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Programming 201 – SPIKE Prime - Word Blocks

September 28, 2025

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Software Download

If you do not have the spike software, you can download it here: https://education.lego.com/en-us/downloads/spike-app/software/

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Areas to be covered in this session are…

2-Stage Line Following
Square on a line
Variables
MyBlocks (Time Permitting)

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How Does Light Sensor Work?

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The white LED projects light down on the mat.

The photoresistor converts the reflected light energy into electrical impulses which are sent to the Spike Prime Hub.

The hub converts the electrical signal from the sensor into numbers ranging from 0 to 100.

When the LED shines down on white, the reading should be a high number, close to 100. And when it shines on black, the reading should be a low number, close to 0.

Black absorbs the most light and white reflects the most light.

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Light Sensor Readings

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Two-Stage Line Following

What is Line Following?
Why do we use it?
What is 2 Stage?

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Two-Stage Line Following

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The robot zigzags right and left – never in a straight line. Causing jerky movement.

In 2-stage line following, the only two commands are sharp right and sharp left turns.

50 is the threshold:

> 50 is considered to be white
< 50 is considered to be black

For example:

Go right at white when reflected light intensity is > 50
Go left at black when reflected light intensity < 50

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Our Robot

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Motor D

Motor E

Light Sensor B

Light Sensor A

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Program It!

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Square Up

What is square up?
Why do we use it?

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Squaring Up To A Black Line

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The robot goes back and forth at a decreasing speed based on light sensor values to align the robot perpendicular to a line.

50 is the threshold value:

> 50 is considered to be white
< 50 is considered to be black

For example:

Go forwards at white when reflected light intensity is > 50
Go backwards at black when reflected light intensity < 50

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