Notes to Couprie

• Linear Motion activity - similar to conveyor belt used in Skills Mechatronics?
• Gears activity
• add a multitasking requirement as part of the Remote Control assignment..  It is easy to do. http://www.robotc.net/wiki/Multitasking_tips
• Build a 15 second autonomous phase - into the remote control assignment
• Add the lcd screen?

CS20 Robotics & Engineering

Vex Robotics and RobotC

Note to teachers: This document is no longer up to date with my current activities.  I will update it as I can.

Minimum Vex Requirements for This Unit

• Vex Cortex Kit
• Optical Shaft Encoders
• Bumper Sensors
• RobotC licence

Links and Resources

Programming Language Info: http://www.robotc.net/education/curriculum/vex/

Cortex Videos: RobotC Video Tutorials

Found good tutorial: http://carrot.whitman.edu/Robots/notes.pdf

Note: The Robotics credit will appear on report cards as Second Language 1

Credit Grading Summary

The following activities will affect your grade.  The percentages are an approximate weighting.

De

• Namebot (20%)
• Functions (20%)
• Slam Dunk (15%) - 10 of 15 available without building the arm!
• Disco Stu (20%)
• RobotC vs Java Assignment (15%)
• Design Your Own Challenge (5%)
• Inventory Management (Tear down and organization) (5%)

Day 1

Parts Confirmation - have students look for and discuss the following

Handout needed with check boxes for students to sign off

• Cortex
• 2 Vexnet USB sticks
• Remote Control
• Orange USB cable
• Blue battery
• Triple A batteries
• 4 motors
• Servo
• 4 motor converter thingies
• Box of screws, bolts etc. Discuss what parts you should have:

• 2 thread sizes of screws (careful you do not strip anything)
• Rivets (and how they work)
• Silver shaft grabber thingies
• Clutches or alternative

• 2 bumper sensors
• 2 limit switches
• Optical Encoder (new)
• 2 Red handled Allen Wrenches (new)
• Miscellaneous wheels
• 2 castors
• Miscellaneous other parts

Build Tumblerbot but with optical shaft encoders on the back wheels.

Finish Namebot and Functions Assignment if necessary

Class 9 (Wednesday, June 1st?)

Remote Control

• Install your batteries and download the remote control firmware.  Step 3 of Getting Started in RobotC.
• Go to http://www.education.rec.ri.cmu.edu/products/teaching_robotc_cortex/index.html … Remote Control
• Look at the Challenge (first link on the left).  We will not be doing this challenge fully but have a few rolls and balls so you can test your arm by creating a similar task.
• There are 11 videos in the Remote Control section.  For these videos, EACH group member must complete all the code.

Remote Control Activity 1:

• Watch the first 4 videos (found under the Joystick Mapping section on the left) completing the code as you go.
• Download and test your code by driving around and coming up with a few driving challenges on your own, such as trying to drive and stop exactly on one of metal tiles near the white board.

Remote Control Activity 2:

• Watch the next 2 videos (found under the Timers section on the left) completing the code as you go.

• At the bottom of the Timers video page are links to 2 challenges: Round Up and Bull in the Ring.  Choose one of the two challenges to recreate in some way. Tape can be found in the top left drawer of my desk to mark the floor.  5 Weighted pop cans are on the side counter.

Class 10

Build Robotic Arm

Finish Remote Control videos

• Watch and code along with the remaining videos.  Your goal is to prepare yourself for the Slam Dunk Challenge.

Can a Robot Evolve?  What would be the results?  

• Consider the above questions, then watch the following video: http://www.ted.com/talks/hod_lipson_builds_self_aware_robots.html (6:21)

Class 11

Where is robotics at today?

• Consider how robots have been portrayed in movies, then think about how close we are to reaching this level?
• Watch the following video about one researcher’s work: http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/dennis_hong_my_seven_species_of_robot.html - (16 minutes)

Individual/Group Marked Assignment: Slam Dunk Challenge - Click here for full details

Class 12

Sensors - Limit Switch Videos

• Go to http://www.education.rec.ri.cmu.edu/products/teaching_robotc_cortex/index.html … Sensing and watch the first 2 variables
• Go to http://www.education.rec.ri.cmu.edu/products/teaching_robotc_cortex/reference/sensor_ig.pdf and skim through the document, spending some time reading the Bumper Switch section

Group Marked Assignment: Disco Stu

• Add a bumper switch to the front or top of your robot in the simplest way possible
• Program the robot so that it...

• Drives forward for 10 seconds and then stops
• If at any time during the 10 seconds, it hits something with the bumper, it will stop, do a reversing turn to the right, continue driving forward.
• At the end of the 10 seconds, do a dance until the bumper is pressed again at which time it will stop

Class 13

Using Variables

• Skim through the following two documents about variables in RobotC

• http://www.robotc.net/education/curriculum/vex/pdfs/Variables.pdf
• http://www.robotc.net/education/curriculum/vex/pdfs/Global%20Variables.pdf

Individual Marked Assignment - RobotC vs Java assignment

Design your own challenge- must use the Bumper and Variables in some way

• Your job is to create a robot that mirrors a real life activity.  To do this you must include the following:

• A description of your robot’s goals
• A sketch of the robot’s design
• A complete program that you believe will fulfill the goal
• A built robot if time allows (you will not lose marks if you run out of time and can not actually build the robot)

• Name your file DesignChallenge.c
• Variables should be used to store distances, time, etc.  Comment your program carefully to highlight this section of your code.
• Note: Using a Bumper sensor is a required part of this credit and if you do not complete this activity, you will lose marks.  If you are short of time, adapt your Slam Dunk program/challenge to include the use of the bumper sensor, rather than

Class 14

Design your own challenge

Class 14

Tear apart day.