameter E.g. 1 sec Condition E.g. time Conditions: Time, Sensors

Loop Blocks Loop Name Loop Block: Used to repeat a sequence of blocks until a certain condition is met Condition Repeated Sequence Conditions: Count, time, sensor input,

Switch Blocks Block sequence executed if test is passed Switch Block: Used to perform 2 different sequences blocks based on the results of a test Block sequence executed if test is failed Testing method Testing Methods: Sensor tests Test Conditions depend on the test Test Condition

Loop Interrupt Block Name Loop Interrupt Block: Use to break out of a loop before the condition is met Use a “Loop” if you want something to be done over and over until something happens Use a “Switch” if you need to choose between two actions Use “Wait” blocks to debug your program

Data Wires Port Touch Sensor Block Data wires are used to input data from one block to another Data Input Data Output Types of Data: Numeric Values or Numbers, Logic Values - true or false,

Light/Color Sensor Block Port Light/Color Sensor Block: Use this block to measure the color of something, or the brightness of the light Measurement Data Wire Output Mode Modes: Measure color or light, compare color or light, calibrate

Light/Color Sensor Block - Calibration Calibration: The process of setting a standardized scale for making measurements For the light sensor, we need to calibrate, or set, what the lowest brightness is, because brightness is relative The value set to the measured brightness Mode: Set Min or Max Modes: Measure color or light, compare color or light, calibrate

Ultrasonic Sensor Block Port Ultrasonic Sensor Block: Use this block to measure distance from an object or a surface Measurement Data Wire Output Mode Modes: measure or compare distance in inches or cm

Motor Rotation Sensor Block Port Motor Rotation Sensor Block: Use this block to measure how much a motor has rotated, or to measure its power. Measurement Data Wire Output Mode Modes: measure rotations, degrees, or motor power

Variable Block Name Variable Block: Use to store information or values from other sensors Variable Type Input Area for Data Wires

Following a Line If test is passed (color sensor detects black), then one motor moves forward so that the robot turns slightly away from the black line, but moves forward slightly If test is failed (color sensor does not detect black), then the other motor moves forward so that the robot turns slightly back toward the black line, but moves forward slightly Switch, testing for black line Infinite Loop

Don’t forget to ask for help! But before you ask one of us, try to do it yourself!

Let’s Build a Robot! Day 3

Building Using all of the skills that you’ve learned over the past two days, build and program your own robot Don’t use the instructions booklet!

Challenges (Choose 1) Follow a line to the wall, then follow the line back Push an object into a marked area Differentiate between colored squares Navigate the robot through a series of obstacles

Contributors to Curriculum Evan Leung Kayla McMurray Brian Ng Richard Feng Aanya Subramaniam Thuy Nguyen Preet Amin

Workshop Mentors Evan Leung Kayla McMurray Brian Ng Richard Feng Aanya Subramaniam Thuy Nguyen Thenu Senthil